SEC v. PreIPO Corp.; John A. Mattera; and David P. Grzan, No. LR-25810, Southern District of Florida (Aug. 18, 2023) — Press Release
raw: PreIPO Corp., et al.
PreIPO Corp., et al., No. 9:23-cv-81141-DMM (Aug. 18, 2023)
The SEC obtained emergency relief against PreIPO Corp., John A. Mattera, and David P. Grzan for an offering fraud that raised $4.2 million to develop a platform but diverted $1.7 million to personal use.
PreIPO Corp., John A. Mattera, and David P. Grzan are charged with violating federal antifraud and securities registration provisions after raising at least $4.2 million from investors. The defendants allegedly diverted approximately $1.7 million of these funds toward undisclosed payments to themselves rather than developing a private company share platform. The SEC has secured a temporary restraining order and asset freezes, while seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement, and officer and director bars.
The SEC filed an emergency action against PreIPO Corp., John A. Mattera, and David P. Grzan for allegedly orchestrating an offering fraud that raised at least $4.2 million. While claiming funds would develop an online platform for private company shares, the defendants diverted approximately $1.7 million to themselves and other officers. The complaint further alleges that the defendants misrepresented management structures to conceal Mattera’s actual control over the company. The SEC has successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freezes to halt the ongoing fraud. Legal charges include violations of Sections 5 and 17 of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act. The agency is now seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement, civil penalties, and officer and director bars against the defendants. Additionally, Boss Global Advisory Group Inc. has been named as a relief defendant.
Exhibits & Attached Documents (3)
Extracted insights
- $4.20M $4.2 million $1M–$10M
- $1.70M $1.7 million $1M–$10M
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed an emergency action to stop an offering fraud allegedly perpetrated by PreIPO Corp., John a. Mattera, and David P. Grzan
- Securities And Exchange Commission obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freezes
- PreIPO Corp., through Mattera and Grzan raised at least $4.2 million from investors
- PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan told investors that their money would be used to develop an online platform that offers access to shares in private companies before their initial public offerings
- PreIPO made undisclosed payments totaling about $1.7 million to Mattera, Grzan, and other officers of the company out of investor funds
- PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors regarding PreIPO's management in order to conceal Mattera's involvement in and control over the company
- Securities And Exchange Commission charges PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan with violating Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act, and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5
- Mattera is liable as a control person for PreIPO's violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5
- Securities And Exchange Commission seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and civil penalties against all of the defendants, and officer and directors bars against Mattera and Grzan
- Securities And Exchange Commission names Boss Global Advisory Group Inc. as a relief defendant, seeking disgorgement plus prejudgment interest
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 25810 / August 18, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. PreIPO Corp., et al., Civil Action No. 9:23-cv-81141-DMM (S.D. Fla.) (Filed August 14, 2023) SEC Obtains Emergency Relief, Charges Recidivist in Offering Fraud The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it filed an emergency action and obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freezes to stop an offering fraud allegedly perpetrated by Florida company PreIPO Corp., Boca Raton resident and serial recidivist, John A. Mattera, and West Palm Beach resident David P. Grzan. As alleged in the SEC's complaint, which was filed in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, from at least March 2022 and continuing through the present, PreIPO, through Mattera and Grzan, raised at least $4.2 million from investors. PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan told investors in the offering that their money would be used to develop an online platform that offers access to shares in private companies before their initial public offerings. Contrary to the defendants' statements to investors, the complaint alleges that only a small portion of the offering proceeds was used to fund PreIPO's online platform. Instead, PreIPO made undisclosed payments totaling about $1.7 million to Mattera, Grzan, and other officers of the company out of investor funds. In addition, according to the complaint, PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors regarding PreIPO's management in order to conceal Mattera's involvement in and control over the company. The SEC's complaint, filed on August 14, 2023, and unsealed today, charges the defendants with violating the antifraud and securities registration provisions of the federal securities laws. Specifically, the complaint alleges that PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan violated Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act, and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5, and that Mattera is also liable as a control person for PreIPO's violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5. In addition to the emergency relief granted by the court, the complaint seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and civil penalties against all of the defendants, and officer and directors bars against Mattera and Grzan. The SEC's complaint also names Boss Global Advisory Group Inc., a company controlled by Mattera, as a relief defendant, seeking disgorgement plus prejudgment interest. The SEC's investigation was conducted by David Staubitz and Mark Dee in the Miami Regional Office, and was supervised by Chedly C. Dumornay, Fernando Torres, and Glenn S. Gordon. The SEC's litigation will be led by Russell Koonin and supervised by Teresa Verges. SEC Complaint Order Motion
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 25810 / August 18, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. PreIPO Corp., et al., Civil Action No. 9:23-cv-81141-DMM (S.D. Fla.) (Filed August 14, 2023) SEC Obtains Emergency Relief, Charges Recidivist in Offering Fraud The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it filed an emergency action and obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freezes to stop an offering fraud allegedly perpetrated by Florida company PreIPO Corp., Boca Raton resident and serial recidivist, John A. Mattera, and West Palm Beach resident David P. Grzan. As alleged in the SEC's complaint, which was filed in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, from at least March 2022 and continuing through the present, PreIPO, through Mattera and Grzan, raised at least $4.2 million from investors. PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan told investors in the offering that their money would be used to develop an online platform that offers access to shares in private companies before their initial public offerings. Contrary to the defendants' statements to investors, the complaint alleges that only a small portion of the offering proceeds was used to fund PreIPO's online platform. Instead, PreIPO made undisclosed payments totaling about $1.7 million to Mattera, Grzan, and other officers of the company out of investor funds. In addition, according to the complaint, PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors regarding PreIPO's management in order to conceal Mattera's involvement in and control over the company. The SEC's complaint, filed on August 14, 2023, and unsealed today, charges the defendants with violating the antifraud and securities registration provisions of the federal securities laws. Specifically, the complaint alleges that PreIPO, Mattera, and Grzan violated Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act, and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5, and that Mattera is also liable as a control person for PreIPO's violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5. In addition to the emergency relief granted by the court, the complaint seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, and civil penalties against all of the defendants, and officer and directors bars against Mattera and Grzan. The SEC's complaint also names Boss Global Advisory Group Inc., a company controlled by Mattera, as a relief defendant, seeking disgorgement plus prejudgment interest. The SEC's investigation was conducted by David Staubitz and Mark Dee in the Miami Regional Office, and was supervised by Chedly C. Dumornay, Fernando Torres, and Glenn S. Gordon. The SEC's litigation will be led by Russell Koonin and supervised by Teresa Verges. SEC Complaint Order Motion