SEC v. Ulrich Kranz; and Paul Balciunas, No. LR-25802, Central District of California (Aug. 4, 2023) — Press Release
raw: Ulrich Kranz and Paul Balciunas
Ulrich Kranz and Paul Balciunas, No. LR-25802 (Aug. 4, 2023)
The SEC settled charges against Canoo Inc. and its former executives, Ulrich Kranz and Paul Balciunas, for inaccurate revenue projections and undisclosed executive compensation.
The SEC charged Canoo Inc., former CEO Ulrich Kranz, and former CFO Paul Balciunas for making inaccurate revenue projections of $120 million for 2021 and $250 million for 2022. The complaint also alleged the failure to disclose nearly $1 million in compensation paid to Kranz by significant investors. To resolve the matter, Canoo agreed to a $1.5 million penalty, while Kranz and Balciunas accepted officer and director bars and various civil penalties.
The SEC announced settled charges against electric vehicle company Canoo Inc. and its former CEO, Ulrich Kranz, and former CFO, Paul Balciunas, regarding misconduct during a 2020-2021 SPAC transaction. The defendants allegedly provided materially inaccurate revenue projections for 2021 and 2022 based on projects that were no longer active or feasible. Additionally, the SEC charged Kranz and Canoo with failing to disclose an arrangement where Kranz received over $900,000 in compensation from significant investors. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Canoo agreed to a $1.5 million civil penalty and a cease-and-desist order. Kranz accepted a three-year officer and director bar and a $125,000 civil penalty, while Balciunas received a two-year officer and director bar, a $50,000 penalty, and $7,500 in disgorgement and interest.
Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)
Extracted insights
- $250.00M $250 million $100M–$1B
- $120.00M $120 million $100M–$1B
- $1.50M $1,500,000 $1M–$10M
- $1.00M $1 million $1M–$10M
- $900K $900,000 $100K–$1M
- $125K $125,000 $100K–$1M
- $50K $50,000 $10K–$100K
- $8K $7,500 <$10K
- person administrative proceeding
- company Canoo Inc.
- organization Canoo Inc.
- person paul balciunas
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- organization Securities and Exchange Commission
- person settled charges
- person ulrich kranz
- Securities And Exchange Commission Charges Canoo Inc.
- Ulrich Kranz Made Inaccurate Revenue Projections
- Canoo Inc. Projected $120 Million Revenue
- Ulrich Kranz Received $900,000 Compensation
- Securities And Exchange Commission Instituted Administrative Proceeding
- Canoo Inc. Agreed To $1,500,000 Civil Penalty
- Ulrich Kranz Consented To $125,000 Civil Penalty
- Paul Balciunas Consented To $50,000 Civil Penalty
- Securities And Exchange Commission Announced Settled Charges
- Ulrich Kranz Entered Into Agreement For $1 Million Compensation
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 25802 / August 4, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Ulrich Kranz and Paul Balciunas, No. 23-cv-06332 (C.D. Cal. filed Aug. 4, 2023) SEC Charges Electric Vehicle Company and Former CEO and CFO for Misconduct Related to Spac Transaction The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against Canoo Inc., a company that designs and produces electric vehicles, its former Chief Executive Officer, Ulrich Kranz, and its former Chief Financial Officer, Paul Balciunas, for making inaccurate revenue projections. The SEC also charged Canoo and Kranz with misconduct related to nearly $1 million in undisclosed executive compensation. The SEC's complaint against Kranz and Balciunas, filed in federal district court in California, alleges that from August 2020 until March 2021, during which time Canoo became publicly listed through a transaction with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Canoo's public financial projections were materially inaccurate. According to the complaint, Canoo projected revenue of $120 million for 2021 and $250 million for 2022, in connection with the provision of engineering services to other companies; these projections were allegedly unreasonable because, as Kranz and Balciunas should have known, the two projects on which Canoo based nearly all of its projected revenue were no longer active or feasible. The complaint further alleges that in November 2019, Kranz entered into an agreement with two individuals who were significant investors in Canoo to receive up to $1 million in compensation related to his work at Canoo, and in October 2020, Kranz received over $900,000 from these two individuals. According to the complaint, this undisclosed arrangement caused Canoo to make inaccurate executive compensation disclosures from September 2020 until April 2021. Without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations, Kranz and Balciunas have each consented to the entry of judgments against them, which are subject to court approval. Kranz agreed to be permanently enjoined from violating the anti-fraud provision of Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 and the proxy solicitation provisions of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 14a-3 and 14a-9 thereunder, as well as from aiding and abetting violations of the reporting provisions of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, and 13a-11 thereunder. Kranz also consented to a three-year officer and director bar and payment of a $125,000 civil penalty. Balciunas agreed to be permanently enjoined from violating Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14a-3 thereunder, as well as from aiding and abetting violations of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13a-11 thereunder. Balciunas further consented to a two-year officer and director bar, payment of $7,500 in disgorgement and prejudgment interest, and a $50,000 civil penalty. The SEC also instituted a related settled administrative proceeding against Canoo. Without admitting or denying the findings, Canoo agreed to the entry of a cease-and-desist order prohibiting further violations of Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act, Sections 13(a) and 14(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, 14a-3 and 14a-9 thereunder. Canoo also agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,500,000. The SEC's investigation was conducted by John Dwyer and Anne Romero, with the assistance of Christopher Martin and Gregory Kasper, and was supervised by Danielle R. Voorhees, Nicholas P. Heinke, and Jason J. Burt, all of the SEC's Denver Regional Office. SEC Complaint
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 25802 / August 4, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Ulrich Kranz and Paul Balciunas, No. 23-cv-06332 (C.D. Cal. filed Aug. 4, 2023) SEC Charges Electric Vehicle Company and Former CEO and CFO for Misconduct Related to Spac Transaction The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against Canoo Inc., a company that designs and produces electric vehicles, its former Chief Executive Officer, Ulrich Kranz, and its former Chief Financial Officer, Paul Balciunas, for making inaccurate revenue projections. The SEC also charged Canoo and Kranz with misconduct related to nearly $1 million in undisclosed executive compensation. The SEC's complaint against Kranz and Balciunas, filed in federal district court in California, alleges that from August 2020 until March 2021, during which time Canoo became publicly listed through a transaction with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Canoo's public financial projections were materially inaccurate. According to the complaint, Canoo projected revenue of $120 million for 2021 and $250 million for 2022, in connection with the provision of engineering services to other companies; these projections were allegedly unreasonable because, as Kranz and Balciunas should have known, the two projects on which Canoo based nearly all of its projected revenue were no longer active or feasible. The complaint further alleges that in November 2019, Kranz entered into an agreement with two individuals who were significant investors in Canoo to receive up to $1 million in compensation related to his work at Canoo, and in October 2020, Kranz received over $900,000 from these two individuals. According to the complaint, this undisclosed arrangement caused Canoo to make inaccurate executive compensation disclosures from September 2020 until April 2021. Without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations, Kranz and Balciunas have each consented to the entry of judgments against them, which are subject to court approval. Kranz agreed to be permanently enjoined from violating the anti-fraud provision of Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 and the proxy solicitation provisions of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 14a-3 and 14a-9 thereunder, as well as from aiding and abetting violations of the reporting provisions of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, and 13a-11 thereunder. Kranz also consented to a three-year officer and director bar and payment of a $125,000 civil penalty. Balciunas agreed to be permanently enjoined from violating Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14a-3 thereunder, as well as from aiding and abetting violations of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13a-11 thereunder. Balciunas further consented to a two-year officer and director bar, payment of $7,500 in disgorgement and prejudgment interest, and a $50,000 civil penalty. The SEC also instituted a related settled administrative proceeding against Canoo. Without admitting or denying the findings, Canoo agreed to the entry of a cease-and-desist order prohibiting further violations of Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act, Sections 13(a) and 14(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, 14a-3 and 14a-9 thereunder. Canoo also agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,500,000. The SEC's investigation was conducted by John Dwyer and Anne Romero, with the assistance of Christopher Martin and Gregory Kasper, and was supervised by Danielle R. Voorhees, Nicholas P. Heinke, and Jason J. Burt, all of the SEC's Denver Regional Office. SEC Complaint