SEC v. EDWARD CONSTANTIN; PERRY MATLOCK; THOMAS COOPERMAN; GARY DEEL; MITCHELL HENNESSEY; STEFAN HRVATIN, et al., No. 4:22-cv-04306, Southern District of Texas (Dec. 14, 2022) — Complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION,

                                                                        Plaintiff,
            v.

EDWARD CONSTANTIN, a/k/a “MrZackMorris,”
a/k/a “Edward Constantinescu,”
PERRY MATLOCK, a/k/a “PJ Matlock,”
THOMAS COOPERMAN, a/k/a “Tommy Coops,”
GARY DEEL, a/k/a “Mystic Mac,”
MITCHELL HENNESSEY, a/k/a “Hugh Henne,”
STEFAN HRVATIN, a/k/a “LadeBackk,”
DANIEL KNIGHT, a/k/a “Deity of Dips,” and
JOHN RYBARCYZK, a/k/a “Ultra Calls,” a/k/a
“The Stock Sniper,”

                                                Defendants.

Civil Action No. 22-CV-____ (___)

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

COMPLAINT
 Plaintiff, Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), alleges the
following against the defendants:
SUMMARY
1. To their legions of followers on social media, the eight defendants have, for years,
promoted themselves as trustworthy stock-picking gurus.  In reality, they are seasoned stock
manipulators.  They identify stocks ripe for manipulation, acquire substantial positions in these
securities, and then recommend those stocks as good investments to their followers on Twitter, in
online stock-trading forums they run, and on podcasts.  They encourage their followers to
purchase the selected stocks, often claiming that they likewise have bought or intend to buy these

2
 
stocks for themselves and hold them.  Instead, the defendants sell their shares into the demand
that their deceptive promotions generate.
2. Seven of the defendants—Perry Matlock, Edward Constantin, Thomas
Cooperman, Gary Deel, Mitchell Hennessey, Stefan Hrvatin, and John Rybarcyzk—carried out
the scheme, coordinating the acquisition of shares, promoting the shares to their followers, and
dumping the shares for substantial profits.  They were aided and abetted by Daniel Knight, who
with Hennessey, co-hosted a popular stock-trading podcast that promoted the other defendants as
expert traders and provided a platform for other defendants to deceptively promote the stocks
they intended to dump.
3. From at least January 2020 through present (the “Relevant Period”), the eight
Defendants earned approximately $100 million from this stock-manipulation scheme.
VIOLATIONS
4. As a result of the conduct alleged herein, defendants Constantin, Matlock,
Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk violated, and unless restrained and
enjoined will continue to violate, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”)
[15 U.S.C. §77q(a)], Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) [15
U.S.C. §78j(b)], and Rule 10b-5 thereunder [17 C.F.R. §240.10b-5(a), (b) & (c)].   Knight aided
and abetted, and unless restrained and enjoined, will continue to aid and abet these violations of
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND RELIEF SOUGHT
5. The Commission seeks a permanent injunction against the Defendants, enjoining
them from engaging in transactions, acts, practices, and courses of business of the type alleged in
this Complaint; disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains from the unlawful conduct set forth in this

3
 
Complaint, together with prejudgment interest; civil penalties pursuant to Section 20(d) of the
Securities Act [15 U.S.C. §77t(d)] and/or Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C.
§78u(d)(3)]; and such other relief as the Court may deem appropriate.  The Commission further
seeks an order barring Hrvatin from participating in any offering of a penny stock, pursuant to
Section 20(g) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. §77t(g)] and/or 21(d) of the Exchange Act [15
U.S.C. §78u(d)].
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
6. This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Section 22(a) of the
Securities Act [15 U.S.C. §77v(a)] and Sections 21(d), 21(e), and 27 of the Exchange Act [15
U.S.C. §§78u(d), 78u(e), and 78aa].
7. Venue lies in this Court pursuant to Section 22(a) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C.
§77v(a)] and Section 27 of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. §78aa].  Certain of the acts, practices,
transactions and courses of business alleged in this Complaint occurred within the Southern
District of Texas, and were effected, directly or indirectly, by making use of means or
instrumentalities of transportation or communication in interstate commerce, or the mails.  Four
Defendants reside in the Southern District of Texas, where they communicated with co-
defendants in furtherance of the fraud scheme and made numerous false and deceptive
statements as described herein.
DEFENDANTS
8. Edward Constantin, a/k/a “MrZackMorris,” a/k/a “Edward Constantinescu,” 38,
is a resident of Houston, Texas.  His Twitter account, @MrZackMorris, had more than 551,000
followers as of December 2022.  Constantin is a co-founder of Atlas Trading, a stock-trading
forum on the social media platform Discord, which offers users the ability to communicate via

4
 
voice calls, video calls, and text messaging, among other things.
9. Perry Matlock, a/k/a “PJ Matlock,” age 38, is a resident of The Woodlands,
Texas.  His Twitter account, @PJ_Matlock, had more than 340,000 followers as of December
2022.  Matlock refers to himself as the “CEO” and co-founder of Atlas Trading.
10. Thomas Cooperman, a/k/a “Tommy Coops,” 34, is a resident of Beverly Hills,
California.  His Twitter account, @ohheytommy, had more than 129,000 followers as of
December 2022.  Cooperman is a member of the electronic music group Breathe Carolina and,
with Gary Deel, runs a YouTube channel called the “Goblin Gang,” described as “[t]wo multi-
millionaire day traders filming their lives for the internet to see.”
11. Gary Deel, a/k/a “Mystic Mac,” 28, is a resident of Beverly Hills, California.  His
Twitter account, @notoriousalerts, had approximately 144,000 followers as of December 2022.
With Cooperman, Deel runs the Goblin Gang YouTube channel.
12. Mitchell Hennessey, a/k/a “Hugh Henne,” 24, is a resident of West New York,
New Jersey.  Along with Daniel Knight, Hennessey hosts the “Pennies: Going in Raw” podcast,
which promotes Atlas Trading.  His Twitter account, @Hugh_Henne, had more than 237,000
followers as of December 2022.
13. Stefan Hrvatin, a/k/a “LadeBackk,” 35, is a resident of Miami, Florida.  His
Twitter account, @LadeBackk, had more than 150,000 followers as of December 2022.
14. Daniel Knight, a/k/a “Deity of Dips,” 28, is a resident of Houston, Texas.  With
Hennessey, Knight is a co-host of the Pennies: Going in Raw podcast.  His Twitter account,
@DipDeity, had more than 171,000 followers as of December 2022.
15. John Rybarcyzk, a/k/a “Ultra Calls,” a/k/a “The Stock Sniper,” 32, is a resident
of Spring, Texas.  His Twitter account, @Ultra_Calls, had more than 267,000 followers as of

5
 
December 2022.  Rybarcyzk is the founder of Sapphire Trading, another stock trading forum on
Discord.
16. Defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and
Rybarcyzk are referred to herein as the “Primary Defendants.”  With the addition of Knight, the
collective group of all defendants is referred to herein as the “Defendants.”
FACTS

I. SUMMARY OF SCHEME
17. The Defendants engaged in a long-running fraudulent scheme to manipulate
securities by publishing false and misleading information in online stock-trading forums, on
podcasts, and through their Twitter accounts.  The Primary Defendants, aided and abetted by
Knight, engaged in a pattern of conduct, sometimes referred to as “scalping,” in which they
recommended the purchase of a particular stock without disclosing their intent to sell that stock.
They generally executed their scheme in three phases.  First, one or more of the Primary
Defendants identified a security to manipulate (the “Selected Stock”) and purchased shares of
that particular security.  By sharing the name of the Selected Stock among some or all of the
group, the Defendants provided each other with the opportunity to purchase shares at lower
prices prior to the manipulation.  Next, they promoted the stock to their followers on podcasts
and/or social media platforms in order to generate demand and inflate the share price.  Typically,
the Primary Defendants announced price targets, teased upcoming news about the company,
and/or stated their intention to buy shares or hold their current positions for longer periods.
Finally, after promoting the stock to their followers in these ways, the Primary Defendants sold
their shares into the demand generated by their recommendations.  When the scheme succeeded,
the Primary Defendants were able to sell their shares at higher prices and make profits.  In order

6
 
to cover up their scheme and continue perpetrating it, the Primary Defendants at various points
deleted old tweets and Discord chats, and lied to their followers about the reasons why particular
stock picks were followed by declines in the prices of those stocks, obscuring their own roles in
causing losses among their followers and other retail investors.
18. None of the Primary Defendants disclosed that they were either planning to sell,
or were actively selling, a Selected Stock while recommending that their followers buy it.  Nor
did any of the Primary Defendants disclose that they were coordinating with each other to
manipulate the price and volume of trading in the stocks they were promoting.   Moreover, the
Primary Defendants’ deception extended beyond their omissions and outright lies about their
intentions regarding, and views about, the securities they were promoting.  For instance,
sometimes they peddled false or misleading news about particular stocks through social media or
podcast interviews.  On some occasions, the Primary Defendants lied about losing money on a
particular stock when in reality they had profited handsomely, in order to generate trust among
their followers—trust that was necessary to perpetuate the scheme and ensure that their followers
would continue to purchase shares based on their future recommendations.  Indeed, in private
chats and surreptitiously recorded conversations, they bragged and laughed about making profits
at the expense of their followers.
19. Defendants’ specific roles in the fraudulent scheme varied depending on the
timeframe and the specific security at issue.  Typically, only a subset of the Primary Defendants
participated in the manipulation of a particular stock.  Those Primary Defendants would agree on
a Selected Stock in which they would each establish a position (i.e., “load” or “load up” on the
stock).  After loading up on the Selected Stock, most, if not all, of the Primary Defendants who
had established positions in that stock would recommend it to their followers.  The Primary

7
 
Defendants often referred to “swinging” or taking a “swing” position in the stock, by which they
conveyed to their followers that they intended to hold onto the stock for at least a day, and likely
longer.  As the Primary Defendants involved in the deceptive promotion of a particular stock
often informed other Defendants of their plans, those not directly promoting the stock could—
and often did—take advantage of the advance knowledge by purchasing the Selected Security, in
advance of the promotion, and selling the Selected Security at inflated prices that resulted from
the promotion.  Over the course of the ongoing scheme, all of the Primary Defendants, aided and
abetted by Knight, engaged in this conduct, participating directly in scalping and other deceptive
conduct, and all of the Defendants profited from the knowledge that others were doing so.
20. The Primary Defendants deceptively promoted stocks through three channels:
stock-trading forums on Discord; podcasts; and Twitter.
21. Online stock-trading forums.   In 2018, Defendants Matlock and Constantin
founded Atlas Trading (“Atlas”)—a free online forum that cultivated a following of novice stock
traders by purporting to provide educational content about trading and securities markets.  Atlas
describes itself as “a team of consistent profitable traders who are willing to educate beginning
traders with free resources of education, free trading alerts and ideas.”  Atlas is hosted on
Discord, a social media platform that offers users the ability to communicate via voice, video,
and text messaging, among other things.  Matlock and Constantin are among a small group of
individuals who control the portion of the forum in which various Defendants recommended
specific stocks (the “SMALL CAPS trading floor”).  Sub-forums such as the SMALL CAPS
trading floor are referred to as “channels” on Discord.  Although anyone could view the content
on the SMALL CAPS trading floor channel, only individuals who are granted permission by the
small group of members that include Matlock and Constantin are permitted to post content there.

8
 
As Matlock explained, “the ... [SMALL CAPS] trading floor is locked . . . to most.  We kind of
reserve this channel for people who know more about stocks and have better information that
we’ve, you know, deemed worthy, I guess you could say, and they’ll discuss tickers in here . . .
during market hours, it’s more about calls and what’s going on with the market.”  At various
times from 2018 to the present, Matlock and Constantin, along with Rybarcyzk, Deel,
Hennessey, Cooperman, and Knight, were allowed to post stock recommendations on the Atlas
SMALL CAPS trading floor.   By early 2021, Atlas had more than 150,000 members.
22. In 2018, Rybarcyzk founded Sapphire Trading (“Sapphire”), another stock-
trading forum on Discord.  Sapphire featured a channel called the “pro-trader floor” that was
analogous to Atlas’s SMALL CAPS trading floor.  In addition to Rybarcyzk, Defendants Deel
and Cooperman were permitted to post on Sapphire’s pro-trader floor.  By mid-2021, Sapphire
had nearly 60,000 members.
23. Podcasts.  In July 2020, Knight and Hennessey launched a podcast called
“Pennies: Going in Raw” (“PGIR”).  PGIR bills itself as an informational podcast “[d]iscussing
volume, price targets, penny stocks, accumulation, reverse splits and much more” and claims to
be the “#1 Stock Market Podcast in America” with over 2.3 million downloads.   PGIR served as
a platform to promote Atlas and the Defendants, most of whom sat for multiple interviews with
Knight and Hennessey.
24. Twitter.  Each of the Defendants amassed substantial numbers of followers on
Twitter, where they regularly post about stocks they are manipulating.  The term “FinTwit”
refers to the community of Twitter users that regularly tweet about finance and the stock market.
Defendants considered themselves influential within the FinTwit community.  As Hennessey
remarked in a private Discord chat, “20 of us run fintwit an [sic] we have more money then [sic]

9
 
some countries.”   The Defendants each included disclaimers on their Twitter accounts that they
were not providing stock recommendations or financial advice.  But they intended for their
followers to act on their promotional tweets, and understood that their followers would do so.
Constantin, for example, acknowledged in an interview with Knight and Hennessey on PGIR:  “I
understand that if I call something, you know, everybody and their mom is going to buy.”   That
expectation is reflected in hundreds of tweets by the Defendants, including in the examples
below during the Relevant Period:
a. Rybarcyzk (“The Stock Sniper” / @Ultra_Calls):  If you didn’t bank with the
gang today; then idk what’s wrong. Gave this alert on Twitter and Sapphire
Trading Discord (1000% FREE)

b. Cooperman (“Tommy Coops” / @ohheytommy):  Hope everyone banked on
this one. Did exactly what I said . Support entries and then NHOD [New High
of the Day]. Didn’t wanna just keep talking about it <3   
  
c. Deel (“Mystic Mac” / @notoriousalerts):  Alright Goblins I’m out for the day.
EVERYONE should have banked with me on the initial $EXPR call at 5.15 or
on the dip entry a second ago. Love you guys I’ll see you all tomorrow to
make stupid money with you again!
 
d. Matlock (@PJ_Matlock):  I’ll never get sick of pumping.... money into my
followers bank accounts.  LETS ALL GET RICH!

e. Hennessey (@Hugh_Henne):  Every single member of atlas admin Have the
same goal...  to get as many people away from the 9-5 slavery and into the
area of financial freedom and f u money.  ❤ our gains but seeing stories of
others paying off debt& banking is much more rewarding @MrZackMorris
@PJ_Matlock

f. Knight (“Dan, Deity of Dips” / @DipDeity):  Congrats to all the longs that
banked with me on this one. I know I called it right as the market opened, but
if you caught this one - you should be thanking me now

g. Hrvatin (@LadeBackk,):  Next week I’m gonna have a nice one for us.
Promise. I might even say something along the lines of... “Get in p*ssy, we’re
going to the moon.”

10
 
25. Defendants regularly promoted their own stock-trading success, and the
substantial wealth it brought them, along with the success of individuals who followed their
advice, in order to further their scheme and encourage their followers on social media to act on
their recommendations.  For example:
1

Hennessey:
a. On June 15, 2020, Hennessey tweeted:  “6/15/2020: Decent day for the
swings. Had to deal with something personal early this morning.. but working
on a few new winners  Had a blast w my boy @notoriousalerts An hour of
bro’s, analogies and lessons! $1 MILLION in UNDER a YEAR Trading
Stocks!!!”

b. On December 19, 2020, Hennessey tweeted:  “ATLAS has the most self made
millionaires We do not even know the names of the people that consider us
their "competition" We are the '85 Bears. No one survives.”

c. On December 25, 2020, Hennessey tweeted:  “Merry Christmas. Steps to
financial freedom 1). Compound gains

@MrZackMorris [Constantin] $800 to what 15...20 mil in 3 years

@PJ_Matlock [Matlock] few k to MILLIONS

@notoriousalerts [Deel] $1,000 to 500ish k in 15 months

@DipDeity [Knight] $4,000 to 6 figures in a year

WE DID IT SO CAN YOU...”
  Cooperman:
d. On April 4, 2021, Cooperman tweeted:  “Get some sleep tonight gang.
Tomorrow we continue the journey to you becoming a f*cking millionaire.
BRING YOUR F*CKING SHOES!”
Hrvatin:
                                                            
1
 Throughout the Complaint, expletives have been redacted in part with asterisks from the
original text.  Tweets and Atlas posts are generally italicized but otherwise unchanged, with
spelling/grammatical errors preserved.

12
 
Constantin is depicted in front of the Ferrari in the picture at left; Constantin,
Knight and a third individual (redacted in part) are depicted in front of the Ferrari
in the picture at right.
                        Rybarcyzk:
h. On November 22, 2021, Rybarcyzk tweeted:  “I don’t want clout. I want my
every single one of my followers to be millionaires.”

i. On December 29, 2021, Rybarcyzk tweeted:  “I’m trying to hit 777
millionaire traders 2022. I’m gonna make it happen. It’s not my goal to only
make me prosper. I want all of you to prosper. I’m gonna make each and
every one of you make it. The market is so universal. You just adapt to current
conditions. Let’s go crazy.”

j. On July 26, 2021, Rybarcyzk tweeted:

 

13
 
Deel:
k. On July 16, 2021, Deel tweeted:  “Actually 500 into 7Million, but who’s
counting.”

l. October 29, 2021, Deel tweeted:  “Bout 5K short of a million dollar month.
Truly UN F*CKING REAL!!!! We will nail in on November I promise you
that!!!! LETS GO!”

26. Tweets like those identified above served to further the scheme by convincing
followers that acting on the Primary Defendants’ recommendations would likely lead to
significant wealth, and by falsely portraying their trading methods as accessible to anyone
willing to learn.
27. As described above, defendants repeatedly sold shares in direct contradiction to
their public statements to followers on social media that they were continuing to buy, and or
holding their positions, in anticipation of higher share prices.  This practice is called “dumping,”
and despite repeatedly dumping their stock as they recommended it to their followers, the
Primary Defendants reassured their followers and the general public that they did not engage in
such behavior, as illustrated by the false and misleading statements and posts below from the
Relevant Period:
a. Constantin (Twitter):  I don’t dump on people.

b. Constantin (PGIR Interview):  I’m not going to like continue calling
something just so, you know, we can get out.  We take our losses, whatever,
you move on.

c. Matlock (Twitter):  And I’m not pumping and dumping on anyone. Why would
I sell when I truly believe $RIBT gets over $1.50-$2.  Haters mad to see
anyone winning and come out if the stock is down 3% . All I post is
information about it.

d. Deel (Twitter): $BCTX recap: I buy stocks that I think have a good chart and
good news. That’s how I always play it and sometimes it goes the wrong way.
That’s trading. I never dump shares on alerts. BCTX got smacked hard on a
vwap reject and I took the L with you guys earlier. On to next

14
 

e. Cooperman (Twitter):  so we are CRYSTAL F*CKING CLEAR ... i dont dump
on my followers. nor do i even have the following big enough to dump all my
shares on. if i say i think something is going to do something THATS WHAT I
THINK ITS GONNA DO.

f. Rybarcyzk (Twitter):  You guys are my family. Whoever has my back is a real
MVP. I’ve posted many negative P&L images. I don’t dump on anyone. If I
have to I’ll just take my losses. I have diamond hands though.

28. These false and misleading statements furthered the Primary Defendants’ scheme
by building trust among their followers, so that the Primary Defendants could continue to
deceptively promote stocks, and continue to profit by selling their shares into the demand that
their promotion generated, all without disclosing either their plans to sell, or their actual sales.
29. The Defendants understood that they were participating in an unlawful market-
manipulation scheme, and that they were profiting from misleading their followers.  The
Defendants sometimes discussed their scheme over Discord voice chats that they believed were
private, but were being recorded.  For example, on March 1, 2021, Knight and Cooperman
(along with others) discussed the group’s manipulation of the securities of GTT
Communications, Inc., which at the time traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”)
under the ticker GTT.
2
  The following is a portion of the conversation:
Knight:  Get caught? . . . We’re robbing f*cking idiots of their money. . .
Cooperman:  It’s so funny because I can see the . . . . I can like see the timeline of these.
Like I get it [the ticker], I send it to Dan [Knight].  I know Dan’s on voice.  Dan tells you
guys.  I see it go up more.  Then I send it to Gary [Deel] and I see it go up like way more
[laughter] . . . . My other thing is too, is like alright, if we lose on one of these, we’ve
won on like a hundred so . . .  We gotta remember with these Ultra [Rybarcyzk] ones,
they all do the same thing.  It like spikes, comes down for a second—

Knight:  Then the scalpers get out, like Gary [Deel] gets out, then—
                                                            
2
 The NYSE delisted GTT on August 2, 2021.

15
 
Cooperman:  And then it goes f*cking bukoo, but no, that’s not only it.  Like what he
[Rybarcyzk] does is he alerts it, and then like five minutes later, all his little minions start
like retweeting it and saying added with him, so it like builds the hype back up.  It
happens every single time.  They have their shit down to a f*cking science, it’s crazy.
 Cooperman, Knight, and others were watching GTT’s stock price and volume in real time
during that conversation.  An unidentified individual exclaimed, “Wow, big dump!”  Cooperman
then commented that he understood that at least one of the Primary Defendants, Rybarcyzk, was
dumping at that moment.   He stated:  “I can like see them in my head coming out of the candle.
Like weee! [laughter]  Weee!”  Knight responded, “Another banger call guys,” referring to the
promotion.  Knight went on to make fun of Rybarcyzk’s followers who were losing money as
Rybarcyzk’s share dump crashed the stock price:  “And all his [Rybarcyzk’s] followers are like,
‘Uh, yo we can’t sell today, I don’t have any day trades left.’”
3
  Knight’s mocking of
Rybarcyzk’s followers elicited laughter.  The group continued to mock Rybarcyzk’s followers.
Playing the role of one of Rybarcyzk’s followers, Cooperman asked:  “Is this a swing?” eliciting
laughter.  Knight continued, imitating Rybarcyzk’s followers:  “Please be a swing.”
30. In another surreptitiously recorded Discord call, on February 24, 2021, involving
Knight, Cooperman, and others, Knight acknowledged that he understood the Primary
Defendants were engaging in market manipulation, and explained why he posted fewer
recommendations on Twitter and Atlas than the Primary Defendants:
“[The less] I mention a stock, the less likely I get involved whenever all of
Atlas gets a class action f*cking lawsuit . . .  I’m playing this extremely
smart, for the very long term.  If you don’t think all these f*ckers go to jail
or at least get sued, you are crazy. . . playing stupid does not work in
court. . . it’s market manipulation. . . . I mean you look up the definition of
market manipulation . . .”
                                                            
3
 The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority imposes certain restrictions on the number of “day trades” allowed in
certain types of accounts below certain asset thresholds.

16
 
31. Despite understanding that the Primary Defendants were engaging in market
manipulation and profiting from misleading recommendations to their followers on Twitter,
Atlas, and Sapphire, Knight continued to promote the Primary Defendants as expert traders on
PGIR and provided them with a platform to peddle misleading statements about the stocks they
were promoting.  Knight himself profited from the fraud scheme by taking positions in the stocks
that he knew the Primary Defendants were manipulating, and selling into the demand the
Primary Defendants generated through the fraud scheme.  Although Knight posted less
frequently about the stocks, his role on the podcast was often to ask questions intended to elicit
Hennessey or others to promote a stock.
32. As noted, the Primary Defendants regularly trumpeted their trading successes to
their followers.  They held themselves out as stock picking experts worthy of the substantial
followings they had amassed.  But they also from time to time claimed they lost money on
particular stock “plays.”  Many of these claims of losses were false and designed to conceal the
fact that the Primary Defendants had profited by dumping their shares into the demand their
deceptive promotions had generated.
33. For example, on August 11, 2021, Rybarcyzk claimed in a tweet that he lost
money trading on ABVC Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ABVC), which he had previously
recommended to his followers:
$ABVC Strange action today . Bag holder here  honestly doesn’t make
sense. Ran from $3.30 to $4.40’s yesterday and to $4.20’s today. But
faded due to shorts and scalpers. I’m sure some made money. But I hold
my word and don’t dump on anyone.
Here, Rybarcyzk claimed that he lost money trading ABVC Biopharma (he was a “[b]ag
holder”), and that others (including short sellers and “scalpers”) caused the share price to drop,
but that he did not make money because he does not “dump” shares on anyone.  But Rybarcyzk

17
 
actually made approximately $68,690 on August 10 and August 11, 2021 (the day he posted that
tweet) by dumping his shares while recommending ABVC to his followers.
34. Similarly, on March 18, 2021, Deel, having promoted American Resources Corp.
(Ticker: AREC) to his followers, claimed he lost $20,000:
Deel (@notoriousalerts):   “$AREC stopped me guys. Sorry about this one I lost
20k here it looks like 1.5M shares were sold over 5. Sorry to anyone who took
with me. Had great news this morning but didn’t wanna go. I’ll look for us a
better one”
In fact, Deel made more than $7,000 dumping his AREC shares on that day alone (and over
$6,000 selling his shares into demand generated by his posts the day before).
35. Others Primary Defendants also deceived their followers about profits and losses
to further the scheme.  Matlock, for example, having promoted FDS Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:
HUGE) to followers, reported on Atlas on February 3, 2021:  “HUGE I took the loss on it too.
We will find a better one.”  Matlock in fact made approximately $27,734 dumping his HUGE
shares the day he made that post.
II. Examples of Manipulation
A. Camber Energy, Inc.
36.  Several Primary Defendants manipulated the stock of Camber Energy, Inc. at
various times from August to October 2021.  Camber Energy trades on the New York Stock
Exchange under the ticker “CEI.”  Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman established positions in CEI
stock and sold into their deceptive promotion in early August 2021; Constantin and Hvartin
established positions in the stock and sold into their deceptive promotion in September and
October 2021.  CEI was one of the Selected Stocks.
August 3-5, 2021:  Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman
37. Matlock and Deel began purchasing shares of CEI on August 3, 2021.

18
 
Cooperman bought shares the next day.  By the afternoon of August 4, 2021, all three had
acquired significant positions in CEI, with Deel owning 936,422 shares acquired at an average
price of $.46 per share, Matlock owning 835,429 shares acquired at an average price of $.46 per
share, and Cooperman owning 405,000 shares acquired at an average price of $.47 per share.
Then, at 3:37 p.m. Deel posted the following message about CEI on Twitter and on Atlas:
$CEI I added for a swing. Volume is starting to come into pennies this
week and this is very cheap. On the daily chart we have formed a double
bottom. Last time it was at these prices we went to $3. So that leaves a lot
of range.
Matlock echoed the sentiment, posting on Atlas at 3:38 p.m.:  “Adding CEI with you that's cheap
AF,” using an abbreviation for the slang term cheap “as f*ck.”
38. Within the next four minutes after those posts, Matlock sold 165,100 shares, Deel
sold 60,000 shares, and Cooperman sold 240,000 shares of CEI, as the price rose by a penny per
share.  At 3:43 p.m., Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman posted about CEI again:
 Deel (Twitter):  “$CEI with the CEO saying no reverse split they have to think
it will get to a dollar. I feel good with swinging this one this week for a run
up.”

 Matlock (Atlas):  “oh no r/s [reverse split] on CEI”

 Cooperman (Twitter):  “adding CEI here for a swing last time it touched these
levels on the daily we saw a move to 3+  lots of DD on @notoriousalerts”
 
39. Immediately after these posts, Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman began selling more
shares.  Within two minutes, Deel had sold 95,000 shares, Matlock had sold 198,303 shares, and
Cooperman had sold all 165,000 of his remaining shares.  Each defendant sold for an average
price of $.48 per share.  All three continued to promote CEI on Twitter following their sales, and
Deel and Matlock continued selling, as described below.
 3:46 p.m.: Deel (Twitter): $CEI payyyyyyy us. Let's clear .50 next and trend
up all after hours and tomorrow.

 3:47 p.m.: Deel (Twitter):

19
 
 
 
40. While Deel was promoting CEI on Twitter, he was simultaneously selling his
shares, liquidating 60,000 shares at an average price of $.48 per share.  During that same two-
minute window, Matlock sold 228,781 shares at an average price of $.48 per share.  Matlock
then immediately promoted CEI on Atlas, claiming “Also CEI is great for Biden infrastructure
plan.”

41. As soon as Matlock promoted CEI on Atlas, he began selling again, and by 3:51
p.m. had liquidated another 70,600 shares at an average price of $.48 per share.  Deel also sold
41,000 shares at the same average per-share price during that two-minute window.
42. Cooperman, despite not owning shares at that moment, continued to promote CEI
while Matlock and Deel were selling.  At 3:51 p.m. Cooperman tweeted:  “big bigger $CEI
.”  Over the next three minutes, Deel and Matlock sold, respectively, approximately 80,000
and 158,327 shares at an average price of $.49 per share.

20
 
43. Deel then tweeted at 3:54 p.m., “$CEI let’s squeeze ,” suggesting that investors
bid up the price of CEI in order to force short sellers to exit their positions (“squeeze” the short
sellers) to avoid further losses.  As he had several times already that day, Deel continued to sell
CEI shares immediately after his tweet recommending that others buy CEI shares.  By 3:55 p.m.,
Deel sold 115,000 shares and Matlock sold all of his remaining 14,318 shares, at an average
price of $.49 per share.  A minute later, at 3:56 p.m., Matlock posted on Atlas: “nhod CEI”
referring to a “new high of the day.”  Starting around the same time, Deel sold 165,000 shares at
an average price of $.494 per share over the next three minutes.  Between 3:58 p.m. and 3:59
p.m., Matlock bought 48,555 shares at an average price of $.487 per share and sold 48,555 at an
average price of $.493 per share, leaving him with none.  .
44. At 4:00 p.m., Deel tweeted:  “$CEI .50 now!!! How high we going”?  He
immediately sold 9,610 shares at $.50 per share.  A few minutes later, at 4:06 p.m., Deel tweeted:
$CEI holding and adding more in AH. Tomorrow we should run most of day.”  Despite telling
his followers he was holding his CEI shares and intended to add to his position in after hours
(“AH” trading), Deel immediately began selling.  Over the next five minutes, Deel sold another
5,390 shares at $.50 per share.
45. Conforming to his typical pattern, Deel continued to suggest that his followers
hold their shares and await increases in price, while he was dumping his shares into the market:

 4:13 p.m.: Deel (Twitter): yes it can AC that's what I am waiting on $CEI we
nailed those low entries down there and now everyone is safely in the profit zone
and we ride https://t.co/0AqkvUYl3N

 4:15 p.m.: Deel (Atlas): CEI we look really good here. We got dead bottom on
original alert in here and now we should all be in the profit and see how far we
run up. I am holding full into tomorrow

From 4:17 to 4:20 p.m., Deel sold another 6,000 CEI shares at $.50 per share.

21
 
46. At 4:23 p.m., with the CEI share price around $.49 per share, Deel tweeted,
“Nice!! Thanks for sharing it would be great if they give us a PR on Friday  $CEI. Either way,
I think this stock will eventually get back to $1 the chart has room to $3 but I’ll will gracefully
make my exit around $1.”
47. At 5:00 p.m., after telling his followers he was holding his shares until the CEI
share price reached $1, Deel sold 3,000 shares for approximately $.50 per share.
48. The next day, August 5, 2021, Matlock and Cooperman reestablished positions in
CEI, and Deel increased his position in CEI, before once again posting buy-and-hold
recommendations while they sold their shares.  That morning, Deel bought 212,400 CEI shares
and Cooperman bought 190,000 shares, each at an average price of $.48 per share.
49. Immediately after buying his CEI shares, Deel began promoting the company on
Twitter.  At 9:55 a.m., Deel tweeted:  “$CEI still in full and added more this morning. This is a
swing and I’m here until I get the move I want. We already tested that .50 level yesterday I think
another break of that sends us.”  A minute later, Matlock bought 130,000 CEI shares at an
average price of $.48 per share.
50. At 9:56 a.m., Deel posted to Atlas:  “I added more to my CEI swing this
morning.”  Over the next two minutes, Matlock and Cooperman sold 32,500 and 30,000 CEI
shares, respectively, for an average price of $.48 per share.
51. At 9:58 a.m., Cooperman sold 30,000 CEI shares; tweeted that he “added some
more CEI to the swing”; and immediately sold all of his remaining 130,000 shares at an average
price of $.48 per share.  Matlock also liquidated his CEI position, selling 97,499 shares (leaving
him with 1 share) over the next few minutes at an average price of $.48 per share.  Deel also sold
64 shares at $.50 per share.

22
 
52. Deel continued to post positive assessments of CEI on Twitter and Atlas
throughout the morning, while selling his shares.  Between 10:35 and 11:09 a.m., Deel bought an
additional 45,000 CEI shares at $.49 per share and then tweeted:
Don’t panic on $CEI and tag me every 20 minutes. It’s a
swing. I’m adding all day. I alerted this yesterday at .46 and
we are holding nicely right under .50 currently. I think we get
a close over .50 by end of day and start the climb higher.
There was hint of a PR [press release] tomorrow too
Despite telling his followers he would be “adding all day” to a “swing,” Deel soon began selling
his entire position.  By noon, he had sold all 508,822 of his shares for about $.51 per share.  He
continued to promote CEI as he sold, posting on Atlas “CEI looks so good it will pay us” as he
was dumping his shares.
53. Between August 3, 2021 and August 5, 2021, the three defendants made
approximately $54,989 through their misleading tweets and posts about CEI; specifically, Deel
made $37,566; Matlock made $12,729, and Cooperman made $4,694.  This was a small taste of
the profits to come from the longer-term manipulation that followed soon after.
September 1 – October 5, 2021: Constantin and Hrvatin
54. On September 1, 2021, between 1:42 and 1:47 p.m., Constantin bought 2,000,000
shares of CEI at prices between $.49 and $.51.  Constantin then began posting price targets and
memes about CEI in an effort to boost the stock’s price and trading volume.  During the same
period, Hrvatin purchased CEI shares, posted price targets, and then sold his entire position on
multiple occasions.  What follows are representative examples of Constantin’s and Hrvatin’s
purchases, posts, and sales.
55. On September 1, 2021, at 1:58 p.m., Constantin tweeted:  “$CEI average .51
swinging with @LadeBackk [Hrvatin] for $2+. Don’t give us crap if it hits $1 and you don’t sell.

23
 
Your body, your choice. I like this stock.”  The next morning, at 9:30 a.m., Hrvatin bought
100,000 CEI shares for $.69 per share, while announcing a $1 price target for CEI on Twitter:
“$CEI let the $1 run begin.”  Two minutes after that tweet, Hrvatin dumped all of his shares for
$.72 per share.
56. On September 3, 2021, Constantin tweeted:  “My homie @LadeBackk [Hrvatin]
holding with me. $3-5.”  On September 13, 2021, Constantin tweeted a price target of $3 to $5
for CEI and encouraged his followers to hold onto the stock: “$CEI $3-5+.  Too many of you act
like little bitches when there’s dips. It’s all part of the game.”
57. On September 15, 2021, Hrvatin bought 100,000 CEI shares at $1.65 per share.
At 3:31 p.m., two minutes after he bought the shares, he tweeted:  “$CEI I’m holding overnight.
A huge day is coming. I can feel it.”  Within minutes, Constantin responded to Hrvatin’s tweet:
“I ain’t selling under 3 beleed that.”  Meanwhile, Hrvatin—despite telling his followers he was
“holding overnight” because “a huge day is coming”—had already begun to dump all 100,000 of
his shares for $1.66 per share between 3:34 and 3:36 p.m.
58. On September 23, 2021, Constantin tweeted price targets of $3 and $5 dollars to
maintain interest in CEI among his followers.  Similarly on September 28, 2021, he tweeted:
“$CEI We consolidate at $3 and then we push to $5 then $10.”
59. The next day morning, September 29, 2021, Hrvatin bought 100,000 shares for an
average of $3.27 per share.  One minute after buying, at 10:30 a.m., Hrvatin tweeted:  “$CEI get
ready for the next leg up. We’re aiming for $4 today.”  Five minutes later, Hrvatin sold all his
shares for $3.33 per share.  Later that day, Constantin continued to promote CEI, tweeting a price
target of $10 per share:  “$CEI  shorts are screwed. See you at $10.”
60. On October 1, 2022, for example, Constantin told his followers he believed the

24
 
price of CEI shares would exceed $10 per share (“$CEI will be another monster $10++”) and
that he would sell CEI shares at $10 to $20 per share (“$CEI everything is going to be very ok.
Z-DADDY selling $10-20”).
61. On October 5, 2021, Constantin reiterated on Twitter his $10 price target for CEI
shares ($CEI $10+).  About a half hour later, he sold all 2,070,000 shares he owned, including
the 2,000,000 shares that he purchased on September 1, 2021, for an average price of $2.61 per
share.
62. Between September 1, 2021 and October 5, 2021 Constantin made approximately
$4,301,440, while Hrvatin made $249,761 buying and selling CEI stock.
B. Alzamend Neuro, Inc.
63. On or about June 15, 2021, Deel, Rybarcyzk, Hennessey, and Matlock identified
Alzamend Neuro, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALZN) as one of the Selected Stocks in the scheme.  After an
unsuccessful attempt to manipulate ALZN’s securities on June 15, 2021, these defendants, joined
by Cooperman and Knight (collectively, the “ALZN Participants”), regrouped and tried again
between June 29, 2021 and June 30, 2021.  On June 29, 2021, Hennessey, Cooperman, and
Knight all acquired shares of ALZN, while Deel also purchased ALZN shares before selling his
entire position for a gain of $16,884 after posting:  “ALZN I added for the swing. I think this one
has a lot of upside in it and it goes with the theme. I think tomorrow this one is a lot higher.”  On
the morning of June 30, 2021, Rybarcyzk and Matlock rejoined the group, purchasing 15,000
ALZN shares and 29,876 ALZN shares, respectively, while Deel reestablished a position in
ALZN (84,000 shares) and Hennessey and Cooperman added to their positions.  Throughout the
morning, several of these defendants posted about ALZN and sold at least a portion of their
shares following their posts.

25
 
64. For instance, at 10:11 a.m., Deel posted on Atlas:  “ALZN great daily volume
here. I think this one is setting up to breakout over 12 today. I mentioned my swing adds
yesterday and I added more this morning.”  Following this post, between 10:12 and 10:14 a.m.,
Deel sold 39,800 shares of ALZN for an average price of $11.40 per share.  Then, at 10:17 a.m.,
Deel tweeted:  “I think $ALZN is the next sick mover.  I have some added. I think it breaks 12
today.”  Right after this post, between 10:18 and 10:19 a.m., Deel sold 39,000 ALZN shares for
an average price of $11.73 per share.
65. Then, at 10:19 a.m., Hennessey posted a “teaser” on Atlas from his and Knight’s
PGIR interview of ALZN’s CEO that was set to air later that day.  Specifically, Hennessey
quoted ALZN’s CEO as saying there were “No plans to in the year raise any capital” and “We
have enough Capital to put our drugs in human trials without needing to raise capital.”
66. Following the morning manipulation of ALZN, Deel and Rybarcyzk exchanged
private messages about the stock on Discord, in which Deel shared that they were “loading” up
on ALZN, and shared a direction from Hennessey to establish a large position before the
promotion.  Specifically, they stated:
Deel:  we are loading these shares back down here on ALZN to send to
nhod [new high of the day] after lunch if you want anymore

Rybarcyzk:  Yes sir!

Deel:  hugh [Hennessey] says get size

Deel:  posting

67. Prior to this exchange, Hennessey had purchased 35,000 shares of ALZN.
Following the exchange between Rybarcyzk and Deel, virtually simultaneously between 12:24
p.m. and 1:01 p.m., Rybarcyzk, Deel, Cooperman, and Matlock all “loaded up” on ALZN.

26
 
68. Specifically, Deel purchased 48,000 shares, Rybarcyzk purchased 35,000 shares
(for a total of 50,000 shares including 15,000 shares purchased earlier in the day), Cooperman
purchased 10,209 shares, and Matlock purchased 24,000 shares.  The price of the shares
purchased during that period was between $10.77 and $11.40 per share.  The ALZN Participants
then engaged in a campaign to raise the price of the stock, falsely claiming that they were
holding their shares, while selling them to realize profits.
69. Specifically, immediately after the purchases were made, at approximately 1:02
p.m., Deel posted about ALZN on both Twitter and Atlas:  “$ALZN is now my largest swing
position open.  We broke 12 earlier, but that was a tease on what this will do.  I added these dips
through lunch and now I will ride this for new highs and more.  I like the potential here and the
market is hot for it.”  Deel’s claim that he had a “swing” position was a representation that he
would be holding the stock for at least a day or more rather than immediately selling.
70. Minutes later and over the course of the next two hours, Rybarcyzk, Hennessey,
and Cooperman joined Deel and began posting about ALZN.  Deel repeated his claim that he
was “swinging” or that he had a “swing position.”  Rybarcyzk specifically claimed that he was
holding the stock “O/N” (overnight).  The messages also contained specific price targets of $12
per share, and talk of a “new high” approaching.  Deel also promoted the potential for growth
from the company, claiming that “the market [for ALZN’s pharmaceutical products] is expected
to exceed 10 Billion by 2025.”
71. However, in contrast to their claims that they were holding their ALZN stocks and
even adding to their positions, anticipating the stock price reaching $12 per share, Rybarcyzk,
Hennessey, Cooperman, and Deel were, during the same two-hour period of time, selling all or
most of their stock (i.e. “dumping” it) for less than $12 per share.  For instance, while at 1:02

27
 
p.m. Deel had claimed that $12 was a “tease” and that he would now “ride this for new highs and
more,” immediately thereafter he sold 5,000 shares for $11.57 per share.
72.   By the end of the approximately two-hour period, when Deel, Rybarcyzk,
Hennessey, and Cooperman were actively promoting the stock and making the above claims,
Rybarcyzk, Deel, and Cooperman had sold all of their shares.  Matlock and Hennessey also sold
during this period, with Matlock making $6,473 to add to his morning manipulation profits of
$25,519 and Hennessey making $7,682 from his ALZN sales that day.
C. Vislink Technologies Inc.
73.  Vislink Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: VISL) is another example of a stock that
was manipulated multiple times by various Defendants.  VISL was a manipulation involving
misleading posts from Hennessey about on topics including “due diligence” he conducted on the
company, and an interview of the CEO on PGIR.  Much of this activity occurred in February
(when most of the illicit profits were made) and March 2021.  Below is an example from March
2, 2021 involving Rybarcyzk, Deel, Cooperman, Matlock, and Knight (the “VISL Participants”).
74. On the morning of March 2, 2021, Deel bought 40,193 VISL shares (net) at an
average price of $3.76 per share.  Hennessey bought 1,600 shares for $3.73 per share.  Almost
immediately, Deel and Hennessey started promoting VISL on Atlas.
75. At 11:02 a.m., Deel posted:  “VISL climbing up to vwap [volume weighted
average price] here.”   At the same time Deel posted this, Hennessey bought 48,400 VISL shares
for $3.79 per share.  Hennessey then posted at 11:03 a.m.:  “VISL CEO will also be on espn
radito today.”  With the price climbing over the next two minutes, Deel quickly sold his entire
position for $3.84 per share.

28
 
76. Later that afternoon, at 2:15 p.m., Deel bought 20,000 VISL shares at $3.635 per
share.  One minute later, Hennessey tweeted:  “Never gave my updated $VISL thesis and
breakdown video I did with CEO Mr.Miller  My bad.”  One minute after that tweet, Deel sold his
entire VISL position again, this time for $3.64 per share.
77. Within minutes, Knight, Deel, Rybarcyzk, Matlock, and Cooperman began
buying VISL securities.  By 2:41 p.m., the VISL Participants had amassed positions in VISL in
the following amounts and average prices:
 Knight:  21,270 shares (net) for $3.72 per share (along with 20 call options with a
strike price of $5.00 that expired on March 19, 2021);

 Deel:  91,160 shares for $3.67 per share;
 Matlock:  68,432 shares (net) for $3.82 per share;
 Cooperman:  25,000 shares for $3.72 per share; and
 Rybarcyzk:  200,000 shares for $3.80 per share.
78. Matlock began promoting VISL stock almost immediately on Atlas.  At 2:41
p.m., he noted the increased volume of VISL trading in the “last 30 minutes,” without noting that
he and four other defendants were buying shares during that time.  One minute later, Matlock
posted:  “VISL ww [i.e., “worth watching”] here.”  Around the same time as that post, Matlock
sold 23,414 (net) shares for an average price of $3.90 per shares, and Knight sold 6,000 shares at
$3.89 per share. Knight also purchased 5 VISL call options with a strike price of $5.00 and an
expiration of March 19, 2021.
79. At 2:43 p.m., Deel posted on Atlas that VISL’s price might increase in after hours
trading, and that he purchased shares (“VISL might be the runner in AH [Afterhours] I grabbed
some”).  Meanwhile on a private Discord voice call that was surreptitiously recorded, Knight
joked about Deel’s Atlas post:  “He always grabs them a little bit too late,” eliciting laughter

29
 
from others on the call.  Knight immediately sold 1,450 shares for $3.90 per share, and Matlock
sold 45,018 shares for $3.89 per share.
80. Knight then asked in his private Discord voice chat:  “Should I retweet Michael
Hunt ‘VISL yawn.  Wake me up at $10?’”  Knight joked that Hunt “may be sleeping for a while
bro,” indicating Knight did not believe the stock price would rise to $10 per share.  Knight
nonetheless retweeted the Michael Hunt tweet.  A few minutes later, again in his private Discord
voice chat, Knight said, “I think my tweet worked.”  And later he said, “I think my tweet
definitely helped it out right there.”  Knight immediately began selling shares, and, by 2:48 p.m.,
had sold 8,050 shares for an average price of $3.91 per share.
81. At 2:49 p.m., Deel posted to Atlas that VISL’s share price would exceed $4
(“VISL breaking 4”).  Deel, Cooperman, and Knight then immediately began selling VISL
shares.  The continued to sell over the next three minutes, in the amounts and at the prices below:
 Deel:  20,000 shares for an average price of $3.99 per share;

 Cooperman: 12,500 shares for $4.00 per share;

 Knight:  2,500 shares for $4.01 per share (and 10 VISL call options).

82. At 2:52 p.m., Knight tweeted “All hail $VISL the Piss Missile” and quickly began
selling again.  By 3:05 p.m., Knight had sold 1,500 shares for $3.99 per share (and 15 call
options), and Deel had sold 25,000 shares for $4.04 per share.  At 2:55 p.m., on his private
Discord voice chat, Knight joked that he “sold those VISL piss missiles at the right time.”
83. Right after he sold 5,000 shares, at 3:05 p.m., Deel posted to Atlas that he
believed VISL’s price would still climb that day:  “yeah VISL to nhod [new high of the day]
soon.”  Beginning at 3:06 p.m., in a seven-minute span, Deel, Knight and Rybarcyzk sold shares
in the amounts and at the prices below:
 Deel:  4,876 shares for $4.11 per share;

30
 

 Knight:  1,270 shares for $4.07 per share;

 Rybarcyzk:  50,000 shares for $4.04 per share.

84. At 3:17 p.m., Knight bought 450 shares for $4.03 per share.  Two minutes later,
Hennessey tweeted “$VISL star link?” with an embedded video clip of Hennessey’s interview of
VISL’s CEO.  Knight immediately sold 350 shares for $4.06 per share.  Within minutes,
Hennessey and Rybarcyzk were promoting VISL on Twitter again, with Hennessey embedding
additional video of his interview with the VISL CEO and Rybarcyzk stating he expected the
share price to jump in after-hours trading (“I smell an AH GAPPER on $VISL”).  Rybarcyzk also
posted Hennessey’s tweet regarding Hennessey’s interview with the VISL CEO.
85. Immediately following these tweets, Rybarcyzk, Hennessey, and Knight
collectively dumped 156,050 shares in two minutes.  Specifically:
 Rybarcyzk sold 100,000 shares for $3.93 per share;

 Hennessey sold all 50,000 of his shares for $3.94 per share;

 Cooperman sold 6,000 shares for $3.94 per share;

 Knight sold 50 shares for $3.97 per share (after buying 100 shares for $3.95
per share).

86. At 3:31 p.m., Deel posted on Atlas that he believed, based on trading activity over
the last hour (and without mentioning the VISL Participants’ role in the activity), that VISL
shares would increase in value in after hours trading:  “VISL has been active the last hour. I think
this makes a move AH a close over 4 would be ideal for a move.” A minute later, Deel sold
15,000 shares for $3.96 per share.  Cooperman sold another 500 shares for the same per-share
price.  By 3:40 p.m., Deel had liquidated his entire VISL position, selling 26,284 shares for
$3.90 per share.  He then reloaded, buying another 75,000 shares over the next few minutes for
$3.92 per share.

31
 
87. While Deel was buying shares, Hennessey tweeted “$VISL - anyone hear it ?
CEO confirmed a PR [press release] within 4 weeks (Now 3 weeks)” again embedding a clip of
his interview with the VISL CEO.   At 4:01, Hennessey tweeted additional information about his
“thesis” for VISL:  “$VISL - from investor deck  - adding to the thesis  The 4 mil contract adds
13% to annual Rev (this accounts for doing nothing else).”  Two minutes later, he tweeted:
“$VISL we know rev are increasing as they’ve added customers and contracts and now have NO
DEBT.”  At 4:10 p.m., Deel posted on Atlas that based on the “VISL tape” he was “bullish.”
Within minutes, he had dumped 74,090 shares for $3.81 per share.
88. This particular manipulation of VISL stock occurred from March 2 to March 3,
2021.  Over this two-day period, Rybarcyzk made $26,315 trading VISL securities; Deel made
$25,829; Hennessey made $7,407; Cooperman made $6,690; Knight made $5,386; and Matlock
made $5,140.
D. Torchlight Energy Resources
89.  On or about February 9, 2021, Hennessey identified Torchlight Energy
Resources (NASDAQ: TRCH) as a Selected Stock.
4
  On February 10, 2021, Hennessey,
Matlock, Deel, and Knight (“the TRCH Participants”) purchased shares in the following
amounts:  Hennessey (196,019), Matlock (383,421), Deel (210,000, net), and Knight (8,562,
net).  The price of the shares ranged from $1.68 to $1.95 per share.
90. After purchasing the shares, the TRCH Participants engaged in a campaign to
raise the price of the stock, falsely claiming that they were holding their shares, while selling
them to realize profits.  Knight aided and abetted the TRCH Participants in furthering the
scheme, by, among other things, providing them with a platform, the PGIR podcast.
                                                            
4
 The company became Meta Materials Inc. (Ticker: MMAT) following a merger.

32
 
91. In the course of the scheme, various Defendants often highlighted an anticipated
event that would purportedly raise the stock price (a “catalyst”) and encouraged buying and
holding the stock until the event, falsely claiming that they too were holding the stock waiting
for the catalyst.  In the case of TRCH, the catalyst was a purported upcoming merger with
another company, Metamaterial Inc.  Hennessey claimed that he had discovered that this merger
was coming in the course of his due diligence (“dd”) research on the company.  Hennessey
repeatedly promoted false information about Meta itself (e.g., that it was worth “north of $4.8
billion”) and promoted the purported benefits of the merger.  Hennessey also posted about other
purported long-term benefits to TRCH stock holders, including a “dividend” that TRCH
shareholders would purportedly receive after the merger.  Hennessey also claimed that Meta was
potentially partnering with Tesla, and that Meta had products that had applications for fighting
COVID-19 and thus a “10 billion dollar MARKET CAP POTENTIAL.”
92.  Several times in the course of the month, after realizing profits from a sale of
TRCH stock, various TRCH Participants then “reloaded” by purchasing and selling more shares,
as the stock price continued to rise in part as a result of their promotional efforts.
93. Specifically, in the first round of manipulation, on February 10, 2021, from 10:11
a.m. to 10:12 a.m., after the TRCH Participants had all finished purchasing their shares that
morning, Hennessey, Matlock, and Deel posted about TRCH on Atlas.  Despite the fact that all
of the TRCH Participants had already purchased their positions, the posts were designed to
falsely make it appear that Matlock and Deel were acting on Hennessey’s recommendation:
 Hennessey :  im Long TRCH for merger
 Matlock:  merger?
 Hennessey:  $TRCH merger should be done soon enough @Trade ALERT
yes
they had to do an offering
now that the offering is done full steam ahead for merger

33
 
 Deel:  added TRCH
 Hennessey:  merger will be done any day now
 Matlock:  added
 
94. At 10:11 a.m., Hennessey also posted about TRCH on Twitter, falsely describing
it as a “swing” position and promoting the purported upcoming merger with Meta.
95. Over approximately the next seven minutes Knight sold most of his position
(6,056 of 8,562 shares) for $2.12 per share, and Deel sold his entire position for $2.13 per share.
By 10:25 a.m., Matlock had sold his whole position for $2.25 per share.
96. Similarly, on February 12, 2021, Hennessey, having previously sold his entire
position in TRCH, “reloaded” by purchasing 75,000 shares at 11:30 a.m. at $2.32 per share.  At
approximately 12:30 p.m., Hennessey and Knight appeared as guests on a podcast, where they
promoted TRCH.  Hennessey then spent the afternoon promoting TRCH on Atlas and Twitter,
advancing the Tesla rumor and the purported upcoming merger.  In the late afternoon, between
approximately 4:40 and 4:47 p.m., Deel and Matlock bought TRCH shares for between $2.84
and $2.99 per share.  Immediately thereafter, Hennessey made a misleading post about a
potential COVID-19 “angle” for Meta products.  Matlock and Deel began tweeting to amplify
the message and suggest they were holding TRCH stock.  In reality, immediately after the
posting, they began selling their positions.
97. Specifically, between 4:40 and 4:43 p.m., Matlock bought 153,582 shares at
prices ranging from $2.84 to $2.99 per share.  Between 4:44 and 4:47 p.m., Deel bought 35,000
shares at prices ranging from $2.93 to $2.99 per share.  Hennessey, Deel, and Matlock then
immediately began promoting TRCH on Atlas and on Twitter:
 4:47 p.m.:  “Hennessey (Atlas):  DD for COVID 19 ANGLE -  presentation
(feb 2021)
Inside the very last slide Meta mentions a biosensor

34
 
‘This smartphone attached biosensor under development uses
nanomaterial for molecular fingerprint detection in a range of
applications (such as COVID19 and others)
THIS GIVES A 10 billion dollar MARKET CAP POTENTIAL
@Trade ALERT”

 4:48 p.m.:  Deel (Atlas):  “I am adding for the hold on TRCH”

 4:48 p.m.:  Matlock (Atlas, responding to Hennessey’s post):  “adding”

 4:48 p.m.:  Matlock (Atlas):  “more”

 4:48 p.m.:  Matlock (Atlas):  “that’s insane news”

 4:49 p.m.:  Matlock (Twitter):  $TRCH I smacked 50k on this news. She’s
going to all time highs
Matlock’s tweet included a link to a 4:47 p.m. tweet from Hennessey that was similar to
Hennessey’s Atlas post, described above.
98. Immediately after that tweet, Matlock sold 30,000 shares for $3.14 per share, and
Deel sold all 35,000 of his TRCH shares for $3.19 per share and a total profit on the day of
$7,750.
99.   One minute later, at 4:50 p.m., Matlock posted on Atlas a price target of at least
$4 for TRCH, referencing Hennessey’s “due diligence”:
TRCH going to 4+ after hours on @Hugh Henne new found covid DD

https://discord.com/channels/428232997737594901/458013311846449152/80990
3629027770378 @PJ Matlock ALERT
At the same time Matlock was posting this to Atlas, he was selling 49,602 shares for $3.32 per
share.
100. At 4:51 p.m., Matlock posted on Atlas:  “THis is gonna f*cking blast off.”

35
 
Matlock then immediately began liquidating his position in TRCH, as described below:
 4:51 p.m.:  Matlock sold 38,977 shares for $3.43 per share;
 4:52 p.m.:  Matlock sold 29,298 shares for $3.56 per share;
 4:53 p.m.:  Matlock sold 5,430 shares for $3.63 per share;
 4:54 p.m.:  Matlock sold his remaining 176 shares for $3.48.
Matlock made a profit of $67,766 during these last minutes of the trading day; his total profit
was $75,116 for the day.
101. On Sunday, February 14, 2021, in furtherance of the scheme, Hennessey and
Knight discussed TRCH on PGIR.  Hennessey reiterated numerous false statements that he had
made in previous communications to encourage buying and holding TRCH stock, including:
falsely claiming that Meta was worth $5 billion; describing the “catalyst” of a merger happening
on March 12; and describing the purported special dividend for TRCH shareholders after a
merger.
102. In total, the TRCH Participants’ profits on TRCH from February 10 through
February 23, 2021 were $288,603 for Hennessey; $336,138 for Matlock; $148,131 for Deel; and
$2,757 for Knight.
E. ABVC Biopharma Inc.
103.  In addition to working together in coordination to manipulate particular stocks, at
times certain Defendants carried out the scheme on their own, by moving quickly to buy,
manipulate, and sell a stock in a short period of time, quickly realizing a significant profit.
104. For example, on August 10, 2021, Rybarcyzk began purchasing shares of ABVC
Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ABVC), at various prices under $4 per share, ending the day with
282,099 shares.  The next morning, August 11, 2021, he bought more than 24,000 additional
shares at prices between $3.72 and $3.75.  Starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. and continuing for
the next hour and a half, Rybarcyzk began tweeting positive messages about ABCV, setting a

36
 
price target of $4 and increasing to $6, all while buying stock and adding to his position:
 At 8:00 a.m., he tweeted:  “NO sleep just waking up too lol $ABVC looking
strong still!!$4/$4.50 breakouts next.”

 At 9:30 a.m., he tweeted:  “$ABVC Long $6+++”
 
105. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Rybarcyzk began selling his shares, starting at $4.09 per
share.  For the next three hours, he continued to promote ABVC and a $6 price target, all while
selling his shares for between $4.04 and $3.40 (as the share price began dropping).  By 12:25
p.m., Rybarcyzk had sold all of his ABCV shares, for a total profit that day of $68,690.
FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF
FRAUD IN THE OFFER OR SALE OF SECURITIES
(Violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act)

106. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth herein.
107. By reason of the conduct described above, defendants Constantin, Matlock,
Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk, in connection with the offer or sale of
securities, by the use of the means or instrumentalities of interstate commerce or of the mails,
directly or indirectly, acting intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently (i) employed
devices, schemes, or artifices to defraud; (ii) obtained money or property by means of untrue
statements of material facts or omissions to state material facts necessary in order to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(iii) engaged in transactions, practices, or courses of business which operated or would operate as
a fraud or deceit upon any persons, including purchasers or sellers of the securities.
108. As a result, defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey,
Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk violated Securities Act Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and (3) [15 U.S.C.
§77q(a)(1), (2), and (3)] and will continue to violate those sections unless enjoined.

37
 
SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF
FRAUD IN CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE OR SALE OF SECURITIES
(Violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder)

109. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth herein.
110. By reason of the conduct described above, defendants Constantin, Matlock,
Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk, directly or indirectly, in connection with
the purchase or sale of securities, by the use of the means or instrumentalities of interstate
commerce or of the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, intentionally,
knowingly or recklessly, (i) employed devices, schemes, or artifices to defraud; (ii) made untrue
statements of material facts or omitted to state material facts necessary in order to make the
statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
and (iii) engaged in acts, practices, or courses of business which operated or would operate as a
fraud or deceit upon any persons, including purchasers or sellers of the securities.
111. As a result, defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey,
Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk violated Exchange Act Section 10(b) [15 U.S.C. §78j(b)] and Rules 10b-
5(a), (b), and (c) [17 C.F.R. §240.10b-5(a), (b), and (c)] thereunder.

THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF
AIDING AND ABETTING VIOLATIONS OF
SECTION 17(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT

112. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth herein.
113. By reason of the conduct described above, defendant Knight directly or indirectly,
singly or in concert with others, aided and abetted defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman,

38
 
Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk in violating Securities Act Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and
(3) [15 U.S.C. §77q(a)(1), (2), and (3)].
FOURTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
AIDING AND ABETTING VIOLATIONS OF
SECTION 10(b) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT AND RULE 10b-5 THEREUNDER

114. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth herein.
115. By  reason of the conduct described above, defendant Knight directly or
indirectly, singly or in concert with others, aided and abetted defendants Constantin, Matlock,
Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk in violating Exchange Act Section 10(b)
[15 U.S.C. §78j(b)] and Rules 10b-5(a), (b), and (c) [17 C.F.R. §240.10b-5(a), (b), and (c)]
thereunder.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, the Commission respectfully requests that this Court:
A. Permanently restrain the Defendants, their officers, agents, servants, employees
and attorneys, and those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual
notice of the injunction by personal service or otherwise, from violating Section 17(a) of the
Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77q], and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)],
and Rule 10b-5 thereunder [17 C.F.R. 240.10b-5];
B. Order the Defendants to disgorge, with prejudgment interest, all ill-gotten gains
obtained by reason of the unlawful conduct alleged in this Complaint;
C. Order the Defendants to pay civil monetary penalties pursuant to Section 20(d) of
the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77t(d)] and Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C.
§ 78u(d)(3)];

39
 
C. Enter an order barring the defendant Hrvatin from participating in any offering of
a penny stock, pursuant to Section 20(g) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77t(g)] and 21(d) of
the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u(d)];
D. Retain jurisdiction over this action to implement and carry out the terms of all
orders and decrees that may be entered; and
E. Grant such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper.
JURY DEMAND
The Commission demands a jury in this matter for all claims so triable.

DATED this 13th day of December, 2022.

                                                                        Respectfully            submitted,
/s/ David J. D’Addio
David J. D’Addio
Amy Harman Burkart
Andrew Palid
David Scheffler
Attorneys for the Plaintiff
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Boston Regional Office
33 Arch Street, 24
th
 Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-573-4526 (David D’Addio)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS 

 

 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, 
 
      Plaintiff, 
 v. 
 
 
EDWARD CONSTANTIN, a/k/a “MrZackMorris,” 
a/k/a “Edward Constantinescu,” 
PERRY MATLOCK, a/k/a “PJ Matlock,”  
THOMAS COOPERMAN, a/k/a “Tommy Coops,” 
GARY DEEL, a/k/a “Mystic Mac,”   
MITCHELL HENNESSEY, a/k/a “Hugh Henne,” 
STEFAN HRVATIN, a/k/a “LadeBackk,” 
DANIEL KNIGHT, a/k/a “Deity of Dips,” and  
JOHN RYBARCYZK, a/k/a “Ultra Calls,” a/k/a 
“The Stock Sniper,” 
 
    Defendants. 
 

 
 

Civil Action No. 22-CV-____ (___) 
 
JURY TRIAL DEMANDED 

 
 

 
COMPLAINT 

 Plaintiff, Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), alleges the 

following against the defendants: 

SUMMARY  

1. To their legions of followers on social media, the eight defendants have, for years, 

promoted themselves as trustworthy stock-picking gurus.  In reality, they are seasoned stock 

manipulators.  They identify stocks ripe for manipulation, acquire substantial positions in these 

securities, and then recommend those stocks as good investments to their followers on Twitter, in 

online stock-trading forums they run, and on podcasts.  They encourage their followers to 

purchase the selected stocks, often claiming that they likewise have bought or intend to buy these 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 1 of 39



2 
 

stocks for themselves and hold them.  Instead, the defendants sell their shares into the demand 

that their deceptive promotions generate.      

2. Seven of the defendants—Perry Matlock, Edward Constantin, Thomas 

Cooperman, Gary Deel, Mitchell Hennessey, Stefan Hrvatin, and John Rybarcyzk—carried out 

the scheme, coordinating the acquisition of shares, promoting the shares to their followers, and 

dumping the shares for substantial profits.  They were aided and abetted by Daniel Knight, who 

with Hennessey, co-hosted a popular stock-trading podcast that promoted the other defendants as 

expert traders and provided a platform for other defendants to deceptively promote the stocks 

they intended to dump.   

3. From at least January 2020 through present (the “Relevant Period”), the eight 

Defendants earned approximately $100 million from this stock-manipulation scheme. 

VIOLATIONS 

4. As a result of the conduct alleged herein, defendants Constantin, Matlock, 

Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk violated, and unless restrained and 

enjoined will continue to violate, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) 

[15 U.S.C. §77q(a)], Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) [15 

U.S.C. §78j(b)], and Rule 10b-5 thereunder [17 C.F.R. §240.10b-5(a), (b) & (c)].   Knight aided 

and abetted, and unless restrained and enjoined, will continue to aid and abet these violations of 

the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.   

NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND RELIEF SOUGHT 

5. The Commission seeks a permanent injunction against the Defendants, enjoining 

them from engaging in transactions, acts, practices, and courses of business of the type alleged in 

this Complaint; disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains from the unlawful conduct set forth in this 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 2 of 39



3 
 

Complaint, together with prejudgment interest; civil penalties pursuant to Section 20(d) of the 

Securities Act [15 U.S.C. §77t(d)] and/or Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. 

§78u(d)(3)]; and such other relief as the Court may deem appropriate.  The Commission further 

seeks an order barring Hrvatin from participating in any offering of a penny stock, pursuant to 

Section 20(g) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. §77t(g)] and/or 21(d) of the Exchange Act [15 

U.S.C. §78u(d)]. 

JURISDICTION AND VENUE 

6. This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Section 22(a) of the 

Securities Act [15 U.S.C. §77v(a)] and Sections 21(d), 21(e), and 27 of the Exchange Act [15 

U.S.C. §§78u(d), 78u(e), and 78aa]. 

7. Venue lies in this Court pursuant to Section 22(a) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. 

§77v(a)] and Section 27 of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. §78aa].  Certain of the acts, practices, 

transactions and courses of business alleged in this Complaint occurred within the Southern 

District of Texas, and were effected, directly or indirectly, by making use of means or 

instrumentalities of transportation or communication in interstate commerce, or the mails.  Four 

Defendants reside in the Southern District of Texas, where they communicated with co-

defendants in furtherance of the fraud scheme and made numerous false and deceptive 

statements as described herein.    

DEFENDANTS 

8. Edward Constantin, a/k/a “MrZackMorris,” a/k/a “Edward Constantinescu,” 38, 

is a resident of Houston, Texas.  His Twitter account, @MrZackMorris, had more than 551,000 

followers as of December 2022.  Constantin is a co-founder of Atlas Trading, a stock-trading 

forum on the social media platform Discord, which offers users the ability to communicate via 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 3 of 39



4 
 

voice calls, video calls, and text messaging, among other things. 

9. Perry Matlock, a/k/a “PJ Matlock,” age 38, is a resident of The Woodlands, 

Texas.  His Twitter account, @PJ_Matlock, had more than 340,000 followers as of December 

2022.  Matlock refers to himself as the “CEO” and co-founder of Atlas Trading.  

10. Thomas Cooperman, a/k/a “Tommy Coops,” 34, is a resident of Beverly Hills, 

California.  His Twitter account, @ohheytommy, had more than 129,000 followers as of 

December 2022.  Cooperman is a member of the electronic music group Breathe Carolina and, 

with Gary Deel, runs a YouTube channel called the “Goblin Gang,” described as “[t]wo multi-

millionaire day traders filming their lives for the internet to see.”  

11. Gary Deel, a/k/a “Mystic Mac,” 28, is a resident of Beverly Hills, California.  His 

Twitter account, @notoriousalerts, had approximately 144,000 followers as of December 2022.  

With Cooperman, Deel runs the Goblin Gang YouTube channel.   

12. Mitchell Hennessey, a/k/a “Hugh Henne,” 24, is a resident of West New York, 

New Jersey.  Along with Daniel Knight, Hennessey hosts the “Pennies: Going in Raw” podcast, 

which promotes Atlas Trading.  His Twitter account, @Hugh_Henne, had more than 237,000 

followers as of December 2022. 

13. Stefan Hrvatin, a/k/a “LadeBackk,” 35, is a resident of Miami, Florida.  His 

Twitter account, @LadeBackk, had more than 150,000 followers as of December 2022. 

14. Daniel Knight, a/k/a “Deity of Dips,” 28, is a resident of Houston, Texas.  With 

Hennessey, Knight is a co-host of the Pennies: Going in Raw podcast.  His Twitter account, 

@DipDeity, had more than 171,000 followers as of December 2022. 

15. John Rybarcyzk, a/k/a “Ultra Calls,” a/k/a “The Stock Sniper,” 32, is a resident 

of Spring, Texas.  His Twitter account, @Ultra_Calls, had more than 267,000 followers as of 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 4 of 39



5 
 

December 2022.  Rybarcyzk is the founder of Sapphire Trading, another stock trading forum on 

Discord. 

16. Defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and 

Rybarcyzk are referred to herein as the “Primary Defendants.”  With the addition of Knight, the 

collective group of all defendants is referred to herein as the “Defendants.”  

FACTS 
 

I. SUMMARY OF SCHEME 

17. The Defendants engaged in a long-running fraudulent scheme to manipulate 

securities by publishing false and misleading information in online stock-trading forums, on 

podcasts, and through their Twitter accounts.  The Primary Defendants, aided and abetted by 

Knight, engaged in a pattern of conduct, sometimes referred to as “scalping,” in which they 

recommended the purchase of a particular stock without disclosing their intent to sell that stock.  

They generally executed their scheme in three phases.  First, one or more of the Primary 

Defendants identified a security to manipulate (the “Selected Stock”) and purchased shares of 

that particular security.  By sharing the name of the Selected Stock among some or all of the 

group, the Defendants provided each other with the opportunity to purchase shares at lower 

prices prior to the manipulation.  Next, they promoted the stock to their followers on podcasts 

and/or social media platforms in order to generate demand and inflate the share price.  Typically, 

the Primary Defendants announced price targets, teased upcoming news about the company, 

and/or stated their intention to buy shares or hold their current positions for longer periods.  

Finally, after promoting the stock to their followers in these ways, the Primary Defendants sold 

their shares into the demand generated by their recommendations.  When the scheme succeeded, 

the Primary Defendants were able to sell their shares at higher prices and make profits.  In order 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 5 of 39



6 
 

to cover up their scheme and continue perpetrating it, the Primary Defendants at various points 

deleted old tweets and Discord chats, and lied to their followers about the reasons why particular 

stock picks were followed by declines in the prices of those stocks, obscuring their own roles in 

causing losses among their followers and other retail investors.    

18. None of the Primary Defendants disclosed that they were either planning to sell, 

or were actively selling, a Selected Stock while recommending that their followers buy it.  Nor 

did any of the Primary Defendants disclose that they were coordinating with each other to 

manipulate the price and volume of trading in the stocks they were promoting.   Moreover, the 

Primary Defendants’ deception extended beyond their omissions and outright lies about their 

intentions regarding, and views about, the securities they were promoting.  For instance, 

sometimes they peddled false or misleading news about particular stocks through social media or 

podcast interviews.  On some occasions, the Primary Defendants lied about losing money on a 

particular stock when in reality they had profited handsomely, in order to generate trust among 

their followers—trust that was necessary to perpetuate the scheme and ensure that their followers 

would continue to purchase shares based on their future recommendations.  Indeed, in private 

chats and surreptitiously recorded conversations, they bragged and laughed about making profits 

at the expense of their followers.   

19. Defendants’ specific roles in the fraudulent scheme varied depending on the 

timeframe and the specific security at issue.  Typically, only a subset of the Primary Defendants 

participated in the manipulation of a particular stock.  Those Primary Defendants would agree on 

a Selected Stock in which they would each establish a position (i.e., “load” or “load up” on the 

stock).  After loading up on the Selected Stock, most, if not all, of the Primary Defendants who 

had established positions in that stock would recommend it to their followers.  The Primary 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 6 of 39



7 
 

Defendants often referred to “swinging” or taking a “swing” position in the stock, by which they 

conveyed to their followers that they intended to hold onto the stock for at least a day, and likely 

longer.  As the Primary Defendants involved in the deceptive promotion of a particular stock 

often informed other Defendants of their plans, those not directly promoting the stock could—

and often did—take advantage of the advance knowledge by purchasing the Selected Security, in 

advance of the promotion, and selling the Selected Security at inflated prices that resulted from 

the promotion.  Over the course of the ongoing scheme, all of the Primary Defendants, aided and 

abetted by Knight, engaged in this conduct, participating directly in scalping and other deceptive 

conduct, and all of the Defendants profited from the knowledge that others were doing so.   

20. The Primary Defendants deceptively promoted stocks through three channels:  

stock-trading forums on Discord; podcasts; and Twitter.   

21. Online stock-trading forums.   In 2018, Defendants Matlock and Constantin 

founded Atlas Trading (“Atlas”)—a free online forum that cultivated a following of novice stock 

traders by purporting to provide educational content about trading and securities markets.  Atlas 

describes itself as “a team of consistent profitable traders who are willing to educate beginning 

traders with free resources of education, free trading alerts and ideas.”  Atlas is hosted on 

Discord, a social media platform that offers users the ability to communicate via voice, video, 

and text messaging, among other things.  Matlock and Constantin are among a small group of 

individuals who control the portion of the forum in which various Defendants recommended 

specific stocks (the “SMALL CAPS trading floor”).  Sub-forums such as the SMALL CAPS 

trading floor are referred to as “channels” on Discord.  Although anyone could view the content 

on the SMALL CAPS trading floor channel, only individuals who are granted permission by the 

small group of members that include Matlock and Constantin are permitted to post content there.  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 7 of 39



8 
 

As Matlock explained, “the … [SMALL CAPS] trading floor is locked . . . to most.  We kind of 

reserve this channel for people who know more about stocks and have better information that 

we’ve, you know, deemed worthy, I guess you could say, and they’ll discuss tickers in here . . . 

during market hours, it’s more about calls and what’s going on with the market.”  At various 

times from 2018 to the present, Matlock and Constantin, along with Rybarcyzk, Deel, 

Hennessey, Cooperman, and Knight, were allowed to post stock recommendations on the Atlas 

SMALL CAPS trading floor.   By early 2021, Atlas had more than 150,000 members.   

22. In 2018, Rybarcyzk founded Sapphire Trading (“Sapphire”), another stock-

trading forum on Discord.  Sapphire featured a channel called the “pro-trader floor” that was 

analogous to Atlas’s SMALL CAPS trading floor.  In addition to Rybarcyzk, Defendants Deel 

and Cooperman were permitted to post on Sapphire’s pro-trader floor.  By mid-2021, Sapphire 

had nearly 60,000 members.   

23. Podcasts.  In July 2020, Knight and Hennessey launched a podcast called 

“Pennies: Going in Raw” (“PGIR”).  PGIR bills itself as an informational podcast “[d]iscussing 

volume, price targets, penny stocks, accumulation, reverse splits and much more” and claims to 

be the “#1 Stock Market Podcast in America” with over 2.3 million downloads.   PGIR served as 

a platform to promote Atlas and the Defendants, most of whom sat for multiple interviews with 

Knight and Hennessey.   

24. Twitter.  Each of the Defendants amassed substantial numbers of followers on 

Twitter, where they regularly post about stocks they are manipulating.  The term “FinTwit” 

refers to the community of Twitter users that regularly tweet about finance and the stock market.  

Defendants considered themselves influential within the FinTwit community.  As Hennessey 

remarked in a private Discord chat, “20 of us run fintwit an [sic] we have more money then [sic] 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 8 of 39



9 
 

some countries.”   The Defendants each included disclaimers on their Twitter accounts that they 

were not providing stock recommendations or financial advice.  But they intended for their 

followers to act on their promotional tweets, and understood that their followers would do so.  

Constantin, for example, acknowledged in an interview with Knight and Hennessey on PGIR:  “I 

understand that if I call something, you know, everybody and their mom is going to buy.”   That 

expectation is reflected in hundreds of tweets by the Defendants, including in the examples 

below during the Relevant Period:   

a. Rybarcyzk (“The Stock Sniper” / @Ultra_Calls):  If you didn’t bank with the 
gang today; then idk what’s wrong. Gave this alert on Twitter and Sapphire 
Trading Discord (1000% FREE) 
 

b. Cooperman (“Tommy Coops” / @ohheytommy):  Hope everyone banked on 
this one. Did exactly what I said . Support entries and then NHOD [New High 
of the Day]. Didn’t wanna just keep talking about it <3   
  

c. Deel (“Mystic Mac” / @notoriousalerts):  Alright Goblins I’m out for the day. 
EVERYONE should have banked with me on the initial $EXPR call at 5.15 or 
on the dip entry a second ago. Love you guys I’ll see you all tomorrow to 
make stupid money with you again!  

 

d. Matlock (@PJ_Matlock):  I’ll never get sick of pumping.... money into my 
followers bank accounts.  LETS ALL GET RICH!  

 
e. Hennessey (@Hugh_Henne):  Every single member of atlas admin Have the 

same goal...  to get as many people away from the 9-5 slavery and into the 
area of financial freedom and f u money.  ❤ our gains but seeing stories of 
others paying off debt& banking is much more rewarding @MrZackMorris 
@PJ_Matlock 

 
f. Knight (“Dan, Deity of Dips” / @DipDeity):  Congrats to all the longs that 

banked with me on this one. I know I called it right as the market opened, but 
if you caught this one - you should be thanking me now  

 
g. Hrvatin (@LadeBackk,):  Next week I’m gonna have a nice one for us. 

Promise. I might even say something along the lines of… “Get in p*ssy, we’re 
going to the moon.” 
 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 9 of 39



10 
 

25. Defendants regularly promoted their own stock-trading success, and the 

substantial wealth it brought them, along with the success of individuals who followed their 

advice, in order to further their scheme and encourage their followers on social media to act on 

their recommendations.  For example:1   

Hennessey: 

a. On June 15, 2020, Hennessey tweeted:  “6/15/2020: Decent day for the 
swings. Had to deal with something personal early this morning.. but working 
on a few new winners  Had a blast w my boy @notoriousalerts An hour of 
bro’s, analogies and lessons! $1 MILLION in UNDER a YEAR Trading 
Stocks!!!”  
 

b. On December 19, 2020, Hennessey tweeted:  “ATLAS has the most self made 
millionaires We do not even know the names of the people that consider us 
their "competition" We are the '85 Bears. No one survives.” 
 

c. On December 25, 2020, Hennessey tweeted:  “Merry Christmas. Steps to 
financial freedom 1). Compound gains  
 

@MrZackMorris [Constantin] $800 to what 15...20 mil in 3 years 
  
@PJ_Matlock [Matlock] few k to MILLIONS 
  
@notoriousalerts [Deel] $1,000 to 500ish k in 15 months 
  
@DipDeity [Knight] $4,000 to 6 figures in a year 
  
WE DID IT SO CAN YOU...” 

  Cooperman:   

d. On April 4, 2021, Cooperman tweeted:  “Get some sleep tonight gang. 
Tomorrow we continue the journey to you becoming a f*cking millionaire. 
BRING YOUR F*CKING SHOES!” 

Hrvatin:   

                                                            
1 Throughout the Complaint, expletives have been redacted in part with asterisks from the 
original text.  Tweets and Atlas posts are generally italicized but otherwise unchanged, with 
spelling/grammatical errors preserved.   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 10 of 39



Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 11 of 39



12 
 

Constantin is depicted in front of the Ferrari in the picture at left; Constantin, 

Knight and a third individual (redacted in part) are depicted in front of the Ferrari 

in the picture at right.   

  Rybarcyzk: 

h. On November 22, 2021, Rybarcyzk tweeted:  “I don’t want clout. I want my 
every single one of my followers to be millionaires.” 
 

i. On December 29, 2021, Rybarcyzk tweeted:  “I’m trying to hit 777 
millionaire traders 2022. I’m gonna make it happen. It’s not my goal to only 
make me prosper. I want all of you to prosper. I’m gonna make each and 
every one of you make it. The market is so universal. You just adapt to current 
conditions. Let’s go crazy.” 

 
j. On July 26, 2021, Rybarcyzk tweeted: 

 

   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 12 of 39



13 
 

Deel: 

k. On July 16, 2021, Deel tweeted:  “Actually 500 into 7Million, but who’s 
counting.” 
 

l. October 29, 2021, Deel tweeted:  “Bout 5K short of a million dollar month. 
Truly UN F*CKING REAL!!!! We will nail in on November I promise you 
that!!!! LETS GO!” 
 

26. Tweets like those identified above served to further the scheme by convincing 

followers that acting on the Primary Defendants’ recommendations would likely lead to 

significant wealth, and by falsely portraying their trading methods as accessible to anyone 

willing to learn.    

27. As described above, defendants repeatedly sold shares in direct contradiction to 

their public statements to followers on social media that they were continuing to buy, and or 

holding their positions, in anticipation of higher share prices.  This practice is called “dumping,” 

and despite repeatedly dumping their stock as they recommended it to their followers, the 

Primary Defendants reassured their followers and the general public that they did not engage in 

such behavior, as illustrated by the false and misleading statements and posts below from the 

Relevant Period: 

a. Constantin (Twitter):  I don’t dump on people. 
 

b. Constantin (PGIR Interview):  I’m not going to like continue calling 
something just so, you know, we can get out.  We take our losses, whatever, 
you move on. 

 
c. Matlock (Twitter):  And I’m not pumping and dumping on anyone. Why would 

I sell when I truly believe $RIBT gets over $1.50-$2.  Haters mad to see 
anyone winning and come out if the stock is down 3% . All I post is 
information about it. 

 
d. Deel (Twitter): $BCTX recap: I buy stocks that I think have a good chart and 

good news. That’s how I always play it and sometimes it goes the wrong way.  
That’s trading. I never dump shares on alerts. BCTX got smacked hard on a 
vwap reject and I took the L with you guys earlier. On to next  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 13 of 39



14 
 

 
e. Cooperman (Twitter):  so we are CRYSTAL F*CKING CLEAR ... i dont dump 

on my followers. nor do i even have the following big enough to dump all my 
shares on. if i say i think something is going to do something THATS WHAT I 
THINK ITS GONNA DO.  

 
f. Rybarcyzk (Twitter):  You guys are my family. Whoever has my back is a real 

MVP. I’ve posted many negative P&L images. I don’t dump on anyone. If I 
have to I’ll just take my losses. I have diamond hands though. 
 

28. These false and misleading statements furthered the Primary Defendants’ scheme 

by building trust among their followers, so that the Primary Defendants could continue to 

deceptively promote stocks, and continue to profit by selling their shares into the demand that 

their promotion generated, all without disclosing either their plans to sell, or their actual sales.  

29. The Defendants understood that they were participating in an unlawful market-

manipulation scheme, and that they were profiting from misleading their followers.  The 

Defendants sometimes discussed their scheme over Discord voice chats that they believed were 

private, but were being recorded.  For example, on March 1, 2021, Knight and Cooperman 

(along with others) discussed the group’s manipulation of the securities of GTT 

Communications, Inc., which at the time traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) 

under the ticker GTT.2  The following is a portion of the conversation:     

Knight:  Get caught? . . . We’re robbing f*cking idiots of their money. . .  

Cooperman:  It’s so funny because I can see the . . . . I can like see the timeline of these.  
Like I get it [the ticker], I send it to Dan [Knight].  I know Dan’s on voice.  Dan tells you 
guys.  I see it go up more.  Then I send it to Gary [Deel] and I see it go up like way more 
[laughter] . . . . My other thing is too, is like alright, if we lose on one of these, we’ve 
won on like a hundred so . . .  We gotta remember with these Ultra [Rybarcyzk] ones, 
they all do the same thing.  It like spikes, comes down for a second— 
 
Knight:  Then the scalpers get out, like Gary [Deel] gets out, then— 

                                                            
2 The NYSE delisted GTT on August 2, 2021.   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 14 of 39



15 
 

Cooperman:  And then it goes f*cking bukoo, but no, that’s not only it.  Like what he 
[Rybarcyzk] does is he alerts it, and then like five minutes later, all his little minions start 
like retweeting it and saying added with him, so it like builds the hype back up.  It 
happens every single time.  They have their shit down to a f*cking science, it’s crazy. 

 Cooperman, Knight, and others were watching GTT’s stock price and volume in real time 

during that conversation.  An unidentified individual exclaimed, “Wow, big dump!”  Cooperman 

then commented that he understood that at least one of the Primary Defendants, Rybarcyzk, was 

dumping at that moment.   He stated:  “I can like see them in my head coming out of the candle.  

Like weee! [laughter]  Weee!”  Knight responded, “Another banger call guys,” referring to the 

promotion.  Knight went on to make fun of Rybarcyzk’s followers who were losing money as 

Rybarcyzk’s share dump crashed the stock price:  “And all his [Rybarcyzk’s] followers are like, 

‘Uh, yo we can’t sell today, I don’t have any day trades left.’”3  Knight’s mocking of 

Rybarcyzk’s followers elicited laughter.  The group continued to mock Rybarcyzk’s followers.  

Playing the role of one of Rybarcyzk’s followers, Cooperman asked:  “Is this a swing?” eliciting 

laughter.  Knight continued, imitating Rybarcyzk’s followers:  “Please be a swing.”   

30. In another surreptitiously recorded Discord call, on February 24, 2021, involving 

Knight, Cooperman, and others, Knight acknowledged that he understood the Primary 

Defendants were engaging in market manipulation, and explained why he posted fewer 

recommendations on Twitter and Atlas than the Primary Defendants:   

“[The less] I mention a stock, the less likely I get involved whenever all of 
Atlas gets a class action f*cking lawsuit . . .  I’m playing this extremely 
smart, for the very long term.  If you don’t think all these f*ckers go to jail 
or at least get sued, you are crazy. . . playing stupid does not work in 
court. . . it’s market manipulation. . . . I mean you look up the definition of 
market manipulation . . .”   

                                                            
3 The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority imposes certain restrictions on the number of “day trades” allowed in 
certain types of accounts below certain asset thresholds.  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 15 of 39



16 
 

31. Despite understanding that the Primary Defendants were engaging in market 

manipulation and profiting from misleading recommendations to their followers on Twitter, 

Atlas, and Sapphire, Knight continued to promote the Primary Defendants as expert traders on 

PGIR and provided them with a platform to peddle misleading statements about the stocks they 

were promoting.  Knight himself profited from the fraud scheme by taking positions in the stocks 

that he knew the Primary Defendants were manipulating, and selling into the demand the 

Primary Defendants generated through the fraud scheme.  Although Knight posted less 

frequently about the stocks, his role on the podcast was often to ask questions intended to elicit 

Hennessey or others to promote a stock.    

32. As noted, the Primary Defendants regularly trumpeted their trading successes to 

their followers.  They held themselves out as stock picking experts worthy of the substantial 

followings they had amassed.  But they also from time to time claimed they lost money on 

particular stock “plays.”  Many of these claims of losses were false and designed to conceal the 

fact that the Primary Defendants had profited by dumping their shares into the demand their 

deceptive promotions had generated.   

33. For example, on August 11, 2021, Rybarcyzk claimed in a tweet that he lost 

money trading on ABVC Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ABVC), which he had previously 

recommended to his followers:   

$ABVC Strange action today . Bag holder here 👋 honestly doesn’t make 
sense. Ran from $3.30 to $4.40’s yesterday and to $4.20’s today. But 
faded due to shorts and scalpers. I’m sure some made money. But I hold 
my word and don’t dump on anyone. 

Here, Rybarcyzk claimed that he lost money trading ABVC Biopharma (he was a “[b]ag 

holder”), and that others (including short sellers and “scalpers”) caused the share price to drop, 

but that he did not make money because he does not “dump” shares on anyone.  But Rybarcyzk 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 16 of 39



17 
 

actually made approximately $68,690 on August 10 and August 11, 2021 (the day he posted that 

tweet) by dumping his shares while recommending ABVC to his followers.   

34. Similarly, on March 18, 2021, Deel, having promoted American Resources Corp. 

(Ticker: AREC) to his followers, claimed he lost $20,000: 

Deel (@notoriousalerts):   “$AREC stopped me guys. Sorry about this one I lost 
20k here it looks like 1.5M shares were sold over 5. Sorry to anyone who took 
with me. Had great news this morning but didn’t wanna go. I’ll look for us a 
better one” 

In fact, Deel made more than $7,000 dumping his AREC shares on that day alone (and over 

$6,000 selling his shares into demand generated by his posts the day before).  

35. Others Primary Defendants also deceived their followers about profits and losses 

to further the scheme.  Matlock, for example, having promoted FDS Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:   

HUGE) to followers, reported on Atlas on February 3, 2021:  “HUGE I took the loss on it too. 

We will find a better one.”  Matlock in fact made approximately $27,734 dumping his HUGE 

shares the day he made that post.   

II. Examples of Manipulation  

A. Camber Energy, Inc.  

36.  Several Primary Defendants manipulated the stock of Camber Energy, Inc. at 

various times from August to October 2021.  Camber Energy trades on the New York Stock 

Exchange under the ticker “CEI.”  Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman established positions in CEI 

stock and sold into their deceptive promotion in early August 2021; Constantin and Hvartin 

established positions in the stock and sold into their deceptive promotion in September and 

October 2021.  CEI was one of the Selected Stocks.   

August 3-5, 2021:  Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman 

37. Matlock and Deel began purchasing shares of CEI on August 3, 2021.  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 17 of 39



18 
 

Cooperman bought shares the next day.  By the afternoon of August 4, 2021, all three had 

acquired significant positions in CEI, with Deel owning 936,422 shares acquired at an average 

price of $.46 per share, Matlock owning 835,429 shares acquired at an average price of $.46 per 

share, and Cooperman owning 405,000 shares acquired at an average price of $.47 per share.  

Then, at 3:37 p.m. Deel posted the following message about CEI on Twitter and on Atlas: 

$CEI I added for a swing. Volume is starting to come into pennies this 
week and this is very cheap. On the daily chart we have formed a double 
bottom. Last time it was at these prices we went to $3. So that leaves a lot 
of range. 

Matlock echoed the sentiment, posting on Atlas at 3:38 p.m.:  “Adding CEI with you that's cheap 

AF,” using an abbreviation for the slang term cheap “as f*ck.” 

38. Within the next four minutes after those posts, Matlock sold 165,100 shares, Deel 

sold 60,000 shares, and Cooperman sold 240,000 shares of CEI, as the price rose by a penny per 

share.  At 3:43 p.m., Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman posted about CEI again:   

 Deel (Twitter):  “$CEI with the CEO saying no reverse split they have to think 
it will get to a dollar. I feel good with swinging this one this week for a run 
up.” 
 

 Matlock (Atlas):  “oh no r/s [reverse split] on CEI” 
 

 Cooperman (Twitter):  “adding CEI here for a swing last time it touched these 
levels on the daily we saw a move to 3+  lots of DD on @notoriousalerts”  

 

39. Immediately after these posts, Deel, Matlock, and Cooperman began selling more 

shares.  Within two minutes, Deel had sold 95,000 shares, Matlock had sold 198,303 shares, and 

Cooperman had sold all 165,000 of his remaining shares.  Each defendant sold for an average 

price of $.48 per share.  All three continued to promote CEI on Twitter following their sales, and 

Deel and Matlock continued selling, as described below. 

 3:46 p.m.: Deel (Twitter): $CEI payyyyyyy us. Let's clear .50 next and trend 
up all after hours and tomorrow. 
 

 3:47 p.m.: Deel (Twitter): 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 18 of 39



19 
 

 

 

40. While Deel was promoting CEI on Twitter, he was simultaneously selling his 

shares, liquidating 60,000 shares at an average price of $.48 per share.  During that same two-

minute window, Matlock sold 228,781 shares at an average price of $.48 per share.  Matlock 

then immediately promoted CEI on Atlas, claiming “Also CEI is great for Biden infrastructure 

plan.” 

41. As soon as Matlock promoted CEI on Atlas, he began selling again, and by 3:51 

p.m. had liquidated another 70,600 shares at an average price of $.48 per share.  Deel also sold 

41,000 shares at the same average per-share price during that two-minute window.   

42. Cooperman, despite not owning shares at that moment, continued to promote CEI 

while Matlock and Deel were selling.  At 3:51 p.m. Cooperman tweeted:  “big bigger $CEI 

👀👀.”  Over the next three minutes, Deel and Matlock sold, respectively, approximately 80,000 

and 158,327 shares at an average price of $.49 per share. 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 19 of 39



20 
 

43. Deel then tweeted at 3:54 p.m., “$CEI let’s squeeze 😎,” suggesting that investors 

bid up the price of CEI in order to force short sellers to exit their positions (“squeeze” the short 

sellers) to avoid further losses.  As he had several times already that day, Deel continued to sell 

CEI shares immediately after his tweet recommending that others buy CEI shares.  By 3:55 p.m., 

Deel sold 115,000 shares and Matlock sold all of his remaining 14,318 shares, at an average 

price of $.49 per share.  A minute later, at 3:56 p.m., Matlock posted on Atlas: “nhod CEI” 

referring to a “new high of the day.”  Starting around the same time, Deel sold 165,000 shares at 

an average price of $.494 per share over the next three minutes.  Between 3:58 p.m. and 3:59 

p.m., Matlock bought 48,555 shares at an average price of $.487 per share and sold 48,555 at an 

average price of $.493 per share, leaving him with none.  .   

44. At 4:00 p.m., Deel tweeted:  “$CEI .50 now!!! How high we going”?  He 

immediately sold 9,610 shares at $.50 per share.  A few minutes later, at 4:06 p.m., Deel tweeted: 

$CEI holding and adding more in AH. Tomorrow we should run most of day.”  Despite telling 

his followers he was holding his CEI shares and intended to add to his position in after hours 

(“AH” trading), Deel immediately began selling.  Over the next five minutes, Deel sold another 

5,390 shares at $.50 per share. 

45. Conforming to his typical pattern, Deel continued to suggest that his followers 

hold their shares and await increases in price, while he was dumping his shares into the market:     

 
 4:13 p.m.: Deel (Twitter): yes it can AC that's what I am waiting on $CEI we 

nailed those low entries down there and now everyone is safely in the profit zone 
and we ride https://t.co/0AqkvUYl3N 

 
 4:15 p.m.: Deel (Atlas): CEI we look really good here. We got dead bottom on 

original alert in here and now we should all be in the profit and see how far we 
run up. I am holding full into tomorrow 
 

From 4:17 to 4:20 p.m., Deel sold another 6,000 CEI shares at $.50 per share. 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 20 of 39



21 
 

46. At 4:23 p.m., with the CEI share price around $.49 per share, Deel tweeted, 

“Nice!! Thanks for sharing it would be great if they give us a PR on Friday 👀 $CEI. Either way, 

I think this stock will eventually get back to $1 the chart has room to $3 but I’ll will gracefully 

make my exit around $1.” 

47. At 5:00 p.m., after telling his followers he was holding his shares until the CEI 

share price reached $1, Deel sold 3,000 shares for approximately $.50 per share. 

48. The next day, August 5, 2021, Matlock and Cooperman reestablished positions in 

CEI, and Deel increased his position in CEI, before once again posting buy-and-hold 

recommendations while they sold their shares.  That morning, Deel bought 212,400 CEI shares 

and Cooperman bought 190,000 shares, each at an average price of $.48 per share.  

49. Immediately after buying his CEI shares, Deel began promoting the company on 

Twitter.  At 9:55 a.m., Deel tweeted:  “$CEI still in full and added more this morning. This is a 

swing and I’m here until I get the move I want. We already tested that .50 level yesterday I think 

another break of that sends us.”  A minute later, Matlock bought 130,000 CEI shares at an 

average price of $.48 per share. 

50. At 9:56 a.m., Deel posted to Atlas:  “I added more to my CEI swing this 

morning.”  Over the next two minutes, Matlock and Cooperman sold 32,500 and 30,000 CEI 

shares, respectively, for an average price of $.48 per share. 

51. At 9:58 a.m., Cooperman sold 30,000 CEI shares; tweeted that he “added some 

more CEI to the swing”; and immediately sold all of his remaining 130,000 shares at an average 

price of $.48 per share.  Matlock also liquidated his CEI position, selling 97,499 shares (leaving 

him with 1 share) over the next few minutes at an average price of $.48 per share.  Deel also sold 

64 shares at $.50 per share. 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 21 of 39



22 
 

52. Deel continued to post positive assessments of CEI on Twitter and Atlas 

throughout the morning, while selling his shares.  Between 10:35 and 11:09 a.m., Deel bought an 

additional 45,000 CEI shares at $.49 per share and then tweeted:   

Don’t panic on $CEI and tag me every 20 minutes. It’s a 
swing. I’m adding all day. I alerted this yesterday at .46 and 
we are holding nicely right under .50 currently. I think we get 
a close over .50 by end of day and start the climb higher. 
There was hint of a PR [press release] tomorrow too 

Despite telling his followers he would be “adding all day” to a “swing,” Deel soon began selling 

his entire position.  By noon, he had sold all 508,822 of his shares for about $.51 per share.  He 

continued to promote CEI as he sold, posting on Atlas “CEI looks so good it will pay us” as he 

was dumping his shares.     

53. Between August 3, 2021 and August 5, 2021, the three defendants made 

approximately $54,989 through their misleading tweets and posts about CEI; specifically, Deel 

made $37,566; Matlock made $12,729, and Cooperman made $4,694.  This was a small taste of 

the profits to come from the longer-term manipulation that followed soon after. 

September 1 – October 5, 2021: Constantin and Hrvatin  

54. On September 1, 2021, between 1:42 and 1:47 p.m., Constantin bought 2,000,000 

shares of CEI at prices between $.49 and $.51.  Constantin then began posting price targets and 

memes about CEI in an effort to boost the stock’s price and trading volume.  During the same 

period, Hrvatin purchased CEI shares, posted price targets, and then sold his entire position on 

multiple occasions.  What follows are representative examples of Constantin’s and Hrvatin’s 

purchases, posts, and sales. 

55. On September 1, 2021, at 1:58 p.m., Constantin tweeted:  “$CEI average .51  

swinging with @LadeBackk [Hrvatin] for $2+. Don’t give us crap if it hits $1 and you don’t sell. 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 22 of 39



23 
 

Your body, your choice. I like this stock.”  The next morning, at 9:30 a.m., Hrvatin bought 

100,000 CEI shares for $.69 per share, while announcing a $1 price target for CEI on Twitter:  

“$CEI let the $1 run begin.”  Two minutes after that tweet, Hrvatin dumped all of his shares for 

$.72 per share.    

56. On September 3, 2021, Constantin tweeted:  “My homie @LadeBackk [Hrvatin] 

holding with me. $3-5.”  On September 13, 2021, Constantin tweeted a price target of $3 to $5 

for CEI and encouraged his followers to hold onto the stock: “$CEI $3-5+.  Too many of you act 

like little bitches when there’s dips. It’s all part of the game.” 

57. On September 15, 2021, Hrvatin bought 100,000 CEI shares at $1.65 per share.  

At 3:31 p.m., two minutes after he bought the shares, he tweeted:  “$CEI I’m holding overnight. 

A huge day is coming. I can feel it.”  Within minutes, Constantin responded to Hrvatin’s tweet:   

“I ain’t selling under 3 beleed that.”  Meanwhile, Hrvatin—despite telling his followers he was 

“holding overnight” because “a huge day is coming”—had already begun to dump all 100,000 of 

his shares for $1.66 per share between 3:34 and 3:36 p.m. 

58. On September 23, 2021, Constantin tweeted price targets of $3 and $5 dollars to 

maintain interest in CEI among his followers.  Similarly on September 28, 2021, he tweeted:  

“$CEI We consolidate at $3 and then we push to $5 then $10.” 

59. The next day morning, September 29, 2021, Hrvatin bought 100,000 shares for an 

average of $3.27 per share.  One minute after buying, at 10:30 a.m., Hrvatin tweeted:  “$CEI get 

ready for the next leg up. We’re aiming for $4 today.”  Five minutes later, Hrvatin sold all his 

shares for $3.33 per share.  Later that day, Constantin continued to promote CEI, tweeting a price 

target of $10 per share:  “$CEI  shorts are screwed. See you at $10.” 

60. On October 1, 2022, for example, Constantin told his followers he believed the 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 23 of 39



24 
 

price of CEI shares would exceed $10 per share (“$CEI will be another monster $10++”) and 

that he would sell CEI shares at $10 to $20 per share (“$CEI everything is going to be very ok. 

Z-DADDY selling $10-20”).   

61. On October 5, 2021, Constantin reiterated on Twitter his $10 price target for CEI 

shares ($CEI $10+).  About a half hour later, he sold all 2,070,000 shares he owned, including 

the 2,000,000 shares that he purchased on September 1, 2021, for an average price of $2.61 per 

share.   

62. Between September 1, 2021 and October 5, 2021 Constantin made approximately 

$4,301,440, while Hrvatin made $249,761 buying and selling CEI stock.   

B. Alzamend Neuro, Inc. 

63. On or about June 15, 2021, Deel, Rybarcyzk, Hennessey, and Matlock identified 

Alzamend Neuro, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALZN) as one of the Selected Stocks in the scheme.  After an 

unsuccessful attempt to manipulate ALZN’s securities on June 15, 2021, these defendants, joined 

by Cooperman and Knight (collectively, the “ALZN Participants”), regrouped and tried again 

between June 29, 2021 and June 30, 2021.  On June 29, 2021, Hennessey, Cooperman, and 

Knight all acquired shares of ALZN, while Deel also purchased ALZN shares before selling his 

entire position for a gain of $16,884 after posting:  “ALZN I added for the swing. I think this one 

has a lot of upside in it and it goes with the theme. I think tomorrow this one is a lot higher.”  On 

the morning of June 30, 2021, Rybarcyzk and Matlock rejoined the group, purchasing 15,000 

ALZN shares and 29,876 ALZN shares, respectively, while Deel reestablished a position in 

ALZN (84,000 shares) and Hennessey and Cooperman added to their positions.  Throughout the 

morning, several of these defendants posted about ALZN and sold at least a portion of their 

shares following their posts. 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 24 of 39



25 
 

64. For instance, at 10:11 a.m., Deel posted on Atlas:  “ALZN great daily volume 

here. I think this one is setting up to breakout over 12 today. I mentioned my swing adds 

yesterday and I added more this morning.”  Following this post, between 10:12 and 10:14 a.m., 

Deel sold 39,800 shares of ALZN for an average price of $11.40 per share.  Then, at 10:17 a.m., 

Deel tweeted:  “I think $ALZN is the next sick mover.  I have some added. I think it breaks 12 

today.”  Right after this post, between 10:18 and 10:19 a.m., Deel sold 39,000 ALZN shares for 

an average price of $11.73 per share.   

65. Then, at 10:19 a.m., Hennessey posted a “teaser” on Atlas from his and Knight’s 

PGIR interview of ALZN’s CEO that was set to air later that day.  Specifically, Hennessey 

quoted ALZN’s CEO as saying there were “No plans to in the year raise any capital” and “We 

have enough Capital to put our drugs in human trials without needing to raise capital.”   

66. Following the morning manipulation of ALZN, Deel and Rybarcyzk exchanged 

private messages about the stock on Discord, in which Deel shared that they were “loading” up 

on ALZN, and shared a direction from Hennessey to establish a large position before the 

promotion.  Specifically, they stated:  

Deel:  we are loading these shares back down here on ALZN to send to 
nhod [new high of the day] after lunch if you want anymore 
 
Rybarcyzk:  Yes sir! 
 
Deel:  hugh [Hennessey] says get size 
 
Deel:  posting 

 
67. Prior to this exchange, Hennessey had purchased 35,000 shares of ALZN. 

Following the exchange between Rybarcyzk and Deel, virtually simultaneously between 12:24 

p.m. and 1:01 p.m., Rybarcyzk, Deel, Cooperman, and Matlock all “loaded up” on ALZN.   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 25 of 39



26 
 

68. Specifically, Deel purchased 48,000 shares, Rybarcyzk purchased 35,000 shares 

(for a total of 50,000 shares including 15,000 shares purchased earlier in the day), Cooperman 

purchased 10,209 shares, and Matlock purchased 24,000 shares.  The price of the shares 

purchased during that period was between $10.77 and $11.40 per share.  The ALZN Participants 

then engaged in a campaign to raise the price of the stock, falsely claiming that they were 

holding their shares, while selling them to realize profits.       

69. Specifically, immediately after the purchases were made, at approximately 1:02 

p.m., Deel posted about ALZN on both Twitter and Atlas:  “$ALZN is now my largest swing 

position open.  We broke 12 earlier, but that was a tease on what this will do.  I added these dips 

through lunch and now I will ride this for new highs and more.  I like the potential here and the 

market is hot for it.”  Deel’s claim that he had a “swing” position was a representation that he 

would be holding the stock for at least a day or more rather than immediately selling.     

70. Minutes later and over the course of the next two hours, Rybarcyzk, Hennessey, 

and Cooperman joined Deel and began posting about ALZN.  Deel repeated his claim that he 

was “swinging” or that he had a “swing position.”  Rybarcyzk specifically claimed that he was 

holding the stock “O/N” (overnight).  The messages also contained specific price targets of $12 

per share, and talk of a “new high” approaching.  Deel also promoted the potential for growth 

from the company, claiming that “the market [for ALZN’s pharmaceutical products] is expected 

to exceed 10 Billion by 2025.”      

71. However, in contrast to their claims that they were holding their ALZN stocks and 

even adding to their positions, anticipating the stock price reaching $12 per share, Rybarcyzk, 

Hennessey, Cooperman, and Deel were, during the same two-hour period of time, selling all or 

most of their stock (i.e. “dumping” it) for less than $12 per share.  For instance, while at 1:02 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 26 of 39



27 
 

p.m. Deel had claimed that $12 was a “tease” and that he would now “ride this for new highs and 

more,” immediately thereafter he sold 5,000 shares for $11.57 per share.   

72.   By the end of the approximately two-hour period, when Deel, Rybarcyzk, 

Hennessey, and Cooperman were actively promoting the stock and making the above claims,  

Rybarcyzk, Deel, and Cooperman had sold all of their shares.  Matlock and Hennessey also sold 

during this period, with Matlock making $6,473 to add to his morning manipulation profits of 

$25,519 and Hennessey making $7,682 from his ALZN sales that day. 

C. Vislink Technologies Inc. 

73.  Vislink Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: VISL) is another example of a stock that 

was manipulated multiple times by various Defendants.  VISL was a manipulation involving 

misleading posts from Hennessey about on topics including “due diligence” he conducted on the 

company, and an interview of the CEO on PGIR.  Much of this activity occurred in February 

(when most of the illicit profits were made) and March 2021.  Below is an example from March 

2, 2021 involving Rybarcyzk, Deel, Cooperman, Matlock, and Knight (the “VISL Participants”).   

74. On the morning of March 2, 2021, Deel bought 40,193 VISL shares (net) at an 

average price of $3.76 per share.  Hennessey bought 1,600 shares for $3.73 per share.  Almost 

immediately, Deel and Hennessey started promoting VISL on Atlas.   

75. At 11:02 a.m., Deel posted:  “VISL climbing up to vwap [volume weighted 

average price] here.”   At the same time Deel posted this, Hennessey bought 48,400 VISL shares 

for $3.79 per share.  Hennessey then posted at 11:03 a.m.:  “VISL CEO will also be on espn 

radito today.”  With the price climbing over the next two minutes, Deel quickly sold his entire 

position for $3.84 per share.   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 27 of 39



28 
 

76. Later that afternoon, at 2:15 p.m., Deel bought 20,000 VISL shares at $3.635 per 

share.  One minute later, Hennessey tweeted:  “Never gave my updated $VISL thesis and 

breakdown video I did with CEO Mr.Miller  My bad.”  One minute after that tweet, Deel sold his 

entire VISL position again, this time for $3.64 per share.   

77. Within minutes, Knight, Deel, Rybarcyzk, Matlock, and Cooperman began 

buying VISL securities.  By 2:41 p.m., the VISL Participants had amassed positions in VISL in 

the following amounts and average prices:   

 Knight:  21,270 shares (net) for $3.72 per share (along with 20 call options with a 
strike price of $5.00 that expired on March 19, 2021); 
 

 Deel:  91,160 shares for $3.67 per share; 

 Matlock:  68,432 shares (net) for $3.82 per share; 

 Cooperman:  25,000 shares for $3.72 per share; and 

 Rybarcyzk:  200,000 shares for $3.80 per share.   

78. Matlock began promoting VISL stock almost immediately on Atlas.  At 2:41 

p.m., he noted the increased volume of VISL trading in the “last 30 minutes,” without noting that 

he and four other defendants were buying shares during that time.  One minute later, Matlock 

posted:  “VISL ww [i.e., “worth watching”] here.”  Around the same time as that post, Matlock 

sold 23,414 (net) shares for an average price of $3.90 per shares, and Knight sold 6,000 shares at 

$3.89 per share. Knight also purchased 5 VISL call options with a strike price of $5.00 and an 

expiration of March 19, 2021. 

79. At 2:43 p.m., Deel posted on Atlas that VISL’s price might increase in after hours 

trading, and that he purchased shares (“VISL might be the runner in AH [Afterhours] I grabbed 

some”).  Meanwhile on a private Discord voice call that was surreptitiously recorded, Knight 

joked about Deel’s Atlas post:  “He always grabs them a little bit too late,” eliciting laughter 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 28 of 39



29 
 

from others on the call.  Knight immediately sold 1,450 shares for $3.90 per share, and Matlock 

sold 45,018 shares for $3.89 per share.     

80. Knight then asked in his private Discord voice chat:  “Should I retweet Michael 

Hunt ‘VISL yawn.  Wake me up at $10?’”  Knight joked that Hunt “may be sleeping for a while 

bro,” indicating Knight did not believe the stock price would rise to $10 per share.  Knight 

nonetheless retweeted the Michael Hunt tweet.  A few minutes later, again in his private Discord 

voice chat, Knight said, “I think my tweet worked.”  And later he said, “I think my tweet 

definitely helped it out right there.”  Knight immediately began selling shares, and, by 2:48 p.m., 

had sold 8,050 shares for an average price of $3.91 per share.   

81. At 2:49 p.m., Deel posted to Atlas that VISL’s share price would exceed $4 

(“VISL breaking 4”).  Deel, Cooperman, and Knight then immediately began selling VISL 

shares.  The continued to sell over the next three minutes, in the amounts and at the prices below:   

 Deel:  20,000 shares for an average price of $3.99 per share;  
 

 Cooperman: 12,500 shares for $4.00 per share; 
 

 Knight:  2,500 shares for $4.01 per share (and 10 VISL call options). 
 

82. At 2:52 p.m., Knight tweeted “All hail $VISL the Piss Missile” and quickly began 

selling again.  By 3:05 p.m., Knight had sold 1,500 shares for $3.99 per share (and 15 call 

options), and Deel had sold 25,000 shares for $4.04 per share.  At 2:55 p.m., on his private 

Discord voice chat, Knight joked that he “sold those VISL piss missiles at the right time.”   

83. Right after he sold 5,000 shares, at 3:05 p.m., Deel posted to Atlas that he 

believed VISL’s price would still climb that day:  “yeah VISL to nhod [new high of the day] 

soon.”  Beginning at 3:06 p.m., in a seven-minute span, Deel, Knight and Rybarcyzk sold shares 

in the amounts and at the prices below:   

 Deel:  4,876 shares for $4.11 per share;   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 29 of 39



30 
 

 
 Knight:  1,270 shares for $4.07 per share;  

 
 Rybarcyzk:  50,000 shares for $4.04 per share. 

 
84. At 3:17 p.m., Knight bought 450 shares for $4.03 per share.  Two minutes later, 

Hennessey tweeted “$VISL star link?” with an embedded video clip of Hennessey’s interview of 

VISL’s CEO.  Knight immediately sold 350 shares for $4.06 per share.  Within minutes, 

Hennessey and Rybarcyzk were promoting VISL on Twitter again, with Hennessey embedding 

additional video of his interview with the VISL CEO and Rybarcyzk stating he expected the 

share price to jump in after-hours trading (“I smell an AH GAPPER on $VISL”).  Rybarcyzk also 

posted Hennessey’s tweet regarding Hennessey’s interview with the VISL CEO.   

85. Immediately following these tweets, Rybarcyzk, Hennessey, and Knight 

collectively dumped 156,050 shares in two minutes.  Specifically:   

 Rybarcyzk sold 100,000 shares for $3.93 per share;  
 

 Hennessey sold all 50,000 of his shares for $3.94 per share;  
 

 Cooperman sold 6,000 shares for $3.94 per share;  
 

 Knight sold 50 shares for $3.97 per share (after buying 100 shares for $3.95 
per share). 

 
86. At 3:31 p.m., Deel posted on Atlas that he believed, based on trading activity over 

the last hour (and without mentioning the VISL Participants’ role in the activity), that VISL 

shares would increase in value in after hours trading:  “VISL has been active the last hour. I think 

this makes a move AH a close over 4 would be ideal for a move.” A minute later, Deel sold 

15,000 shares for $3.96 per share.  Cooperman sold another 500 shares for the same per-share 

price.  By 3:40 p.m., Deel had liquidated his entire VISL position, selling 26,284 shares for 

$3.90 per share.  He then reloaded, buying another 75,000 shares over the next few minutes for 

$3.92 per share.    

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 30 of 39



31 
 

87. While Deel was buying shares, Hennessey tweeted “$VISL - anyone hear it ? 

CEO confirmed a PR [press release] within 4 weeks (Now 3 weeks)” again embedding a clip of 

his interview with the VISL CEO.   At 4:01, Hennessey tweeted additional information about his 

“thesis” for VISL:  “$VISL - from investor deck  - adding to the thesis  The 4 mil contract adds 

13% to annual Rev (this accounts for doing nothing else).”  Two minutes later, he tweeted:  

“$VISL we know rev are increasing as they’ve added customers and contracts and now have NO 

DEBT.”  At 4:10 p.m., Deel posted on Atlas that based on the “VISL tape” he was “bullish.”  

Within minutes, he had dumped 74,090 shares for $3.81 per share.   

88. This particular manipulation of VISL stock occurred from March 2 to March 3, 

2021.  Over this two-day period, Rybarcyzk made $26,315 trading VISL securities; Deel made 

$25,829; Hennessey made $7,407; Cooperman made $6,690; Knight made $5,386; and Matlock 

made $5,140. 

D. Torchlight Energy Resources  

89.  On or about February 9, 2021, Hennessey identified Torchlight Energy 

Resources (NASDAQ: TRCH) as a Selected Stock.4  On February 10, 2021, Hennessey, 

Matlock, Deel, and Knight (“the TRCH Participants”) purchased shares in the following 

amounts:  Hennessey (196,019), Matlock (383,421), Deel (210,000, net), and Knight (8,562, 

net).  The price of the shares ranged from $1.68 to $1.95 per share. 

90. After purchasing the shares, the TRCH Participants engaged in a campaign to 

raise the price of the stock, falsely claiming that they were holding their shares, while selling 

them to realize profits.  Knight aided and abetted the TRCH Participants in furthering the 

scheme, by, among other things, providing them with a platform, the PGIR podcast. 

                                                            
4 The company became Meta Materials Inc. (Ticker: MMAT) following a merger.   

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 31 of 39



32 
 

91. In the course of the scheme, various Defendants often highlighted an anticipated 

event that would purportedly raise the stock price (a “catalyst”) and encouraged buying and 

holding the stock until the event, falsely claiming that they too were holding the stock waiting 

for the catalyst.  In the case of TRCH, the catalyst was a purported upcoming merger with 

another company, Metamaterial Inc.  Hennessey claimed that he had discovered that this merger 

was coming in the course of his due diligence (“dd”) research on the company.  Hennessey 

repeatedly promoted false information about Meta itself (e.g., that it was worth “north of $4.8 

billion”) and promoted the purported benefits of the merger.  Hennessey also posted about other 

purported long-term benefits to TRCH stock holders, including a “dividend” that TRCH 

shareholders would purportedly receive after the merger.  Hennessey also claimed that Meta was 

potentially partnering with Tesla, and that Meta had products that had applications for fighting 

COVID-19 and thus a “10 billion dollar MARKET CAP POTENTIAL.”     

92.  Several times in the course of the month, after realizing profits from a sale of 

TRCH stock, various TRCH Participants then “reloaded” by purchasing and selling more shares, 

as the stock price continued to rise in part as a result of their promotional efforts.   

93. Specifically, in the first round of manipulation, on February 10, 2021, from 10:11 

a.m. to 10:12 a.m., after the TRCH Participants had all finished purchasing their shares that 

morning, Hennessey, Matlock, and Deel posted about TRCH on Atlas.  Despite the fact that all 

of the TRCH Participants had already purchased their positions, the posts were designed to 

falsely make it appear that Matlock and Deel were acting on Hennessey’s recommendation: 

 Hennessey :  im Long TRCH for merger 

 Matlock:  merger? 

 Hennessey:  $TRCH merger should be done soon enough @Trade ALERT 
yes 
they had to do an offering 
now that the offering is done full steam ahead for merger 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 32 of 39



33 
 

 Deel:  added TRCH 

 Hennessey:  merger will be done any day now  

 Matlock:  added 
 

94. At 10:11 a.m., Hennessey also posted about TRCH on Twitter, falsely describing 

it as a “swing” position and promoting the purported upcoming merger with Meta. 

95. Over approximately the next seven minutes Knight sold most of his position 

(6,056 of 8,562 shares) for $2.12 per share, and Deel sold his entire position for $2.13 per share.  

By 10:25 a.m., Matlock had sold his whole position for $2.25 per share.   

96. Similarly, on February 12, 2021, Hennessey, having previously sold his entire 

position in TRCH, “reloaded” by purchasing 75,000 shares at 11:30 a.m. at $2.32 per share.  At 

approximately 12:30 p.m., Hennessey and Knight appeared as guests on a podcast, where they 

promoted TRCH.  Hennessey then spent the afternoon promoting TRCH on Atlas and Twitter, 

advancing the Tesla rumor and the purported upcoming merger.  In the late afternoon, between 

approximately 4:40 and 4:47 p.m., Deel and Matlock bought TRCH shares for between $2.84 

and $2.99 per share.  Immediately thereafter, Hennessey made a misleading post about a 

potential COVID-19 “angle” for Meta products.  Matlock and Deel began tweeting to amplify 

the message and suggest they were holding TRCH stock.  In reality, immediately after the 

posting, they began selling their positions.   

97. Specifically, between 4:40 and 4:43 p.m., Matlock bought 153,582 shares at 

prices ranging from $2.84 to $2.99 per share.  Between 4:44 and 4:47 p.m., Deel bought 35,000 

shares at prices ranging from $2.93 to $2.99 per share.  Hennessey, Deel, and Matlock then 

immediately began promoting TRCH on Atlas and on Twitter:   

 4:47 p.m.:  “Hennessey (Atlas):  DD for COVID 19 ANGLE -  presentation  
(feb 2021) 

Inside the very last slide Meta mentions a biosensor  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 33 of 39



34 
 

‘This smartphone attached biosensor under development uses 
nanomaterial for molecular fingerprint detection in a range of 
applications (such as COVID19 and others)  
THIS GIVES A 10 billion dollar MARKET CAP POTENTIAL 
@Trade ALERT” 
 

 4:48 p.m.:  Deel (Atlas):  “I am adding for the hold on TRCH” 
 

 4:48 p.m.:  Matlock (Atlas, responding to Hennessey’s post):  “adding” 
 

 4:48 p.m.:  Matlock (Atlas):  “more” 
 

 4:48 p.m.:  Matlock (Atlas):  “that’s insane news” 
 

 4:49 p.m.:  Matlock (Twitter):  $TRCH I smacked 50k on this news. She’s 
going to all time highs  

Matlock’s tweet included a link to a 4:47 p.m. tweet from Hennessey that was similar to 

Hennessey’s Atlas post, described above.   

98. Immediately after that tweet, Matlock sold 30,000 shares for $3.14 per share, and 

Deel sold all 35,000 of his TRCH shares for $3.19 per share and a total profit on the day of 

$7,750. 

99.   One minute later, at 4:50 p.m., Matlock posted on Atlas a price target of at least 

$4 for TRCH, referencing Hennessey’s “due diligence”:   

TRCH going to 4+ after hours on @Hugh Henne new found covid DD 
 
https://discord.com/channels/428232997737594901/458013311846449152/80990
3629027770378 @PJ Matlock ALERT 

At the same time Matlock was posting this to Atlas, he was selling 49,602 shares for $3.32 per 

share.    

100. At 4:51 p.m., Matlock posted on Atlas:  “THis is gonna f*cking blast off.”  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 34 of 39



35 
 

Matlock then immediately began liquidating his position in TRCH, as described below:   

 4:51 p.m.:  Matlock sold 38,977 shares for $3.43 per share; 

 4:52 p.m.:  Matlock sold 29,298 shares for $3.56 per share; 

 4:53 p.m.:  Matlock sold 5,430 shares for $3.63 per share; 

 4:54 p.m.:  Matlock sold his remaining 176 shares for $3.48.   

Matlock made a profit of $67,766 during these last minutes of the trading day; his total profit 

was $75,116 for the day.   

101. On Sunday, February 14, 2021, in furtherance of the scheme, Hennessey and 

Knight discussed TRCH on PGIR.  Hennessey reiterated numerous false statements that he had 

made in previous communications to encourage buying and holding TRCH stock, including:  

falsely claiming that Meta was worth $5 billion; describing the “catalyst” of a merger happening 

on March 12; and describing the purported special dividend for TRCH shareholders after a 

merger.     

102. In total, the TRCH Participants’ profits on TRCH from February 10 through 

February 23, 2021 were $288,603 for Hennessey; $336,138 for Matlock; $148,131 for Deel; and 

$2,757 for Knight.   

E. ABVC Biopharma Inc. 

103.  In addition to working together in coordination to manipulate particular stocks, at 

times certain Defendants carried out the scheme on their own, by moving quickly to buy, 

manipulate, and sell a stock in a short period of time, quickly realizing a significant profit.   

104. For example, on August 10, 2021, Rybarcyzk began purchasing shares of ABVC 

Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ABVC), at various prices under $4 per share, ending the day with 

282,099 shares.  The next morning, August 11, 2021, he bought more than 24,000 additional 

shares at prices between $3.72 and $3.75.  Starting at approximately 8:00 a.m. and continuing for 

the next hour and a half, Rybarcyzk began tweeting positive messages about ABCV, setting a 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 35 of 39



36 
 

price target of $4 and increasing to $6, all while buying stock and adding to his position: 

 At 8:00 a.m., he tweeted:  “NO sleep just waking up too lol $ABVC looking 
strong still!!$4/$4.50 breakouts next.” 
 

 At 9:30 a.m., he tweeted:  “$ABVC Long $6+++” 
 

105. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Rybarcyzk began selling his shares, starting at $4.09 per 

share.  For the next three hours, he continued to promote ABVC and a $6 price target, all while 

selling his shares for between $4.04 and $3.40 (as the share price began dropping).  By 12:25 

p.m., Rybarcyzk had sold all of his ABCV shares, for a total profit that day of $68,690.   

FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF 
FRAUD IN THE OFFER OR SALE OF SECURITIES 

(Violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act) 
 

106. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if 

fully set forth herein. 

107. By reason of the conduct described above, defendants Constantin, Matlock, 

Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk, in connection with the offer or sale of 

securities, by the use of the means or instrumentalities of interstate commerce or of the mails, 

directly or indirectly, acting intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently (i) employed 

devices, schemes, or artifices to defraud; (ii) obtained money or property by means of untrue 

statements of material facts or omissions to state material facts necessary in order to make the 

statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and 

(iii) engaged in transactions, practices, or courses of business which operated or would operate as 

a fraud or deceit upon any persons, including purchasers or sellers of the securities.   

108. As a result, defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, 

Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk violated Securities Act Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and (3) [15 U.S.C. 

§77q(a)(1), (2), and (3)] and will continue to violate those sections unless enjoined. 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 36 of 39



37 
 

SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF 
FRAUD IN CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE OR SALE OF SECURITIES 

(Violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder) 
 

109. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if 

fully set forth herein.  

110. By reason of the conduct described above, defendants Constantin, Matlock, 

Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk, directly or indirectly, in connection with 

the purchase or sale of securities, by the use of the means or instrumentalities of interstate 

commerce or of the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, intentionally, 

knowingly or recklessly, (i) employed devices, schemes, or artifices to defraud; (ii) made untrue 

statements of material facts or omitted to state material facts necessary in order to make the 

statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, 

and (iii) engaged in acts, practices, or courses of business which operated or would operate as a 

fraud or deceit upon any persons, including purchasers or sellers of the securities. 

111. As a result, defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, 

Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk violated Exchange Act Section 10(b) [15 U.S.C. §78j(b)] and Rules 10b-

5(a), (b), and (c) [17 C.F.R. §240.10b-5(a), (b), and (c)] thereunder. 

 
THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF 

AIDING AND ABETTING VIOLATIONS OF  
SECTION 17(a) OF THE SECURITIES ACT 

 
112. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if 

fully set forth herein.   

113. By reason of the conduct described above, defendant Knight directly or indirectly, 

singly or in concert with others, aided and abetted defendants Constantin, Matlock, Cooperman, 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 37 of 39



38 
 

Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk in violating Securities Act Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and 

(3) [15 U.S.C. §77q(a)(1), (2), and (3)]. 

FOURTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF 
AIDING AND ABETTING VIOLATIONS OF 

SECTION 10(b) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT AND RULE 10b-5 THEREUNDER 
 

114. Paragraphs 1 through 105 above are re-alleged and incorporated by reference as if 

fully set forth herein.   

115. By  reason of the conduct described above, defendant Knight directly or 

indirectly, singly or in concert with others, aided and abetted defendants Constantin, Matlock, 

Cooperman, Deel, Hennessey, Hrvatin, and Rybarcyzk in violating Exchange Act Section 10(b) 

[15 U.S.C. §78j(b)] and Rules 10b-5(a), (b), and (c) [17 C.F.R. §240.10b-5(a), (b), and (c)] 

thereunder. 

PRAYER FOR RELIEF 

WHEREFORE, the Commission respectfully requests that this Court: 

A. Permanently restrain the Defendants, their officers, agents, servants, employees 

and attorneys, and those persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual 

notice of the injunction by personal service or otherwise, from violating Section 17(a) of the 

Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77q], and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)], 

and Rule 10b-5 thereunder [17 C.F.R. 240.10b-5]; 

B. Order the Defendants to disgorge, with prejudgment interest, all ill-gotten gains 

obtained by reason of the unlawful conduct alleged in this Complaint; 

C. Order the Defendants to pay civil monetary penalties pursuant to Section 20(d) of 

the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77t(d)] and Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. 

§ 78u(d)(3)];  

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 38 of 39



39 
 

C. Enter an order barring the defendant Hrvatin from participating in any offering of 

a penny stock, pursuant to Section 20(g) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77t(g)] and 21(d) of 

the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u(d)]; 

D. Retain jurisdiction over this action to implement and carry out the terms of all 

orders and decrees that may be entered; and  

E. Grant such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper. 

JURY DEMAND 

The Commission demands a jury in this matter for all claims so triable. 

 

DATED this 13th day of December, 2022. 

 

      Respectfully submitted, 

/s/ David J. D’Addio 
David J. D’Addio 
Amy Harman Burkart 
Andrew Palid 
David Scheffler 
Attorneys for the Plaintiff 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
Boston Regional Office  
33 Arch Street, 24th Floor 
Boston, MA 02110 
617-573-4526 (David D’Addio) 

 

Case 4:22-cv-04306   Document 1   Filed on 12/13/22 in TXSD   Page 39 of 39