2026-01-06 sec-litreleases litigation_release 65 KB 2,473 chars

SEC v. Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz; and Toltec Capital LLC, No. LR-26457, Northern District of California (Jan. 6, 2026) — Press Release

raw: Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC

Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC, No. 3:24-cv-05823-RS (Jan. 6, 2026)

Caption
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, et al.
summary

Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and his firm Toltec Capital LLC were ordered to pay millions in penalties and disgorgement for a $3.3 million Ponzi-like offering fraud.

paragraph

The SEC obtained a final judgment against Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC for raising $3.3 million through false and misleading statements between 2019 and 2023. Mendia-Alcaraz was found liable for using funds for personal expenses and Ponzi-like payments, resulting in a $2,207,524 civil penalty and joint liability for over $2.3 million in disgorgement and interest. The court also imposed permanent injunctions and barred Mendia-Alcaraz from serving as a public company officer or director.

narrative

The SEC secured a final judgment against Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and his private equity firm, Toltec Capital LLC, for an offering fraud that raised approximately $3.3 million between December 2019 and September 2023. Mendia-Alcaraz utilized investor funds to cover personal expenses and make Ponzi-like payments to existing investors. The judgment holds the defendants jointly and severally liable for $2,207,524 in disgorgement and $150,866 in prejudgment interest, while Mendia-Alcaraz must also pay a $2,207,524 civil penalty. Relief defendants Edith F. Ramirez Cano and Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV were also held liable for portions of the disgorgement and interest. Additionally, Mendia-Alcaraz is permanently enjoined from various securities activities and barred from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company. The litigation was led by SEC attorneys Daniel Ball and Zachary Scrima.

Enriched metadata

Scheme
ponzi (95%)
Court
Northern District of California
Case No.
3:24-cv-05823-RS
Disgorgement
$2,207,524
Civil penalty
$2,207,524
Victim loss
$3,300,000
Entity
Toltec Capital LLC
Classified ponzi(confidence 95%). EDGAR detection: forms Form D· recall 35% / precision 15%. detection rule →
Parties
Securities and Exchange CommissionBernardo Mendia-AlcarazToltec Capital LLC
Keywords
mendia-alcaraztoltec capitaltoltecbernardo mendia-alcarazmendia-alcaraz toltecsecurities exchangecapitalsecuritiesfinalbernardoprivate equityequity firmramirez canofondo toltecpermanently enjoins

Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)

Extracted insights

Dollar amounts 8
  • $3.30M $3.3 million $1M–$10M
  • $2.21M $2,207,524 $1M–$10M
  • $2.21M $2,207,524 $1M–$10M
  • $555K $554,563 $100K–$1M
  • $151K $150,866 $100K–$1M
  • $38K $37,899 $10K–$100K
  • $4K $3,654 <$10K
  • $249 $249 <$10K
Entities 4
  • person Daniel Ball
  • person final judgment
  • agency for securities and exchange commission regarding fraudulent securities offering
  • agency Securities and Exchange Commission
Triples 10
  • Securities And Exchange Commission filed complaint against Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, Toltec Capital LLC, and others for fraud involving $3.3 million raised from investors through false statements
  • Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz used investor funds for Ponzi-like payments to other investors and personal expenses
  • Securities And Exchange Commission obtained final judgment against Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC for securities fraud violations and ordered disgorgement of $2,207,524 plus interest
  • Final Judgment enjoins Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC from violating Sections 10(b), 5(a), 5(c), 17(a), and 206 of federal securities laws
  • Final Judgment prohibits Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz from serving as officer or director of a publicly traded company
  • Final Judgment holds liable Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV for disgorgement of $554,563 plus $37,899 prejudgment interest
  • Final Judgment holds liable Edith F. Ramirez Cano for disgorgement of $3,654 plus $249 prejudgment interest
  • Final Judgment orders Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz to pay civil penalty of $2,207,524
  • Daniel Ball led litigation for Securities And Exchange Commission against Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and associates
  • Daniel Ball conducted investigation for Securities And Exchange Commission regarding fraudulent securities offering
PDF (from attached: complaint)
Text layers
Extracted body text (2,473c)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONLitigation Release No. 26457 / January 6, 2026Securities and Exchange Commission v. Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, et al., No. 3:24-cv-05823-RS (N.D. Cal. filed Aug. 23, 2024)SEC Obtains Final Judgment as to Private Equity Firm and Managing Partner in Alleged Offering FraudOn December 16, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California entered a final judgment as to Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, his private equity firm, Toltec Capital LLC, and two relief defendants, in connection with previously filed fraud charges.The SEC’s complaint, filed on August 23, 2024, alleged that from at least December 2019 through September 2023, the defendants raised approximately $3.3 million from investors by making false and misleading statements. According to the complaint, Mendia-Alcaraz used investor funds to make Ponzi-like payments to other investors and for personal expenses. The complaint also alleged that relief defendants, Edith F. Ramirez Cano and Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV, received proceeds from the alleged fraudulent scheme.The final judgment, entered by default, permanently enjoins Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, Sections 5(a) and (c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Sections 206(1), 206(2), and 206(4) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(4)-8 thereunder; permanently enjoins Mendia-Alcaraz from participating in the issuance, purchase, offer or sale of securities, except for purchases or sales for his personal accounts; and prohibits Mendia-Alcaraz from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company. The final judgment also holds Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital jointly and severally liable for disgorgement of $2,207,524 and prejudgment interest of $150,866, and, of those amounts, holds relief defendants Fondo Toltec and Ramirez Cano liable—jointly and severally with the defendants—for disgorgement of $554,563 and $3,654, respectively, plus prejudgment interest of $37,899 and $249, respectively. Lastly, the final judgment orders Mendia-Alcaraz to pay a civil penalty of $2,207,524.The SEC’s litigation was led by Daniel Ball, with the assistance of Zachary Scrima, under the supervision of David Nasse. The investigation was conducted by Daniel Ball, Laura Cunningham, and Zachary Scrima, under the supervision of Melissa A. Robertson and Pei Y. Chung.
OCR text (2,473c · html-text · 99% conf)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONLitigation Release No. 26457 / January 6, 2026Securities and Exchange Commission v. Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, et al., No. 3:24-cv-05823-RS (N.D. Cal. filed Aug. 23, 2024)SEC Obtains Final Judgment as to Private Equity Firm and Managing Partner in Alleged Offering FraudOn December 16, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California entered a final judgment as to Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, his private equity firm, Toltec Capital LLC, and two relief defendants, in connection with previously filed fraud charges.The SEC’s complaint, filed on August 23, 2024, alleged that from at least December 2019 through September 2023, the defendants raised approximately $3.3 million from investors by making false and misleading statements. According to the complaint, Mendia-Alcaraz used investor funds to make Ponzi-like payments to other investors and for personal expenses. The complaint also alleged that relief defendants, Edith F. Ramirez Cano and Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV, received proceeds from the alleged fraudulent scheme.The final judgment, entered by default, permanently enjoins Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, Sections 5(a) and (c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Sections 206(1), 206(2), and 206(4) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(4)-8 thereunder; permanently enjoins Mendia-Alcaraz from participating in the issuance, purchase, offer or sale of securities, except for purchases or sales for his personal accounts; and prohibits Mendia-Alcaraz from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company. The final judgment also holds Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital jointly and severally liable for disgorgement of $2,207,524 and prejudgment interest of $150,866, and, of those amounts, holds relief defendants Fondo Toltec and Ramirez Cano liable—jointly and severally with the defendants—for disgorgement of $554,563 and $3,654, respectively, plus prejudgment interest of $37,899 and $249, respectively. Lastly, the final judgment orders Mendia-Alcaraz to pay a civil penalty of $2,207,524.The SEC’s litigation was led by Daniel Ball, with the assistance of Zachary Scrima, under the supervision of David Nasse. The investigation was conducted by Daniel Ball, Laura Cunningham, and Zachary Scrima, under the supervision of Melissa A. Robertson and Pei Y. Chung.