2021-09-23 sec-litreleases litigation_release 67 KB 3,118 chars

SEC v. Biogenic, Inc.; Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC; Vital Systems Ltd LLC; BioTek Holdings LLC; Tek Wellness Inc.; Capital Care Management LLC, et al., No. LR-25217, Eastern District of Michigan (Sept. 23, 2021) — Press Release

raw: Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker a/k/a Ashley Walker, Zachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach Alan, Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann a/k/a Julie Joseph, and Gary Youssef a/k/a Gary Joseph

Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker a/k/a Ashley Walker, Zachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach Alan, Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann a/k/a Julie Joseph, and Gary Youssef a/k/a Gary Joseph, No. 5:21-cv-12236-MFL (Sept. 23, 2021)

Caption
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker a/k/a Ashley Walker, Zachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach Alan, Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann a/k/a Julie Joseph, and Gary Youssef a/k/a Gary Joseph
summary

The SEC charged six Michigan companies and four individuals with a $6 million medical device scam that defrauded 55 investors through false income claims and Ponzi payments.

paragraph

The SEC charged six Michigan-based companies and four individuals with orchestrating a medical device investment scheme that defrauded at least 55 investors of over $6 million. Defendants allegedly made false claims regarding passive income from testing devices and used fabricated usage reports to hide the lack of actual device utilization. The charges include violations of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, with Gary and Julie Youssef consenting to judgment.

narrative

Between 2017 and March 2021, Gary and Julie Youssef along with Zachari and Susann Cargnino orchestrated a scheme to defraud at least 55 investors of more than $6 million through six Michigan-based companies. The defendants falsely claimed that medical testing devices placed in doctors' offices would generate passive income, but in reality, few tests were actually performed. To sustain the fraud, the group utilized fake usage reports and Ponzi-style payments to deceive investors. The Cargninos further misappropriated millions of dollars to fund luxury purchases, including jewelry, jet skis, and three residential properties in Michigan. The SEC has charged the defendants with violating various securities registration and antifraud provisions. While the SEC seeks permanent injunctions and civil penalties against all parties, the Yousseffs have already consented to judgment. The final settlement and penalties remain subject to court approval.

Enriched metadata

Scheme
ponzi (95%)
Court
Eastern District of Michigan
Case No.
5:21-cv-12236-MFL
Outcome
settled
Victim loss
$6,000,000
Victims
55
Entity
Biogenic, Inc.
Classified ponzi(confidence 95%). EDGAR detection: forms Form D· recall 35% / precision 15%. detection rule →
Statutes
Sections 5 and 17(a) of the Securities ActSections 5 and 17(a) of the Securities ActSection 10(b) of the Securities Exchange ActRule 10b-5
Parties
Securities and Exchange CommissionBiogenic, Inc.Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLCVital Systems Ltd LLCBioTek Holdings LLCTek Wellness Inc.Capital Care Management LLCSusann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker a/k/a Ashley WalkerZachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach AlanJulie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann a/k/a Julie JosephGary Youssef a/k/a Gary JosephSusann Ashley CargninoZachari Alan CargninoJulie Ann YoussefGary Youssef
Keywords
llcjulieyoussefsusann ashleyashley walkercargninoashleyannyoussef juliegary youssefsusanngarycargnino susannincltd

Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)

Extracted insights

Dollar amounts 1
  • $6.00M $6 million $1M–$10M
Entities 17
  • person ashley walker
  • company biogenic, inc.
  • company biotek holdings llc
  • company capital care management llc
  • company company
  • company diagnostic link ltd, llc
  • person gary joseph
  • person gary youssef
  • person julie ann
  • person julie ann youssef
  • person julie joseph
  • person susann ashley cargnino
  • person susann ashley walker
  • company tek wellness inc.
  • company vital systems ltd llc
  • person zach alan
  • person zachari alan cargnino
Triples 46
  • Biogenic, Inc. is a defendant
  • Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC is a defendant
  • Vital Systems Ltd LLC is a defendant
  • BioTek Holdings LLC is a defendant
  • Tek Wellness Inc. is a defendant
  • Capital Care Management LLC is a defendant
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino is also known as Susann Ashley Walker
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino is also known as Ashley Walker
  • Zachari Alan Cargnino is also known as Zach Alan
  • Julie Ann Youssef is also known as Julie Ann
  • Julie Ann Youssef is also known as Julie Joseph
  • Gary Youssef is also known as Gary Joseph
  • SEC announced Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino, Zachari Alan Cargnino, Julie Ann Youssef, and Gary Youssef
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Ashley Walker
  • Zachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach Alan
  • Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann
  • Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Joseph
  • Gary Youssef a/k/a Gary Joseph
  • Biogenic, Inc. is Defendant
  • Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC is Defendant
  • Vital Systems Ltd LLC is Defendant
  • BioTek Holdings LLC is Defendant
  • Tek Wellness Inc. is Defendant
  • Capital Care Management LLC is Defendant
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino is also known as Susann Ashley Walker
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino is also known as Ashley Walker
  • Zachari Alan Cargnino is also known as Zach Alan
  • Julie Ann Youssef is also known as Julie Ann
  • Julie Ann Youssef is also known as Julie Joseph
  • Gary Youssef is also known as Gary Joseph
  • Biogenic, Inc. is company
  • Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC is company
  • Vital Systems Ltd LLC is company
  • BioTek Holdings LLC is company
  • Tek Wellness Inc. is company
  • Capital Care Management LLC is company
  • Susann Ashley Cargnino also known as Susann Ashley Walker
  • Susann Ashley Walker also known as Ashley Walker
  • Zachari Alan Cargnino also known as Zach Alan
  • Julie Ann Youssef also known as Julie Ann
  • Julie Ann also known as Julie Joseph
  • Gary Youssef also known as Gary Joseph
  • .gov website belongs to official government organization in the United States
  • Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
  • Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino, Zachari Alan Cargnino, Julie Ann Youssef, and Gary Youssef listed in Litigation Releases
PDF (from attached: complaint)
Text layers
Extracted body text (3,118c)
SEC Charges Six Michigan Companies and Four Individuals with Fraud Litigation Release No. 25217 / September 23, 2021 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker a/k/a Ashley Walker, Zachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach Alan, Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann a/k/a Julie Joseph, and Gary Youssef a/k/a Gary Joseph, No. 5:21-cv-12236-MFL-DRG (E.D. Mich. filed September 23, 2021) The SEC today charged six Michigan based companies and four individuals with conducting a medical device scam that defrauded at least 55 investors of more than $6 million. According to the SEC's complaint, from 2017 until March 2021, Gary Youssef and Julie Ann Youssef of California, and Zachari Cargnino and Susann Cargnino of Michigan, used six Michigan-based companies to offer investment contracts to buy medical testing devices. The defendants allegedly claimed that the devices would be placed in doctors' offices by the defendants and their businesses, and would purportedly generate passive income to investors for each test performed. The defendants allegedly made numerous false claims about the investment opportunity, including that the defendant entities manufactured the devices, the amount of passive return on investment that could be earned by investors, the entities' history of success, and the number of devices put into use by defendants. In fact, the complaint alleges, doctors performed few if any tests using the devices. According to the complaint, after investors bought devices and the doctors failed to use the machines, Julie Ann Youssef and Zachari Cargnino sent investors fake usage reports, Ms. Youssef lulled investors with false excuses, and Zachari or Susann Cargnino made Ponzi payments to investors. The complaint further alleges that the Cargninos used millions of dollars of defrauded investor money to buy jewelry, jet skis and a trailer, and three residential properties in Manitou Beach, Michigan. The SEC's complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges the defendants with violating the registration and antifraud provisions of Sections 5 and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and disgorgement with prejudgment interest. Gary Youssef and Julie Ann Youssef, without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, consented to the entry of judgment against them as to all claims, including full injunctive relief against future violations, with disgorgement and penalties to be determined by the court upon motion by the Commission. The settlement is subject to court approval. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Stephen T. Kaiser and Matthew B. Reisig, with assistance from Christian Schultz, who will lead the SEC's litigation. The case was supervised by Tim England, Fred Block, and Melissa Hodgman. SEC Complaint
OCR text (3,118c · html-text · 99% conf)
SEC Charges Six Michigan Companies and Four Individuals with Fraud Litigation Release No. 25217 / September 23, 2021 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Biogenic, Inc., Diagnostic Link Ltd, LLC, Vital Systems Ltd LLC, BioTek Holdings LLC, Tek Wellness Inc., Capital Care Management LLC, Susann Ashley Cargnino a/k/a Susann Ashley Walker a/k/a Ashley Walker, Zachari Alan Cargnino a/k/a Zach Alan, Julie Ann Youssef a/k/a Julie Ann a/k/a Julie Joseph, and Gary Youssef a/k/a Gary Joseph, No. 5:21-cv-12236-MFL-DRG (E.D. Mich. filed September 23, 2021) The SEC today charged six Michigan based companies and four individuals with conducting a medical device scam that defrauded at least 55 investors of more than $6 million. According to the SEC's complaint, from 2017 until March 2021, Gary Youssef and Julie Ann Youssef of California, and Zachari Cargnino and Susann Cargnino of Michigan, used six Michigan-based companies to offer investment contracts to buy medical testing devices. The defendants allegedly claimed that the devices would be placed in doctors' offices by the defendants and their businesses, and would purportedly generate passive income to investors for each test performed. The defendants allegedly made numerous false claims about the investment opportunity, including that the defendant entities manufactured the devices, the amount of passive return on investment that could be earned by investors, the entities' history of success, and the number of devices put into use by defendants. In fact, the complaint alleges, doctors performed few if any tests using the devices. According to the complaint, after investors bought devices and the doctors failed to use the machines, Julie Ann Youssef and Zachari Cargnino sent investors fake usage reports, Ms. Youssef lulled investors with false excuses, and Zachari or Susann Cargnino made Ponzi payments to investors. The complaint further alleges that the Cargninos used millions of dollars of defrauded investor money to buy jewelry, jet skis and a trailer, and three residential properties in Manitou Beach, Michigan. The SEC's complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges the defendants with violating the registration and antifraud provisions of Sections 5 and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, civil penalties, and disgorgement with prejudgment interest. Gary Youssef and Julie Ann Youssef, without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, consented to the entry of judgment against them as to all claims, including full injunctive relief against future violations, with disgorgement and penalties to be determined by the court upon motion by the Commission. The settlement is subject to court approval. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Stephen T. Kaiser and Matthew B. Reisig, with assistance from Christian Schultz, who will lead the SEC's litigation. The case was supervised by Tim England, Fred Block, and Melissa Hodgman. SEC Complaint