In re Bruce Redlin
Bruce Redlin, a CPA, willfully violated Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an audit report for Commerce Group Corp. in May 2004 while unregistered with the PCAOB, leading to SEC censure, a cease-and-desist order, and a requirement to practice only through a registered firm after voluntarily reimbursing the $6,500 audit fee.
Bruce Redlin, a Wisconsin CPA, issued an audit report for Commerce Group Corp.'s 2003 fiscal year on May 10, 2004, without being registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), in violation of Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which took effect in October 2003. The audit, for which he was paid $6,500, was included in Commerce Group’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC, despite the company being a registered issuer with $35.4 million in assets and no revenues. Redlin admitted to the violation without admitting guilt, reimbursed the audit fees, and agreed to a cease-and-desist order and censure, with no disgorgement ordered due to his cooperation.
Bruce Redlin, a certified public accountant licensed in Wisconsin since 1975, willfully violated Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by preparing and issuing an audit report for Commerce Group Corp.’s 2003 fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, while not registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a requirement that became effective on October 22, 2003. The audit report, dated May 10, 2004, was included in Commerce Group’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC, despite the company being a registered issuer with $35.4 million in assets and zero revenues. Redlin received $6,500 for the audit work but voluntarily reimbursed the full amount to Commerce Group during the SEC’s investigation, leading the Commission to forgo disgorgement. Without admitting or denying the findings, Redlin consented to a cease-and-desist order and censure under Sections 4C and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 102(e). As part of his settlement, he undertook not to accept any further compensation from Commerce Group for the audit and agreed to practice before the SEC only through a PCAOB-registered firm, submitting proof of registration to the SEC staff to resume public accounting services. The SEC accepted his offer of settlement, citing his cooperation and reimbursement as mitigating factors.
Extracted insights
- $35.40M $35.4 million $10M–$100M
- $7K $6,500 <$10K
- company commerce group corp.
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- person securities laws provisions
- SEC instituted proceedings against Bruce Redlin, CPA
- Bruce Redlin, CPA is licensed in Wisconsin since 1975
- Bruce Redlin, CPA audited financial statements for Commerce Group Corp. for fiscal year ended March 31, 2004
- Commerce Group Corp. is incorporated in Wisconsin with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Commerce Group Corp. reported total assets of $35.4 million for fiscal year ended March 31, 2004
- Commerce Group Corp. trades on OTC Bulletin Board under symbol CGCO
- Commerce Group Corp. reported revenues of no revenues for fiscal year ended March 31, 2004
- Bruce Redlin, CPA is age 55 from New Berlin, Wisconsin
- SEC issued Release No. 56403 on September 13, 2007
- Bruce Redlin, CPA willfully violated or aided abetment of securities laws provisions
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 56403 / September 13, 2007
ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING ENFORCEMENT
Release No. 2683 / September 13, 2007
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-12764
In the Matter of
Bruce Redlin, CPA,
Respondent.
ORDER INSTITUTING PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-AND-
DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO
SECTIONS 4C AND 21C OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AND RULE 102(e) OF THE
COMMISSION’S RULES OF PRACTICE,
MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING
REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A CEASE-
AND-DESIST ORDER
I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that public
administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Bruce
Redlin, CPA (“Respondent” or “Redlin”) pursuant to Sections 4C
1
and 21C of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice.
2
1
Section 4C provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure any person, or deny, temporarily or permanently, to any person the
privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission in any way, if that person is found . . .
to have willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of, any provision of the
securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.
2
Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure a person or deny, temporarily or permanently, the privilege of
appearing or practicing before it in any way to any person who is found . . . to have willfully
violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of any provision of the Federal securities laws
or the rules and regulations thereunder.
II.
In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer
of Settlement (“Offer”), which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for the purpose
of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or to
which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings herein, except as
to the Commission’s jurisdiction over him and the subject matter of these proceedings, which are
admitted, Respondent consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Public Administrative and
Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 4C and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Making Findings, and Imposing
Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth below.
III.
On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds
3
that:
A. RESPONDENT
Bruce Redlin, CPA, 55, of New Berlin, Wisconsin is a certified public accountant licensed
in the state of Wisconsin since 1975 and doing business as a sole proprietorship. Redlin audited
Commerce Group Corp.’s (“Commerce Group”) financial statements for the company’s 2003
fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.
B. FACTS
1. Commerce Group is a Wisconsin corporation with its headquarters in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Commerce Group’s common stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and trades on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol
CGCO. For its fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, Commerce Group reported no revenues and
total assets of $35.4 million.
2. Commerce Group has at all relevant times been an issuer as defined by the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”).
3. Redlin audited Commerce Group’s 2003 financial statements included in
Commerce Group’s annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-K, filed with the Commission
on May 27, 2004. As part of that audit, Redlin prepared and issued an audit report dated May 10,
2004 (the “Commerce Group audit report”), which the company included in its 2003 Form 10-K.
Commerce Group paid Redlin $6,500 for the audit work.
4
3
The findings herein are made pursuant to Respondent’s Offer of Settlement and are not binding on any
other person or entity in this or any other proceeding.
4
During the course of the Commission’s investigation, Redlin voluntarily reimbursed Commerce Group the
$6,500 in audit fees. In view of Redlin’s reimbursement, the Commission is not ordering disgorgement in this
matter.
2
4. At the time Redlin prepared and issued the Commerce Group audit report, he was
not registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “Board”), as required by
Section 102(a) of the Act.
C. VIOLATIONS
1. Section 102(a) of the Act provides that “it shall be unlawful for any person that is
not a registered public accounting firm to prepare or issue, or to participate in the preparation or
issuance of, any audit report with respect to any issuer.”
5
2. The provisions of Section 102(a) of the Act became effective on October 22, 2003.
6
3. Based on the conduct described above, Respondent willfully
7
violated Section
102(a) of the Act.
D. FINDINGS
Based on the foregoing, the Commission finds that Redlin willfully violated Section 102(a)
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
E. UNDERTAKING
Respondent has undertaken not to request, demand, or accept, directly or indirectly, any
compensation from Commerce Group in connection with the audit work associated with the
Commerce Group audit report. In determining whether to accept the Offer, the Commission has
considered this undertaking.
IV.
In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate to impose the sanctions
agreed to in Respondent’s Offer.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED, effective immediately, that:
5
A violation of the Act or any rule that the Board issues under the Act is treated for all purposes in the same
manner as a violation of the Exchange Act, including with respect to penalties. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 15
U.S.C.A. § 7202(b)(1) (West 2002).
6
Section 102(a) became effective “[b]eginning 180 days after the date of the determination of the
Commission under Section 101(d)” of the Act that the Board was prepared to undertake its statutory responsibilities.
The Commission made the required determination on April 25, 2003. See
Order Regarding Section 101(d) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Securities Act Release No. 8223, Exchange Act Release No. 47746, 2003 WL
1956164 (Apr. 25, 2003).
7
“Willfully” as used in this Order means intentionally committing the act that constitutes the violation.
There is no requirement that the actor also be aware that he is violating a rule or statute. See Wonsover v. SEC, 205
F.3d 408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000); Tager v. SEC, 344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).
3
A. Redlin shall cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any
future violations of Section 102(a) of the Act.
B. Redlin is censured.
C. Redlin may practice before the Commission as an independent accountant provided
that:
1. The public accounting firm with which he is associated is registered with
the Board in accordance with the Act, and such registration continues to be effective; and
2. He has submitted to the Commission staff (attention: Office of the Chief
Accountant) the Board’s letter notifying the public accounting firm with which he is associated
that its registration application has been approved.
By the Commission.
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
4
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 56403 / September 13, 2007
ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING ENFORCEMENT
Release No. 2683 / September 13, 2007
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-12764
In the Matter of
Bruce Redlin, CPA,
Respondent.
ORDER INSTITUTING PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-AND
DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO
SECTIONS 4C AND 21C OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AND RULE 102(e) OF THE
COMMISSION’S RULES OF PRACTICE,
MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING
REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A CEASE
AND-DESIST ORDER
I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that public
administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Bruce
Redlin, CPA (“Respondent” or “Redlin”) pursuant to Sections 4C1 and 21C of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice.2
1 Section 4C provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure any person, or deny, temporarily or permanently, to any person the
privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission in any way, if that person is found . . .
to have willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of, any provision of the
securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.
2 Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure a person or deny, temporarily or permanently, the privilege of
appearing or practicing before it in any way to any person who is found . . . to have willfully
violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of any provision of the Federal securities laws
or the rules and regulations thereunder.
II.
In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer
of Settlement (“Offer”), which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for the purpose
of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or to
which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings herein, except as
to the Commission’s jurisdiction over him and the subject matter of these proceedings, which are
admitted, Respondent consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Public Administrative and
Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 4C and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Making Findings, and Imposing
Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth below.
III.
On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds3 that:
A. RESPONDENT
Bruce Redlin, CPA, 55, of New Berlin, Wisconsin is a certified public accountant licensed
in the state of Wisconsin since 1975 and doing business as a sole proprietorship. Redlin audited
Commerce Group Corp.’s (“Commerce Group”) financial statements for the company’s 2003
fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.
B. FACTS
1. Commerce Group is a Wisconsin corporation with its headquarters in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. Commerce Group’s common stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to
Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and trades on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol
CGCO. For its fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, Commerce Group reported no revenues and
total assets of $35.4 million.
2. Commerce Group has at all relevant times been an issuer as defined by the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”).
3. Redlin audited Commerce Group’s 2003 financial statements included in
Commerce Group’s annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-K, filed with the Commission
on May 27, 2004. As part of that audit, Redlin prepared and issued an audit report dated May 10,
2004 (the “Commerce Group audit report”), which the company included in its 2003 Form 10-K.
Commerce Group paid Redlin $6,500 for the audit work.4
3 The findings herein are made pursuant to Respondent’s Offer of Settlement and are not binding on any
other person or entity in this or any other proceeding.
4 During the course of the Commission’s investigation, Redlin voluntarily reimbursed Commerce Group the
$6,500 in audit fees. In view of Redlin’s reimbursement, the Commission is not ordering disgorgement in this
matter.
2
4. At the time Redlin prepared and issued the Commerce Group audit report, he was
not registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “Board”), as required by
Section 102(a) of the Act.
C. VIOLATIONS
1. Section 102(a) of the Act provides that “it shall be unlawful for any person that is
not a registered public accounting firm to prepare or issue, or to participate in the preparation or
issuance of, any audit report with respect to any issuer.”5
2. The provisions of Section 102(a) of the Act became effective on October 22, 2003.6
3. Based on the conduct described above, Respondent willfully7 violated Section
102(a) of the Act.
D. FINDINGS
Based on the foregoing, the Commission finds that Redlin willfully violated Section 102(a)
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
E. UNDERTAKING
Respondent has undertaken not to request, demand, or accept, directly or indirectly, any
compensation from Commerce Group in connection with the audit work associated with the
Commerce Group audit report. In determining whether to accept the Offer, the Commission has
considered this undertaking.
IV.
In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate to impose the sanctions
agreed to in Respondent’s Offer.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED, effective immediately, that:
5 A violation of the Act or any rule that the Board issues under the Act is treated for all purposes in the same
manner as a violation of the Exchange Act, including with respect to penalties. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 15
U.S.C.A. § 7202(b)(1) (West 2002).
6 Section 102(a) became effective “[b]eginning 180 days after the date of the determination of the
Commission under Section 101(d)” of the Act that the Board was prepared to undertake its statutory responsibilities.
The Commission made the required determination on April 25, 2003. See Order Regarding Section 101(d) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Securities Act Release No. 8223, Exchange Act Release No. 47746, 2003 WL
1956164 (Apr. 25, 2003).
7 “Willfully” as used in this Order means intentionally committing the act that constitutes the violation.
There is no requirement that the actor also be aware that he is violating a rule or statute. See Wonsover v. SEC, 205
F.3d 408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000); Tager v. SEC, 344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).
3
A. Redlin shall cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any
future violations of Section 102(a) of the Act.
B. Redlin is censured.
C. Redlin may practice before the Commission as an independent accountant provided
that:
1. The public accounting firm with which he is associated is registered with
the Board in accordance with the Act, and such registration continues to be effective; and
2. He has submitted to the Commission staff (attention: Office of the Chief
Accountant) the Board’s letter notifying the public accounting firm with which he is associated
that its registration application has been approved.
By the Commission.
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
4