In re SCHUHALTER
The SEC initiated administrative proceedings against Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC and its partner Edward J. Suozzo for willfully violating Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an unregistered audit report for Earthworks Entertainment, Inc. after the October 22, 2003 PCAOB deadline, earning $7,500, and facing potential censure or permanent bar from practicing before the SEC.
Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC and its engagement partner Edward J. Suozzo, CPA, were charged by the SEC with willfully violating Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an audit report for Earthworks Entertainment, Inc. on December 15, 2003, after the October 22, 2003 PCAOB registration deadline. The firm received $7,500 for the audit, which was included in Earthworks’s Form 10-KSB filed with the SEC, despite both respondents being aware of the registration requirement. The SEC alleged that both the firm and Suozzo lacked the requisite qualifications to practice before the Commission and sought censure or permanent denial of their right to appear or practice under Sections 4C and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s rules.
The SEC instituted administrative proceedings against Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC and its engagement partner, Edward J. Suozzo, CPA, for willfully violating Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an audit report for Earthworks Entertainment, Inc. on December 15, 2003, after the October 22, 2003 deadline for PCAOB registration. Despite being aware of the requirement, neither the firm nor Suozzo registered with the PCAOB, and the audit report was included in Earthworks’s Form 10-KSB, filed with the SEC on January 6, 2004. The firm received $7,500 for the engagement, and Earthworks, a public company registered under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, had no revenue and minimal assets at the time. The SEC alleged that both respondents lacked the requisite qualifications to represent others and had willfully violated federal securities laws by participating in the preparation and issuance of an unregistered audit report. Under Sections 4C and Rule 102(e), the Commission sought to determine whether to censure or permanently bar the firm and Suozzo from appearing or practicing before the SEC. The proceeding, initiated on September 13, 2007, required an initial decision within 300 days and prohibited conflicted personnel from involvement, with no settlement reached at the time of filing.
Extracted insights
- $98K $98,046 $10K–$100K
- $8K $7,500 <$10K
- company december 15, 2003 for earthworks entertainment, inc
- company earthworks entertainment, inc
- person edward j. suozzo
- person otc bulletin board
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC is New Jersey Professional Corporation And Public Accounting Firm
- Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC headquartered in Raritan, New Jersey
- Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC prepared and issued audit report December 15, 2003 For Earthworks Entertainment, Inc
- Edward J. Suozzo is Certified Public Accountant Licensed In New Jersey And New York Since 1986
- Edward J. Suozzo resides in Hillsborough, New Jersey
- Edward J. Suozzo participated in preparation and issuance December 15, 2003 Earthworks Audit Report
- Earthworks Entertainment, Inc is Delaware Corporation Based In West Palm Beach, Florida
- Earthworks Entertainment, Inc reported No Revenue And Total Assets Of $98,046 For Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2003
- Earthworks Entertainment, Inc traded on OTC Bulletin Board
- Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC did not register with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
- Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC audited financial statements Earthworks Form 10-KSB Filed January 6, 2004
- Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC received $7,500 For Conducting Audit Of Earthworks Financial Statements For Fiscal Year 2003
- SEC instituted administrative proceedings Against Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC And Edward J. Suozzo
- Division Of Enforcement alleges Violations By Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC And Edward J. Suozzo
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
September 13, 2007
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-12795
In the Matter of
SCHUHALTER, COUGHLIN &
SUOZZO PC, and EDWARD J.
SUOZZO, CPA,
Respondents.
ORDER INSTITUTING
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS
PURSUANT TO SECTION 4C OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AND RULE 102(e) OF THE
COMMISSION’S RULES OF
PRACTICE, AND NOTICE OF
HEARING
I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that public
administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 4C of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
against Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo, PC and Edward J. Suozzo, CPA (“Suozzo”) (collectively
“Respondents”).
II.
After an investigation, the Division of Enforcement alleges that:
A. RESPONDENTS
1. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC is a New Jersey professional corporation and
public accounting firm headquartered in Raritan, New Jersey. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC
prepared and issued an audit report dated December 15, 2003, in connection with its audit of
Earthworks Entertainment, Inc (“Earthworks”).
2. Edward J. Suozzo, CPA, 47, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, is a certified public
accountant licensed in New Jersey and New York since 1986. As engagement partner on the
Earthworks engagement, Suozzo participated in the preparation and issuance of the December 15,
2003 Earthworks audit report.
B. OTHER RELEVANT ENTITIES
1. Earthworks is a Delaware corporation based in West Palm Beach, Florida. During
the relevant period, Earthworks’s common stock traded on the OTC Bulletin Board. Its common
stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act.
Earthworks reported no revenue and total assets of $98,046 for its fiscal year ended September 30,
2003. Earthworks has at all relevant times been an issuer as defined by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 (the “Act”).
C. FAILURE TO REGISTER WITH THE PUBLIC COMPANY ACCOUNTING
OVERSIGHT BOARD
1. Section 102(a) of the Act prohibits any person that is not a registered public
accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) from
preparing or issuing, or participating in the preparation or issuance of, any audit report with respect
to any public reporting company after October 22, 2003.
2. Though Respondents were aware of the PCAOB registration requirement, at no
point did Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo register with the PCAOB as a public accounting firm.
3. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo audited the financial statements included in
Earthworks’s annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-KSB, filed with the Commission on
January 6, 2004.
4. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo prepared and issued an audit report dated
December 15, 2003, which was included in Earthworks’s Form 10-KSB.
5. Suozzo participated in auditing the financial statements included in Earthworks’s
annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-KSB, filed with the Commission on January 6, 2004.
6. Suozzo participated in the preparation and issuance of an audit report dated
December 15, 2003, which was included in Earthworks’s Form 10-KSB.
7. Respondents were aware of the registration requirement and the October 22, 2003
deadline for registration with the PCAOB when Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC issued the
December 15, 2003 audit report.
8. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo received $7,500 for conducting an audit of
Earthworks’s financial statements for its fiscal year 2003 and for issuing an audit report on those
financial statements.
D. VIOLATIONS
1. Section 4C(a) of the Exchange Act 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 by the
2
Commission ... (1) not to possess the requisite qualifications to represent others ... or (3) to have
willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of, any provision of the securities
laws or the rules and regulations issued thereunder.”
2. Rule 102(e)(1) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice provides 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 by the Commission ... (i)
not to possess the requisite qualifications to represent others ... or (iii) to have willfully violated ...
any provision of the Federal securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.”
3. 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.”
4. Because Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo had not registered with the PCAOB, it
lacked “the requisite qualifications” to issue an audit report dated February 27, 2004.
5. By participating in the preparation or issuance of an audit report after October 22,
2003 by an audit firm that was not registered with the PCAOB, Suozzo lacked “the requisite
qualifications to represent others.”
6. In violation of Section 102(a) of the Act, Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo prepared
and issued an audit report on the financial statements of a reporting company after October 22,
2003, without first registering with the PCAOB, Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo thus also willfully
violated the federal securities laws.
III.
In view of the allegations made by the Division of Enforcement, the Commission deems it
necessary and appropriate that public administrative proceedings be instituted to determine:
A. Whether the allegations set forth in Section II are true and, in connection therewith,
to afford Respondents an opportunity to establish any defenses to such allegations; and
B. Whether, pursuant to Sections 4C(a)(1) and 4C(a)(3) of the Exchange Act and Rules
102(e)(1)(i) and 102(e)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Schuhalter, Coughlin &
Suozzo should be censured by the Commission or temporarily or permanently denied the privilege
of appearing or practicing before the Commission.
C. Whether, pursuant to Section 4C(a)(1) of the Exchange Act and Rule 102(e)(1)(i) of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Suozzo should be censured by the Commission or temporarily
or permanently denied the privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission.
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IV.
IT IS ORDERED that a public hearing for the purpose of taking evidence on the questions
set forth in Section III hereof shall be convened at a time and place to be fixed, and before an
Administrative Law Judge to be designated by further order as provided by Rule 110 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice, 17 C.F.R. § 201.110.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Respondents shall file an Answer to the allegations
contained in this Order within ten (10) days after service of this Order, as provided by Rule 220 of
the Commission's Rules of Practice, 17 C.F.R. § 201.220.
If Respondents fail to file the directed answer, or fail to appear at a hearing after being duly
notified, the Respondents may be deemed in default and the proceedings may be determined against
them upon consideration of this Order, the allegations of which may be deemed to be true as
provided by Rules 155(a), 220(f), 221(f) and 310 of the Commission's Rules of Practice, 17 C.F.R.
§§ 201.155(a), 201.220(f), 201.221(f) and 201.310.
This Order shall be served forthwith upon Respondents personally or by certified mail.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Administrative Law Judge shall issue an initial
decision no later than 300 days from the date of service of this Order, pursuant to Rule 360(a)(2) of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice.
In the absence of an appropriate waiver, no officer or employee of the Commission engaged
in the performance of investigative or prosecuting functions in this or any factually related
proceeding will be permitted to participate or advise in the decision of this matter, except as witness
or counsel in proceedings held pursuant to notice. Since this proceeding is not “rule making” within
the meaning of Section 551 of the Administrative Procedure Act, it is not deemed subject to the
provisions of Section 553 delaying the effective date of any final Commission action.
By the Commission.
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
September 13, 2007
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-12795
In the Matter of
SCHUHALTER, COUGHLIN &
SUOZZO PC, and EDWARD J.
SUOZZO, CPA,
Respondents.
ORDER INSTITUTING
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS
PURSUANT TO SECTION 4C OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AND RULE 102(e) OF THE
COMMISSION’S RULES OF
PRACTICE, AND NOTICE OF
HEARING
I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that public
administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 4C of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
against Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo, PC and Edward J. Suozzo, CPA (“Suozzo”) (collectively
“Respondents”).
II.
After an investigation, the Division of Enforcement alleges that:
A. RESPONDENTS
1. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC is a New Jersey professional corporation and
public accounting firm headquartered in Raritan, New Jersey. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC
prepared and issued an audit report dated December 15, 2003, in connection with its audit of
Earthworks Entertainment, Inc (“Earthworks”).
2. Edward J. Suozzo, CPA, 47, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, is a certified public
accountant licensed in New Jersey and New York since 1986. As engagement partner on the
Earthworks engagement, Suozzo participated in the preparation and issuance of the December 15,
2003 Earthworks audit report.
B. OTHER RELEVANT ENTITIES
1. Earthworks is a Delaware corporation based in West Palm Beach, Florida. During
the relevant period, Earthworks’s common stock traded on the OTC Bulletin Board. Its common
stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act.
Earthworks reported no revenue and total assets of $98,046 for its fiscal year ended September 30,
2003. Earthworks has at all relevant times been an issuer as defined by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 (the “Act”).
C. FAILURE TO REGISTER WITH THE PUBLIC COMPANY ACCOUNTING
OVERSIGHT BOARD
1. Section 102(a) of the Act prohibits any person that is not a registered public
accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) from
preparing or issuing, or participating in the preparation or issuance of, any audit report with respect
to any public reporting company after October 22, 2003.
2. Though Respondents were aware of the PCAOB registration requirement, at no
point did Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo register with the PCAOB as a public accounting firm.
3. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo audited the financial statements included in
Earthworks’s annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-KSB, filed with the Commission on
January 6, 2004.
4. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo prepared and issued an audit report dated
December 15, 2003, which was included in Earthworks’s Form 10-KSB.
5. Suozzo participated in auditing the financial statements included in Earthworks’s
annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-KSB, filed with the Commission on January 6, 2004.
6. Suozzo participated in the preparation and issuance of an audit report dated
December 15, 2003, which was included in Earthworks’s Form 10-KSB.
7. Respondents were aware of the registration requirement and the October 22, 2003
deadline for registration with the PCAOB when Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo PC issued the
December 15, 2003 audit report.
8. Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo received $7,500 for conducting an audit of
Earthworks’s financial statements for its fiscal year 2003 and for issuing an audit report on those
financial statements.
D. VIOLATIONS
1. Section 4C(a) of the Exchange Act 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 by the
2
Commission … (1) not to possess the requisite qualifications to represent others … or (3) to have
willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of, any provision of the securities
laws or the rules and regulations issued thereunder.”
2. Rule 102(e)(1) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice provides 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 by the Commission ... (i)
not to possess the requisite qualifications to represent others … or (iii) to have willfully violated …
any provision of the Federal securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.”
3. 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.”
4. Because Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo had not registered with the PCAOB, it
lacked “the requisite qualifications” to issue an audit report dated February 27, 2004.
5. By participating in the preparation or issuance of an audit report after October 22,
2003 by an audit firm that was not registered with the PCAOB, Suozzo lacked “the requisite
qualifications to represent others.”
6. In violation of Section 102(a) of the Act, Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo prepared
and issued an audit report on the financial statements of a reporting company after October 22,
2003, without first registering with the PCAOB, Schuhalter, Coughlin & Suozzo thus also willfully
violated the federal securities laws.
III.
In view of the allegations made by the Division of Enforcement, the Commission deems it
necessary and appropriate that public administrative proceedings be instituted to determine:
A. Whether the allegations set forth in Section II are true and, in connection therewith,
to afford Respondents an opportunity to establish any defenses to such allegations; and
B. Whether, pursuant to Sections 4C(a)(1) and 4C(a)(3) of the Exchange Act and Rules
102(e)(1)(i) and 102(e)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Schuhalter, Coughlin &
Suozzo should be censured by the Commission or temporarily or permanently denied the privilege
of appearing or practicing before the Commission.
C. Whether, pursuant to Section 4C(a)(1) of the Exchange Act and Rule 102(e)(1)(i) of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Suozzo should be censured by the Commission or temporarily
or permanently denied the privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission.
3
IV.
IT IS ORDERED that a public hearing for the purpose of taking evidence on the questions
set forth in Section III hereof shall be convened at a time and place to be fixed, and before an
Administrative Law Judge to be designated by further order as provided by Rule 110 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice, 17 C.F.R. § 201.110.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Respondents shall file an Answer to the allegations
contained in this Order within ten (10) days after service of this Order, as provided by Rule 220 of
the Commission's Rules of Practice, 17 C.F.R. § 201.220.
If Respondents fail to file the directed answer, or fail to appear at a hearing after being duly
notified, the Respondents may be deemed in default and the proceedings may be determined against
them upon consideration of this Order, the allegations of which may be deemed to be true as
provided by Rules 155(a), 220(f), 221(f) and 310 of the Commission's Rules of Practice, 17 C.F.R.
§§ 201.155(a), 201.220(f), 201.221(f) and 201.310.
This Order shall be served forthwith upon Respondents personally or by certified mail.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Administrative Law Judge shall issue an initial
decision no later than 300 days from the date of service of this Order, pursuant to Rule 360(a)(2) of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice.
In the absence of an appropriate waiver, no officer or employee of the Commission engaged
in the performance of investigative or prosecuting functions in this or any factually related
proceeding will be permitted to participate or advise in the decision of this matter, except as witness
or counsel in proceedings held pursuant to notice. Since this proceeding is not “rule making” within
the meaning of Section 551 of the Administrative Procedure Act, it is not deemed subject to the
provisions of Section 553 delaying the effective date of any final Commission action.
By the Commission.
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
4