SEC v. David Yow Shang Chiueh; and Upright Financial Corp., No. LR-26286, District of New Jersey (Apr. 15, 2025) — Press Release
raw: David Yow Shang Chiueh; Upright Financial Corp.
David Yow Shang Chiueh; Upright Financial Corp., No. 2:25-cv-01920 (D.N.J. Apr. 15, 2025)
David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp. face an amended SEC complaint for violating concentration limits and misrepresenting fund assets, causing $1.6 million in losses.
The SEC filed an amended complaint against David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp. for violating industry concentration limits and committing fraud between 2021 and 2024. The defendants' failure to divest concentrated assets resulted in approximately $1.6 million in losses for the Upright Growth Fund. They face multiple charges under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Advisers Act, and the Investment Company Act.
The SEC has amended its complaint against David Yow Shang Chiueh and his firm, Upright Financial Corp., for continued misconduct regarding the Upright Growth Fund. Despite a 2021 settlement, the defendants allegedly continued to violate the 25 percent industry concentration limit and misrepresented compliance between November 2021 and June 2024. This concentrated investment in a single company and a delayed sale resulted in approximately $1.6 million in losses for investors. The amended complaint also cites failures to provide key information to the board and hiring an accountant without a required vote. The defendants face various charges under the Securities Act, Exchange Act, Advisers Act, and Investment Company Act. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctive relief, the return of ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties.
Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)
Extracted insights
- $1.60M $1.6 million $1M–$10M
- company david yow shang chiueh and upright financial corp.
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed an amended complaint against David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp. for misconduct and investing more than 25 percent of Upright Growth Fund’s assets in a single company over multiple years, causing losses of $1.6 million
- Securities And Exchange Commission alleges the defendants continued their fraud by violating the 25 percent industry concentration limit and making misrepresentations about it between at least November 24, 2021, and June 23, 2024
- Securities And Exchange Commission alleges the defendants’ decision to wait more than two-and-a-half years to sell the relevant stock resulted in losses of approximately $1.6 million to the fund and its investors
- Securities And Exchange Commission alleges the defendants failed to provide or withheld key information from the fund’s board of trustees and hired an accountant for the fund without the required vote by the board
- Securities And Exchange Commission charges David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp. with violating Sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5(a) and 10b-5(c), Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
- Securities And Exchange Commission charges David Yow Shang Chiueh with violating Securities Act Section 17(a)(2), Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b), and Advisers Act Section 206(4) and Rule 206(4)-8(a)(1)
- Securities And Exchange Commission charges David Yow Shang Chiueh with aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violations of Securities Act Section 17(a)(2) and Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b)
- Securities And Exchange Commission charges the defendants with aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violations of Investment Company Act Sections 13(a)(3) and 32(a)
- David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp. settled SEC charges for violating Upright Growth Fund’s policy by investing more than 25 percent of its assets in one industry between July 2017 and June 2020, committing fraud and breaching fiduciary duties
- Securities And Exchange Commission seeks permanent injunctive relief, return of allegedly ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26286 / April 15, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp., No. 2:25-cv-01920 (D.N.J. filed Mar. 17, 2025) SEC Amends Complaint Charging New Jersey Investment Adviser and His Firm with Fraud and Other Violations Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on April 11, 2025, it filed an amended complaint against David Yow Shang Chiueh of East Hanover, New Jersey and his investment advisory firm, Upright Financial Corp., for misconduct and for investing more than 25 percent of Upright Growth Fund’s assets in a single company over multiple years, causing losses of $1.6 million. The SEC filed its initial complaint on March 17, 2025. The amended complaint continues to allege fraud charges against the defendants, but no longer alleges that Chiueh operated the Upright Growth Fund’s board without the required number of independent trustees and misrepresented the independence of one in filings. The amended complaint removes a charge against Chiueh for aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violation of Investment Company Act Section 10(a). In November 2021, Chiueh and Upright settled SEC charges that they, as investment advisers to Upright Growth Fund, violated its policy by investing more than 25 percent of its assets in one industry between July 2017 and June 2020, committing fraud and breaching their fiduciary duties. Despite being ordered to stop this conduct, the SEC’s amended complaint alleges, the defendants continued their fraud by violating the 25 percent industry concentration limit and making misrepresentations about it between at least November 24, 2021, and June 23, 2024. As a result, the amended complaint alleges that the defendants’ decision to wait more than two-and-a-half years to sell the relevant stock resulted in losses of approximately $1.6 million to the fund and its investors. Additionally, the SEC’s amended complaint alleges the defendants engaged in further misconduct during this same period when the defendants failed to provide or withheld key information from the fund’s board of trustees, according to the amended complaint, and they hired an accountant for the fund without the required vote by the board. The SEC’s amended complaint, filed in federal court for the District of New Jersey, charges the defendants with violating Sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”), Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rules 10b-5(a) and 10b-5(c) thereunder, Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”), and Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”). The amended complaint charges Chiueh with violating Securities Act Section 17(a)(2), Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b) thereunder, and Advisers Act Section 206(4) and Rule 206(4)-8(a)(1) thereunder. The amended complaint charges Chiueh with aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violations of Securities Act Section 17(a)(2) and Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b) thereunder. The amended complaint also charges the defendants with aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violations of Investment Company Act Sections 13(a)(3) and 32(a). The amended complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, return of allegedly ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties. The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Stephen Holden and Ming Ming Yang, and supervised by Lee A. Greenwood and Corey Schuster, all of the Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit, as well as Debra Jaroslawicz, senior trial counsel in the New York Regional Office. The litigation will be led by Ms. Jaroslawicz, Mr. Holden, and Ms. Yang.
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26286 / April 15, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. David Yow Shang Chiueh and Upright Financial Corp., No. 2:25-cv-01920 (D.N.J. filed Mar. 17, 2025) SEC Amends Complaint Charging New Jersey Investment Adviser and His Firm with Fraud and Other Violations Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on April 11, 2025, it filed an amended complaint against David Yow Shang Chiueh of East Hanover, New Jersey and his investment advisory firm, Upright Financial Corp., for misconduct and for investing more than 25 percent of Upright Growth Fund’s assets in a single company over multiple years, causing losses of $1.6 million. The SEC filed its initial complaint on March 17, 2025. The amended complaint continues to allege fraud charges against the defendants, but no longer alleges that Chiueh operated the Upright Growth Fund’s board without the required number of independent trustees and misrepresented the independence of one in filings. The amended complaint removes a charge against Chiueh for aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violation of Investment Company Act Section 10(a). In November 2021, Chiueh and Upright settled SEC charges that they, as investment advisers to Upright Growth Fund, violated its policy by investing more than 25 percent of its assets in one industry between July 2017 and June 2020, committing fraud and breaching their fiduciary duties. Despite being ordered to stop this conduct, the SEC’s amended complaint alleges, the defendants continued their fraud by violating the 25 percent industry concentration limit and making misrepresentations about it between at least November 24, 2021, and June 23, 2024. As a result, the amended complaint alleges that the defendants’ decision to wait more than two-and-a-half years to sell the relevant stock resulted in losses of approximately $1.6 million to the fund and its investors. Additionally, the SEC’s amended complaint alleges the defendants engaged in further misconduct during this same period when the defendants failed to provide or withheld key information from the fund’s board of trustees, according to the amended complaint, and they hired an accountant for the fund without the required vote by the board. The SEC’s amended complaint, filed in federal court for the District of New Jersey, charges the defendants with violating Sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”), Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rules 10b-5(a) and 10b-5(c) thereunder, Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”), and Section 15(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”). The amended complaint charges Chiueh with violating Securities Act Section 17(a)(2), Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b) thereunder, and Advisers Act Section 206(4) and Rule 206(4)-8(a)(1) thereunder. The amended complaint charges Chiueh with aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violations of Securities Act Section 17(a)(2) and Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5(b) thereunder. The amended complaint also charges the defendants with aiding and abetting Upright Investments Trust’s violations of Investment Company Act Sections 13(a)(3) and 32(a). The amended complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, return of allegedly ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties. The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Stephen Holden and Ming Ming Yang, and supervised by Lee A. Greenwood and Corey Schuster, all of the Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit, as well as Debra Jaroslawicz, senior trial counsel in the New York Regional Office. The litigation will be led by Ms. Jaroslawicz, Mr. Holden, and Ms. Yang.