SEC v. Roger Bendelac; and Thomas Capellini, No. LR-26258, District of Massachusetts (Feb. 27, 2025) — Press Release
raw: Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini
Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini, No. 1:22-cv-10889-RGS (Feb. 27, 2025)
The SEC concluded its enforcement action against six defendants, ultimately receiving a judgment in favor of Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini following a bench trial.
The SEC alleged that Trends Investments Inc. and several individuals engaged in a scheme to defraud investors through unregistered private offerings and manipulative trades. While defendants Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, Brandon Rossetti, and Trends Investments were previously subject to consent and default judgments, the court reviewed the claims against Bendelac and Capellini in a 2024 trial. Ultimately, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered a judgment in favor of Bendelac and Capellini on February 6, 2025.
The SEC filed a civil enforcement action in June 2022 against six defendants, including Trends Investments Inc., Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, Brandon Rossetti, Roger Bendelac, and Thomas Capellini. The Commission alleged the defendants orchestrated a scheme to defraud investors via unregistered private offerings and manipulative trades designed to create a false appearance of active trading. While the SEC had previously secured judgments against Trends Investments, Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, and Rossetti through consent and default, the case against Bendelac and Capellini proceeded to trial. The SEC specifically alleged that Bendelac performed manipulative trades and that Capellini assisted by providing brokerage account access and funding. Following a four-day bench trial in October 2024, Judge Richard G. Stearns issued rulings in favor of the two remaining defendants. The litigation officially concluded with a final judgment entered in favor of Bendelac and Capellini on February 6, 2025.
Extracted insights
- person honorable richard g. stearns
- person roger bendelac
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- person thomas capellini
- court u.s. district court for the district of massachusetts
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed an enforcement action against six defendants including Trends Investments Inc., Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, Brandon Rossetti, Roger Bendelac, and Thomas Capellini
- Securities And Exchange Commission alleged that Trends Investments Inc. and its personnel engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in private offerings and sales of shares of two publicly traded companies
- Roger Bendelac participated in the scheme by placing manipulative trades to create the false appearance of active trading in the stock of one of the public companies
- Thomas Capellini provided assistance to the scheme and to Roger Bendelac by giving Bendelac access to his brokerage account and funding it
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered a judgment by consent against Clinton Greyling on September 23, 2022
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered final judgments by default against Trends Investments Inc., Leslie Greyling, and Brandon Rossetti on April 25, 2023
- Honorable Richard G. Stearns issued findings of fact and rulings of law in favor of Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini on January 24, 2025
- Honorable Richard G. Stearns entered a judgment in favor of Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini on February 6, 2025
- Securities And Exchange Commission tried the case with David M. Scheffler, Nita Klunder, and David H. London, assisted by Alyssa DiPaolo and Lauchlan Wash
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26258 / February 27, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Trends Investments Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-10889-RGS (D. Mass. filed June 8, 2022) Court Finds in Favor of Two Remaining Defendants in Fraud Scheme The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that an enforcement action filed in June 2022 against six defendants has concluded with a judgment entered on February 6, 2025, in favor of the remaining two defendants, Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini of New York, after a four-day bench trial conducted in October 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The SEC’s claims against the other four defendants, Trends Investments Inc., Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, and Brandon Rossetti, have been resolved. The SEC’s action alleged that Trends Investments, an unregistered entity in the business of selling stock to investors, and its personnel, Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, and Brandon Rossetti, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in private offerings and sales of shares of two publicly traded companies. The Commission alleged that Bendelac participated in the scheme by placing manipulative trades to create the false appearance of active trading in the stock of one of the public companies, and that his brother-in-law, Cappelini, provided assistance to the scheme and to Bendelac by giving Bendelac access to his brokerage account and funding it. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts previously entered a judgment by consent against defendant Clinton Greyling on September 23, 2022, and final judgments by default against defendants Trends Investments, Leslie Greyling, and Rosetti on April 25, 2023. Following a bench trial against Bendelac and Capellini conducted October 15 through 18, 2024, the Honorable Richard G. Stearns, United States District Judge, issued findings of fact and rulings of law in favor of Bendelac and Capellini on January 24, 2025, and entered a judgment in their favor on February 6, 2025. The SEC’s case was tried by David M. Scheffler, Nita Klunder, and David H. London, with assistance from Alyssa DiPaolo and Lauchlan Wash, all of the SEC's Boston Regional Office.
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26258 / February 27, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Trends Investments Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-10889-RGS (D. Mass. filed June 8, 2022) Court Finds in Favor of Two Remaining Defendants in Fraud Scheme The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that an enforcement action filed in June 2022 against six defendants has concluded with a judgment entered on February 6, 2025, in favor of the remaining two defendants, Roger Bendelac and Thomas Capellini of New York, after a four-day bench trial conducted in October 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The SEC’s claims against the other four defendants, Trends Investments Inc., Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, and Brandon Rossetti, have been resolved. The SEC’s action alleged that Trends Investments, an unregistered entity in the business of selling stock to investors, and its personnel, Clinton Greyling, Leslie Greyling, and Brandon Rossetti, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in private offerings and sales of shares of two publicly traded companies. The Commission alleged that Bendelac participated in the scheme by placing manipulative trades to create the false appearance of active trading in the stock of one of the public companies, and that his brother-in-law, Cappelini, provided assistance to the scheme and to Bendelac by giving Bendelac access to his brokerage account and funding it. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts previously entered a judgment by consent against defendant Clinton Greyling on September 23, 2022, and final judgments by default against defendants Trends Investments, Leslie Greyling, and Rosetti on April 25, 2023. Following a bench trial against Bendelac and Capellini conducted October 15 through 18, 2024, the Honorable Richard G. Stearns, United States District Judge, issued findings of fact and rulings of law in favor of Bendelac and Capellini on January 24, 2025, and entered a judgment in their favor on February 6, 2025. The SEC’s case was tried by David M. Scheffler, Nita Klunder, and David H. London, with assistance from Alyssa DiPaolo and Lauchlan Wash, all of the SEC's Boston Regional Office.