Securities Fraud (general antifraud) observation
General antifraud conduct under Rule 10b-5 / § 17(a) — the catch-all securities-fraud category.
rule / inferenceMaterial misstatement or omission in connection with the purchase or sale of a security.
SEC filings 8-K10-K10-QForm 4
heuristicssec_staff_action
Unregistered Securities Offering form-presence
Sale of securities with no effective registration and no valid exemption (Securities Act § 5 violation).
rule / inferenceForm D filed for the offering, or NO registration at all (entity → CIK miss).
SEC filings Form DS-1
heuristicsreg_s_issuance · form_d_only_issuer · reg_a_offering
Ponzi form-presence
New-investor funds used to pay prior investors; typically an unregistered fund offering.
rule / inferenceForm D, or no registration at all, for an entity raising pooled investor funds.
SEC filings Form D
heuristicsreg_s_issuance · promissory_clauses · form_d_only_issuer
Pre-IPO Fraud observation
Fake or fraudulent pre-IPO private placement.
rule / inferenceA pre-IPO private placement (Form D / Reg A) with no subsequent S-1 / IPO.
SEC filings S-1Form D1-A
heuristicsreg_a_offering · form_d_only_issuer
Affinity Fraud observation
Unregistered offering targeting a religious, ethnic, or professional community.
rule / inferenceUnregistered community-targeted offering; promissory-note language.
SEC filings Form D
heuristicspromissory_clauses · reg_s_issuance