SEC v. Cook: Nearly $156 Million in Disgorgement and Prejudgment Interest Ordered Following Convictions

In SEC v. Cook, No. 09-3333, 2016 BL 7948 (D. Minn. Jan. 12, 2016), the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota granted the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Motions for Summary Judgment against Defendants Patrick Kiley and Jason Beckman (the “Defendants”) regarding alleged violations of Section 5(a) and (c) and Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”), Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Section 206(1) and (2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). The court permanently restrained and enjoined Defendants from further violating the securities laws and ordered disgorgement of Defendants’ ill-gotten gains in addition to prejudgment interest totaling nearly $156 million.

In July 2012, a jury found Defendants guilty of criminal charges including wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and money laundering arising from a fraudulent scheme in which Defendants fraudulently sold investments in a purported foreign currency trading scheme from at least July 2006 through July 2009. The scheme was alleged to have resulted in approximately 1,000 investors losing at least $190 million. 

The SEC brought actions against Defendants, moved for summary judgment, and asserted that the criminal proceedings estopped Defendants from disputing the facts in the civil proceeding. Because the evidence introduced in the criminal trial was the same evidence underlying the SEC’s claims, the court determined Defendants were estopped from disputing the facts, which supported the SEC’s Motions for Summary Judgment. As such, the court considered whether the SEC was entitled to judgment as a matter of law in regard to each alleged violation.

First, to establish violations of the anti-fraud provisions of the Exchange Act, a plaintiff must show the defendant: (1) engaged in a fraudulent scheme; (2) in connection with an offer or sale of a security; (3) through the use of interstate commerce; (4) with scienter. In addition, to establish a violation of the Advisers Act, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant: (1) acted as an investment adviser; (2) perpetrated the fraud on existing or prospective clients; and (3) acted at least negligently in doing so.

The court found the criminal convictions satisfied all of the requirements for collateral estoppel and, thus, entitled the SEC to summary judgment regarding the securities fraud charges. Specifically, because the jury in the criminal matter found Defendants devised a scheme to defraud investors to obtain money through materially false pretenses, did so knowingly and with intent, and based its findings on the same factual basis as the SEC’s claims, the court concluded all of the elements for violations of the anti-fraud provisions were established. 

Second, to succeed on a claim for a violation of the Securities Act registration provision, a plaintiff must show: (1) did not file a registration statement for the offering of securities with the SEC; (2) sold or offered to sell securities, directly or indirectly; (3) through the use of interstate facilities or mails. An “investment contract” constitutes a security if: (1) a person invested money; (2) in a common enterprise; (3) with the expectation of profit; (4) derived solely from the efforts of the promoter or others. Defendants can escape liability, however, by proving a securities offering at issue qualified for a registration exemption.

Again, the court found the evidence in the criminal matter established the elements for an unregistered, non-exempt offering in violation of the Securities Act. The evidence introduced in the criminal trial demonstrated that investors gave Defendants money to invest in a foreign currency trading venture expecting a profit in return. Additionally, the evidence demonstrated that Defendants comingled the investors’ money in pooled accounts, never filed a registration statement, and failed to demonstrate that a registration exemption applied. The court, therefore, granted the SEC’s Motions for Summary Judgment.

Lastly, the court reasoned the SEC was entitled to permanent injunctive relief because it demonstrated Defendants violated the securities laws and there was a reasonable likelihood of future violations. Moreover, the court determined disgorgement and prejudgment interest were appropriate remedies to prevent Defendants’ unjust enrichment. Thus, the court ordered Defendants to disgorge their ill-gotten gains, with prejudgment interest, in the amount of $155,928,523.    

Primary materials for this case may be found on the DU Corporate Governance website.