News Releases

Mar 15
2021

Commissioner Issues Two Orders Stopping Three Online Investment Scams

Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered a pair of emergency cease and desist orders targeting three unregistered online cryptocurrency and alternative asset investment platforms. The actions stop illegal so-called get-rich-quick schemes fraudulently touting the payment of significant returns...
Mar 15
2021

Attention Investors – Metals.com, Tower Equity, Chase Metals, and Barrick Capital Receivership Claim Deadline April 30, 2021

A publication of the Texas State Securities Board March 15, 2021 The State of Texas and other state securities regulators and enforcement agencies, along with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, recently filed a joint civil enforcement action against Metals.com, Tower Equity, Chase Metals...
Dec 21
2020

Texas Stops Fraudulent “Amazon Store” E-Commerce Partnership Scheme

Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles filed an emergency action to stop a fraudulent investment scheme tied to an online liquidation business based in Austin. The order accuses Christopher Koozekanani of illegally marketing “secured” partnership interests issued by Prime Liquidators – an online...
Dec 2
2020

No Reasonable Basis. No Registration. Commissioner Denies Adviser’s Registration Due to Unsuitable Trading in leveraged ETFs

Lyle Boudreaux of Houston, Texas consented to the denial of his registration as an investment adviser and agent with the Securities Commissioner. The denial is part of a consent order that Texas Securities Commissioner, Travis J. Iles, entered on December 1, 2020. From February 2016 through April...
Nov 24
2020

Texas Stops Far-Reaching Online Forex Trading Scheme

Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered an Emergency Cease and Desist Order to stop an aggressive online forex scheme from defrauding the public. The order found Ameral and TradeGo Forex Exchange have published more than 250 advertisements in craigslist, a popular online marketplace. The...
Nov 24
2020

Commissioner Stops Fraudulent Scheme Promoted to Reddit Users

Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered an Emergency Cease and Desist Order to stop a fraudulent scheme promoted through Reddit, a popular social media platform. Reddit permits users to share links, text posts, and images, and to correspond through private messages. It is one of the most...
Nov 20
2020

Commissioner Stops Local Firm from Fraudulently Marketing Forex Investments, Making False Claims of Registration and Legitimacy

Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered an Emergency Cease and Desist Order to stop a newly incorporated local firm from fraudulently soliciting investments in managed forex accounts. The order names KP Financials, LLC, from Austin, Texas. The firm was incorporated in June 2020, but it is...
Nov 19
2020

Commissioner Announces Series of Sweeping Actions Against Fifteen Online Crypto, Forex and Binary Options Investment Scammers

Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles announced a series of enforcement actions against fifteen fraudulent online investment scammers. The first emergency cease and desist order names ten internet investment platforms and links one individual - James Blundell - to the scheme to broadly promote...
Oct 16
2020

Pay [Back] Day: Commissioner Suspends San Antonio Investment Adviser for Unregistered & Unsuitable Sales & Orders $2.75 Million Back to Texas Investors

Brooklynn Chandler Willy of San Antonio, Texas, agreed to a one-year suspension of her license as an investment adviser representative with the Securities Commissioner and to pay back $2.75 million of commissions she received for the sale of alternative investments. The suspension and return of...