News Releases

Dec 31
2019

Order: Unregistered Sugar Land Promoter Offering Guaranteed Forex Returns

Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles took emergency action Dec. 30 to stop an unregistered Sugar Land investment promoter from offering guaranteed returns through the trading of foreign currencies. According to the Emergency Cease and Desist Order , Onoriode Ikimi , who also goes by Steve...
Dec 31
2019

Administrative Actions Report Oct-Dec 2019

The following are summaries of administrative enforcement actions the Texas State Securities Board took from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019. Timeless Protect and Associated Companies: Emergency Cease and Desist Orders Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered three emergency orders on Nov...
Dec 18
2019

Sift Through Holiday Mail. Find Brokerage Statement. Read It.

This is an Investor Alert from the North American Securities Administrators Association , the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority , and the Securities Investor Protection Corp .: It Pays to Pay Attention to Your Brokerage Account Statement How Often Should You Review Your Brokerage Account...
Dec 3
2019

Hearing Set on Alleged Fraud by Fort Worth Oilman

A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22 at the State Office of Administrative Hearings regarding an emergency order alleging fraud by Michael E. Patman and Woodland Resources LLC in selling working interests in oil well-drilling projects. Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles on July 10 entered an...
Nov 25
2019

Orders Target Company Offering 'Bulletproof' Guarantee for Oil and Gas Investments

Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered three emergency orders on Nov. 22 against Timeless Protect LLC , a company that claims it is erasing the risk in oil and gas offerings being marketed to investors in Texas. Timeless Protect, with offices in Florida and Ontario, Canada, is...
Nov 21
2019

State Securities Board, Carrollton Police Raid Investment Business of Convicted Felon

The State Securities Board and the Carrollton Police Department on Nov. 21 raided the Carrollton-based investment business of Robert Joseph Mangiafico Jr. (right), a career criminal currently on parole from a 40-year prison sentence for stealing $655,000 from elderly widows in the Dallas area. The...
Nov 6
2019

Florida Firm Fined for Advising Texas Clients While Unregistered

A Florida investment adviser paid a $5,000 fine for doing work for Texas clients while not registered with the Texas Securities Commissioner. The fine and a reprimand were part of the Disciplinary Order that Commissioner Travis J. Iles entered on Nov. 5. The commissioner also granted the investment...
Oct 31
2019

Bitter Brew: Houston-Area Adviser Must Repay $366,218 to Coffee Shop Investors

Jason Hyson LeBlanc , an investment adviser representative for Vere Global Wealth Management , has been ordered to repay $366,218 to individuals who bought promissory notes he sold to fund a Fort Bend County coffee shop. LeBlanc’s wife was a part-owner of the coffee shop, located in Fulshear. Texas...
Oct 17
2019

Commissioner Acts to Stop Two Cryptocurrency Offerings As Second Regulatory Sweep Concludes

The Texas State Securities Board this week finished its second regulatory crackdown on cryptocurrency offerings with two emergency actions against businesses claiming they have the expertise and financial strength to deliver high-yielding, no-risk returns. Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles said...
Oct 14
2019

Austin Investment Adviser Revoked for Fraud

Texas Securities Commissioner Travis J. Iles revoked the registration of George A. “Gus” Marwieh , who fraudulently sold more than $5 million in pension-linked investments and real estate development notes to clients without disclosing his excessive commissions, misuse of client funds, and conflicts...