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Showing posts with label Securities and Exchange Commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Securities and Exchange Commission. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

07/13/10 Radio News: Business Talk Radio Network Owner, Michael Metter, Takes Spongetech Into Bankruptcy. Will WGCH 1490 AM Be Next?

The Latest News About Greenwich Resident Micheal "Penny Stock" Metter
Alleged investment fraud files for bankruptcy
Crain's New York Business
Spongetech was run by Chief Executive Michael Metter, a former Wall Street stockbroker with a trail of client complaints of wrongdoing. ...

More Information About Greenwich Resident Micheal "Pump And Dump" Metter
Spongetech SPNG | Hot Penny Stocks
Back in May Michael Metter and Steven Moskowitz were arrested after the Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that they obstructed their investigation ...
www.pennystockexplosion.com/penny-stocks/...spng/69310
Aaron Elstein - Spongetech Delivery Systems Inc news in New York ...
Michael Metter,; New York Post,; Securities and Exchange Commission,; SpongeTech Delivery Systems,; stockbroker,; US Securities and Exchange Commission, ...
outside.in/.../Aaron%20Elstein%20-%20Spongetech%20Deliv...


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Friday, June 18, 2010

06/18/10 Greenwich Resident Michael Metter's Spongetech And The Infamous Universal Express Are Linked

Business Talk Radio Network Owner Michael Metter Is Once Again In The News

Spongetech and Universal Express link emerges
Crain's New York Business

The penny-stock fraud case involving Spongetech Delivery Systems and its chief executive, Michael Metter, looks to be the biggest case of its kind involving a New York-based company in many years. It also turns out the case has something in common with another infamous fraud, Universal Express.

Spongetech was a maker of SpongeBob SquarePants sponges; prosecutors last month charged Mr. Metter with conspiracy to commit fraud and obstructing justice. The government alleges that no fewer than 99% of the purported sales at Mr. Metter's company were phony, while he made millions from selling shares at inflated prices. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil fraud charges against Mr. Metter and some associates. Here's a story about Mr. Metter and his background. (subscription required)

This case is potentially the most engaging stock fraud in the city since the SEC cracked down in 2007 on a tiny and truly bizarre New York-based company called Universal Express. Universal Express was a luggage delivery outfit whose management team seems to have devoted relatively few resources to shipping suitcases and a lot of time to selling billions of near-worthless shares, issuing blizzards of press releases and blaming short-sellers for their woes. When a federal judge ordered CEO Richard Altomare to cough up $1.7 million in penalties, Mr. Altomare refused to pay and continued selling Universal Express shares in violation of the court order. The fed-up judge eventually sent Mr. Altomare to prison.

Until now, Spongetech and Universal Express seemed to have little in common except for the fact that both were advertisers at Mets, Knicks and Rangers games.

But last week, the two companies were linked more closely when one of the folks ensnared in the SEC's Spongetech case cited Universal Express to help make his argument on why a federal judge should deny the agency's request for a preliminary injunction and asset freeze.

The defendant is a lawyer named Jack Halperin, who the SEC alleges contributed to the Spongetech fraud by issuing "false and baseless" opinion letters that enabled Mr. Metter and associates to distribute worthless shares to gullible investors.

It's the SEC's claims that are baseless, Mr. Halperin argued in his filing. In order to prove fraud, the SEC must establish "scienter" or recklessness amounting to scienter, Mr. Halperin's attorneys wrote, citing the SEC's case against Universal Express. Scienter, Mr. Halperin's lawyers helpfully explain, means "a mental state embracing intent to deceive, manipulate or defraud" investors. Mr. Halperin, a lawyer with 38 years of experience, described himself as an "unwitting victim" of the Spongetech scheme who provided good-faith legal services at his ordinary hourly rate.

Some Background Information On Stock Scammer And WGCH Radio Station Owner Michael Metter

Entries tagged "Michael Metter" - In the Markets
The penny-stock fraud case involving Spongetech Delivery Systems and its chief executive,
Michael Metter, looks to be the biggest case of its kind involving ...
mycrains.crainsnewyork.com/cgi-bin/.../mt-search.cgi?...
Atomic Bob's Stock Forum - The Golden Thread
06/16/2010 42 DECLARATION re 39 Memorandum in Opposition, 40 Memorandum in Opposition Declaration of Jesse Z. Weiss by
Michael Metter, Spongetech Delivery ...
www.atomicbobs.com/index.php?mode=read&id=530145
SpongeTech(R) Delivery Systems, Inc. Enhances Management Team with ...
"We are very excited to have someone with Jim's background and experience join our growing company," said
Michael Metter, CEO of SpongeTech. ...
finance.yahoo.com/.../SpongeTechR-Delivery-Systems-prnews...
Anthony @ Equity Investigations, Dear Anthony, Message Board - Msg ...
06/16/2010 40 MEMORANDUM in Opposition re 2 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction , Asset Freeze, and Other Relief filed by
Michael Metter. ...
siliconinvestor.advfn.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=26623382
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Saturday, February 28, 2009

02/28/08 University of Buffalo Shocked that alum was charged in $500M Greenwich fraud case

Greenwich Scam Artist Stephen Walsh May Have Sent University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University Monies To The University at Buffalo

A University at Buffalo alumnus who has contributed to the college’s athletics department and is a member of the UB Foundation board has been charged with misappropriating more than $500 million in client investments.

Stephen Walsh appeared before a federal magistrate this week along with Paul Greenwood. According to charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission the men, while operating WG Trading Investors of Greenwich, Conn., were involved in conspiracy, wire and securities fraud. The complaint details actions back to 1996 and said the men promised investors that their money would be invested in a stock index arbitrage strategy.

“Instead, Greenwood and Walsh essentially treated their clients’ investments as their personal piggy bank to purchase multi-million dollar homes, a horse farm and horses, luxury cars, and rare collectibles such as Steiff teddy bears,” the SEC said.

The SEC obtained an emergency court order freezing the assets of Greenwood and Walsh as well as their companies: WG Trading Investors, L.P. (WGTI), which is an unregistered investment vehicle; WG Trading Company, Limited Partnership (WGTC), which is a registered broker-dealer located in Greenwich, Conn.; and Westridge Capital Management, Inc. (Westridge), which is a registered investment adviser located in Santa Barbara, Calif.

After appearing in a Manhattan court Feb. 25 the men were released on $7 million bond.
Also this week, the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University filed suit against the two men for using a total of $114 million in investments from those institutions. Earlier this month, the National Futures Association was unsuccessful in attempting to audit the actions of WG Trading Investors — an NFA member — and suspended the membership of Walsh and Greenwood. That attracted the interest of the universities, who contacted the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Walsh, a 1966 graduate of UB, is listed among its “Donors of Distinction.” In 2001, he pledged $250,000 to the UB athletics department. Later, the basketball office complex inside Alumni Arena was named after Walsh.

When asked about his involvement with UB, the university released a statement: “Mr. Walsh has been an inactive member of our foundation board since March 2004. Furthermore, we have a policy that prohibits investing funds with any member of our foundation board.”

Walsh was also listed as a former executive with the New York Islanders hockey team in the 1990s.


PLEASE SEE:

The Poky Reporters And Editors At That The Green Kitty Litter Liner Have Totally Missed The Story And Still Have Failed To Report On The Greenwich Ponzi Scheme Arrests....

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