Zion Oil & Gas Inc (ZNOG)

[JRyan]

The SEC, Fuzzy Panda and, Probes Reporter - The Connection

I am not 100% but I bet they are related with today's news. How can this be legal?




My Google Foo has not been able to find the previous posts on Ihub. Someone did an in depth investigation of Probes Reporter and Panda and how they have manipulated the SEC and its procedures. I can re paste it or something but these links need to come front and Center and NOW! I will keep looking but we need a stick with a consolidated history of this attack.


I did get this part, so here is where I think this got started, Panda and the Probes Reporter working in collusion to drive down the price. It has worked.



And they cut the bottom part off. We need to find it and ASAP.

Let's not forget the Financial Times hit pieces that seem to happen when these things start. Last one was last week right?

Some posts that are relevant with timelines.

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=139572333

Monday, 03/26/18 04:19:44 PM
Re: None 0
Post #
11455
of 19893
CONFIRMED: No SEC Investigation

Just heard back from IR. It appears to be a short and distort attack.

Have permission to post the following response:

Quote:
We are unaware of any investigation by the SEC.

Due to our rising stock price after announcing we encountered oil, FINRA did have us fill out a routine questionnaire.

The shorter seems to be inflating or misleading.

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=141299979

Probes Reporter and the SEC - Blatant attack against Zion


Quote:
Really makes me sick. I'm in the process of filing a complaint with the SEC.




Quote:
Thank you microcaps. You summarized well exactly what I saw in my research, which was that Mr. Probes had a letter from the SEC stating there was an open investigation on ZN, but that letter was NOT yet posted to the SEC FOIA library. In effect, Mr. Probes and his clients had insider information from the SEC. Information that even Zion management did not have


I believe this is spot on!

Thank you and I hope Zion Oil files a defamation lawsuit against the probe.

Best of Luck folks that are attending today, please be firm in your questions

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=141299598

Thank you microcaps. You summarized well exactly what I saw in my research, which was that Mr. Probes had a letter from the SEC stating there was an open investigation on ZN, but that letter was NOT yet posted to the SEC FOIA library. In effect, Mr. Probes and his clients had insider information from the SEC. Information that even Zion management did not have

This allowed Mr. Probes and his clients to hit ZN with the no win scenario, which was to ask ZN publically through Sicial media if they were under investigation by the SEC. If ZN answers no, then they call them liars and post the FOIA letter Mr. Probes has obtained. If ZN does know and answers yes, then Mr. Probes and his clients scream, "this company is a scam!" (where have we heard that before?). Either way, stock tanks.

Really makes me sick. I'm in the process of filing a complaint with the SEC.

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=141297952

on the federal level FOIA requests are free for the 1st 2 hrs of agency research and they tell u if costs will exceed 25 dollars(i've seen state requests upfront charges of 500)

i didnt even realize this could be a reason for pps fall bc this is a scare tactic often used against companies


"What I would like to know is if Mr. Probes Reporter (and his clients, who for that cool $20k can get "private meetings & conference calls" with Mr. Probes himself) shorts a stock once he (and his clients) receives the affirmative response from the SEC of an investigation, prior to accusing a company of being under investigation on social media. Would this activity be illegal?"


very interesting question-quite a racket bc such a racket seems to violate the INTENT of insider trading without being insider trading- what is the definition of insider trading-usually involves info privy to the company or those who received such material nonpublic info from the company-and the company often does not know until they receive official charges etc from the sec

once the FOIA reply is released its public info-so not private info- though to most people it is private
it is material nonpublic info(NOT USUALLY KNOWN TO THE COMPANY) until released


there are shorting groups who presumably short based on their advanced knowledge of SEC investigations(by regularly researching sec docs etc)and then they break the news of an SEC investigation on these boards-such news would be particularly chilling during the era when political appointees-including those at sec- were instructed to destroy penny companies bc "all business is evil and has to be stopped":
i've asked such a group if they had advanced knowledge of what they announced on the board and they of course said no-i didn't believe them bc their pattern of posting indicated to me something was coming.

I doubt that ZN has knowingly committed infractions
2 of the 5 SEC commissioners,though they may not directly rule on these things, are now pro-business,so the 2009-2017 terror reign we came out of is now over
most investigations probably dont end up in charges
when they do, a settlement is usually reached before trial
outside of the bizarre stock environment from 2009-2016 the general rule is innocent until proven guilty

shorters etc often shout sec or insider knowledge as scare tactics
ZN insiders cannot trade on insider info and they now even more likely wont now that this is on the board

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=141267528

So I've been doing some research into this alleged SEC investigation and the Probes Reporter who has unearthed this investigation. I have developed an opinion as to what's going on based on what I was able to find today.

First, according to www.probesreporter.com, the probes reporter is basically a hired gun. For $1200/yr, you can become a client of this service, then ask them for a report of any open, ongoing SEC investigations regarding your particular company of interest (BTW - for a cool $20,000/yr you can get the deluxe Probes treatment). Apparently, once you've paid for your subscription, Mr. probes reporter then files FOIA requests with the SEC regarding any open investigation of the target company. According to the SEC.gov website, Probes Reporter has filed ~500 FOIA requests since October, 2017. Here's an example of one he filed regarding Bojangles, Inc. in December 2017 (lol)

[url][/url][tag]https://www.sec.gov/files/18-00851-T.pdf[/tag]

Second, according to the SEC.gov website, the SEC enforcement division:

Quote:
obtains evidence of possible violations of the securities laws from many sources, including market surveillance activities, investor tips and complaints, other Divisions and Offices of the SEC, the self-regulatory organizations and other securities industry sources, and media reports
.

An SEC investigation can be initiated due to:

Quote:
Common violations that may lead to SEC investigations include:

Misrepresentation or omission of important information about securities

Manipulating the market prices of securities

Stealing customers' funds or securities

Violating broker-dealers' responsibility to treat customers fairly

Insider trading (violating a trust relationship by trading on material, non-public information about a security)

Selling unregistered securities.


Now just because there is an ongoing investigation doesn't mean that Zion has actually done anything wrong. At this point, if there is an investigation, depending on the timing, Zion may not yet have even be aware there is an investigation ongoing as:

Quote:
All SEC investigations are conducted privately. Facts are developed to the fullest extent possible through informal inquiry, interviewing witnesses, examining brokerage records, reviewing trading data, and other methods. With a formal order of investigation, the Division's staff may compel witnesses by subpoena to testify and produce books, records, and other relevant documents. Following an investigation, SEC staff present their findings to the Commission for its review. The Commission can authorize the staff to file a case in federal court or bring an administrative action. In many cases, the Commission and the party charged decide to settle a matter without trial.



It is probable, especially given Mr. Probes voluminous FOIA requests of the SEC (and he's not the only one), the SEC may have opened a case, but has not yet even started an informal inquiry, much less a issued any subpoenas.


So, my hypothesis is that, some time ago, someone, quite probably a short, but could also be a former disgruntled employee, an anti-semite, or some other disgruntled party, called the SEC Enforcement division with a complaint or a tip against Zion regarding one of the common violations above. They then hired Mr. Probes Reporter's service, which then triggers an FOIA request. Once Mr. Probes Reporter get's his vague response from the SEC, he then uses it to declare that the company is under investigation, and by subtle suggestion either corrupt or a fraud, resulting in Zion's corresponding price drop. Mr. Probes and his clients walk away with a tidy sum from their short.

What I would like to know is if Mr. Probes Reporter (and his clients, who for that cool $20k can get "private meetings & conference calls" with Mr. Probes himself) shorts a stock once he (and his clients) receives the affirmative response from the SEC of an investigation, prior to accusing a company of being under investigation on social media. Would this activity be illegal?

Its not put together well but my timer is running out....(No Paid IH)