HMMMM.. I GUESS BUYING SHARES FROM JOE AT DISCOUNTED PRICES TO HELP WITH PAYROLL EXPENSES DOESN'T COUNT....
"INFORMATION ABOUT SEC INVESTIGATIONS"
"Each year, thousands of investors ask the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate the activities of other investors, financial professionals, corporations,
brokerage firms, investment companies, stock exchanges, and others. These complaints generally suggest some impropriety or misconduct and sometimes make a plea to the
SEC for direct assistance in resolving a grievance.
The SEC has the authority to investigate whether violations of the federal securities laws have occurred, and we make every effort to evaluate promptly and thoroughly
the information provided by investors. But we cannot investigate every investor complaint. While many investor complaints do lead to full investigations and, if
appropriate, to enforcement actions, we cannot guarantee that our review will lead to further investigation or that the SEC will take any legal action.
We also cannot provide updates on the status of complaints or requests for an investigation. The SEC conducts investigations confidentially for two main reasons. First, we can conduct investigations more effectively if they
are not announced publicly. For instance, important documents and evidence can be destroyed quickly if people hear of an investigation. Second, we keep our investigations
confidential to protect the reputations of companies and individuals if we find no wrongdoing or decide we cannot bring a successful action against them. The SEC will not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation unless, and until, it becomes a matter of public record as the result of a court action or administrative proceeding.
When there is proof that someone has violated the securities laws, the sanctions may include financial penalties, orders to surrender profits, cease and desist orders, or an injunction by a court to prevent further violations. The SEC may also bar individuals from working for a securities firm, investment adviser, or investment company. We can also ask a federal court to bar individuals from being officers
and directors of publicly held companies. In some situations, we may refer a case to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution.
The SEC publishes news releases about its lawsuits and administrative actions, and the news media often report on them. You can read and download the SEC's ""Enforcement
Actions"" on our website at www.sec.gov/divisions/enforce/enforceactions.shtml.
Or you can obtain hard copies by contacting us at:
Office of Public Reference
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20549-0102
Phone: (202) 551-8090
Fax: (202) 777-1027
E-mail: publicinfo@sec.gov"
