Plaintiff, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC" or
Myron Weiner violated Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 by purchasing 8 million restricted Spongetech shares for $0.05 each, demanding they be delivered without restrictive legends, and selling them publicly for a $1.215 million profit without registration or exemption, despite prior SEC sanctions and explicit knowledge of the legal restrictions.
Myron Weiner purchased 8 million shares of Spongetech Delivery Systems, Inc. stock from RM Enterprises, a Spongetech affiliate, for $400,000 ($0.05 per share) under a subscription agreement that required restrictive legends and prohibited resale. Despite this, he requested and received the shares without legends, then sold them on the OTC Bulletin Board within two months at $0.20 per share, generating $1,215,057.96 in illicit profits without registration or an applicable exemption. The SEC charged him with violating Section 5 of the Securities Act, seeking disgorgement of $1,215,057.96, $80,135 in prejudgment interest, a $50,000 civil penalty, a one-year ban on penny stock offerings, and inclusion of penalties in a victim restitution fund.
Myron Weiner, a 69-year-old former securities professional with a 1974 SEC enforcement history including a bar from association with broker-dealers, violated Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 by selling 8 million unregistered shares of Spongetech Delivery Systems, Inc. stock. He purchased the shares from RM Enterprises, a Spongetech affiliate controlled by its CEO and CFO, for $400,000 ($0.05 per share) under a subscription agreement that explicitly acknowledged the shares were unregistered, restricted, and subject to restrictive legends. Despite this, Weiner demanded and received the shares without legends, intending immediate public resale, and sold them on the OTC Bulletin Board within two months of receipt at $0.20 per share, netting $1,215,057.96 in profits. The transactions were neither registered with the SEC nor exempt from registration requirements, and Weiner had prior knowledge of securities laws from his past career and enforcement record. The SEC filed a civil complaint in the Eastern District of New York, alleging violations of Section 5 and seeking permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of $1,215,057.96, $80,135 in prejudgment interest, a $50,000 civil penalty, a one-year ban on participating in penny stock offerings, and that all penalties be deposited into a victim disgorgement fund under Sarbanes-Oxley. Spongetech itself had been previously suspended by the SEC in October 2009 for fraudulent activity, and RM Enterprises was named in a related 2010 SEC civil action.
Extracted insights
- $1.62M $1,615,057 $1M–$10M
- $1.22M $1,215,057 $1M–$10M
- $1.22M $1,215,057 $1M–$10M
- $500K $500,000 $100K–$1M
- $400K $400,000 $100K–$1M
- $50K $50,000 $10K–$100K
- person Myron Weiner
- company rm enterprises
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- MYRON WEINER sold shares 8 million shares of Spongetech Delivery Systems, Inc. stock to the investing public
- MYRON WEINER purchased shares Spongetech shares from RM Enterprises International, Ltd. for $400,000 on June 19, 2009
- MYRON WEINER requested shares free-trading shares without restrictive legends
- RM Enterprises delivered shares Spongetech shares to MYRON WEINER without restrictive legends
- MYRON WEINER sold shares Spongetech shares to the investing public at $0.20 per share
- MYRON WEINER earned profits $1,215,057.96 from unregistered Spongetech stock transactions
- MYRON WEINER violated Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933
- SEC brought action against MYRON WEINER for violations of Section 5 of the Securities Act
- SEC brought proceeding against MYRON WEINER and others in 1974 for stock price manipulation and securities violations
- MYRON WEINER settled matter with SEC and agreed to be barred from association with brokers or dealers for 18 months
iN.i ..
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
lJ$~ls
EASTERl~ DISTRICT OF NE'V YORK
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION,
Plaintiff,
Civil Action No.
v. ECF
MYRON WEINER,
Defendant.
COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC" or
"Commission"), alleges
as follows:
SUMMARY
1. Defendant MYTon Weiner (,,\Veiner") sold 8 million shares of Spongetech
Delivery Systems, Inc. ("Spongetech") stock to the investing public in violation
of the
registration requirements
of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act").
7 Weiner purchased the Spongetech shares from Spongetech affiliate RM
Enterprises International, Ltd., alk/a RM Enterprises International; Inc., ("Ri\1 Enterprises") on
June 19,2009 for $400,000, a price ofSO.05 per share. Weiner signed a subscription agreement
3 days prior to his purchase, in which he acknowledged that his purchase
of Spongetech stock
was not covered
by a registration statement and that a restrictive legend would therefore be
placed on his share certificates. However, he requested "free-trading" shares that he would be
able to immediately sell into the public market. RM Enterprises delivered the shares to Weiner
without restrictive legends. Weiner received the shares in two tranches - one on July 8, 2009
and one on July 15,2009.
3. Weiner sold the shares to the investing public shortly after receiving them, at a
price
of $0.20 per share. The transactions were not registered with the Commission, and the
transactions did not satisfy any exemption from the registration requirements. Weiner's profits
on these unregistered securities transactions were $1,215,057.96.
4. By engaging in this conduct, Weiner violated Section 5 of the Securities Act [15
u.S.c. § 77e].
JURISDICTION
& VENUE
5. The Commission brings this action pursuant to Section 20(b) of the Securities Act
of 1933 ("Securities Act") [15 U.S.c. § 77t(b)].
6. The Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Section 22(a) of the
Securities Act [15
U.S.c. § 77v(a)]. Weiner directly, or indirectly, made use of the means or
instrumentalities
of interstate commerce, of the mails, or of the facilities of a national securities
exchange in connection with the transactions, acts, practices, and courses
of business alleged in
this Complaint.
7. Venue is appropriate in the Eastem District of New York under Section 22( a) of
the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77v(a)]. Certain of the acts, transactions, practices, and courses
ofbusiness constituting the violations alleged herein occurred within this district. Weiner
communicated
bye-mail with Spongetech's CFO, who resides in this district, about his sales of
Spongetech stock.
DEFENDANT
8. Defendant Myron Weiner, age 69, is a resident of Hoboken, New Jersey. Since
1973, Weiner has owned and operated a restaurant in New York City.
9. Previously, Weiner was a registered representative from 1970 to 1975, and was an
assistant syndicate manager at N ew York brokerage firm, Kenneth Bove
& Co. ("Kenneth
Bove") from 1970
to 1972. In 1974, the SEC brought an administrative proceeding against
Kenneth Bove, Weiner, and other employees, alleging they manipulated the price
of certain
stocks and violated or aided and abetted the registration, antifraud, and other securities
provisions.
In the Matter ojKenneth Bove, Inc., Release No.1 0885, Release No. 34-10885, 4
S.E.C. Docket 507,1974 WL 163488 (Jun. 27,1974). Weiner settled this matter and agreed
to
be barred from association with any broker, dealer, or investment company, with a right to apply
to become associated with a broker
or dealer after 18 months. In the Matter oJTimothy JvJurray
et ai., Release No. 11572, Admin. Proc. File No. 3-4509 (Aug. 5, 1975).
OTHER RELATED ENTITIES
10. Spongetech Delivery Systems. Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its principal
place
of business in New York, New York. During the relevant period, Spongetech was a
publicly-traded corporation that purportedly sold soap-filled sponges. From 2006 until October
5,2009, Spongetech's common stock was quoted on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board as
"SPNG" and then as "SPNGE." On October 5,2009, the SEC temporarily suspended
Spongetech trading for
10 days, after which Spongetech's stock continued to be traded on an
unsolicited basis in the grey market. In the lVJatter oJSpongetech DelivelY Systems, Inc., Release
No. 60788, Admin. Proc. File No. 500-1 (Oct. 5,2009).
2
11. Rl\1 Enterprises International, Ltd., aIkIa Rl\1 Enterprises International, Inc., is a
Delaware corporation with its principal place
of business in New Yark, New Yark. RM
Enterprises was the majority shareholder
of Spongetech and was controlled by Spongetech's
CEO and CFO.
12. On May 5, 2010, the Commission filed a civil injunctive action against
Spongetech, RM Enterprises, and others. SEC
v. Spongetech, et al., 1 0-CV-2031 (E.D.N.Y.
2010).
FACTS
13. Weiner first met Spongetech's CEO in 1970 while working at Kermeth Bove.
From 1970 to 2009, Weiner maintained contact with Spongetech's CEO, and invested in several
private placements through him. Weiner became a shareholder
of Rl\1 Enterprises, Inc. ("RM
Enterprises") when his real estate business partner gave him
13 shares as a gift in 2001. At the
time, he was aware that Spongetech's CEO was involved with RM Enterprises.
14. On June 16,2009, Weiner signed a subscription agreement with RM Enterprises
for the purchase
of 10 million restricted Spongetech shares for S500,000, at a price of SO. 05 per
share. The subscription agreement provided that the securities were not covered by a registration
statement, that the securities were being purchased for investment purposes and not with a view
to distribution or resale, and that a restrictive legend would be placed on the share certificates.
Nevertheless, Weiner asked Spongetech's CEO for umestricted shares.
15. Weiner purchased the shares at a discount to the current market price. On June
16,2009, the closing market price
of Spongetech stock was SO.17, SO.12 greater than the SO. 05
per share that Weiner paid. The subscription agreement additionally provided that RM
Enterprises would increase the number of Weiner's shares by one-third if Spongetech's stock
price closed below $0.09 on any given day.
16. On June 19,2009, Weiner wired the purchase price of$500,000 into RM
Enterprises' account at TD Bank, N.A. The memo field notation on the wire reflected Weiner's
desire for shares that he could easily and readily sell. The memo field notation reads, "re: myron
Weiner
ref purchase 1 OM shares of Spongetech @ 0.05 per share free and clear."
17. On July 8,2009, Weiner received 5 million restricted Spongetech shares £i'om RM
Enterprises split between two share certificates. On July 15,2009, 'Weiner received an additional
5 million restricted Spongetech shares from
RJV1 Enterplises in one share certificate. The
restrictive legends had been removed from the share certificates, although the shares were,
in
fact, restricted.
18. On August 19,2009, Weiner opened a brokerage account and deposited the 10
million Spongetech shares into that account on August 31, 2009.
19. On September 3,2009, after holding the Spongetech shares for less than 2
months, Weiner
solei 8 million of the shares on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board for gross
proceeds
of approximately $1,615,057. 'Weiner's actual realized net profit on the sale was
approximately $1,215,057 after subtracting his initial payment
of S400,000 (8 million shares at a
price ofSO.05 per share). Weiner's sales
of Sponge tech stock were not registered with the
Commission, and no exemption from the registration requirements applied.
CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Violations of Section 5 of the Securities Act)
20. Paragraphs 1 -
19 are hereby realleged and incorporated by reference.
4
21. As alleged above, Weiner has, by engaging in the conduct described above,
directly or indirectly, through use
of the means or instruments oftransportation or
communication in interstate commerce
of or the mails, offered to sell or sold securities or carried
or caused such securities to
be carried through the mails or in interstate commerce, for the
purpose
of sale or delivery after sale.
22. No registration statements were filed with the
Commission or were in effect in
connection with sales of, and offers to sell, securities
of Spongetech by Weiner, and no
exemption from the registration requirements applied to
Weiner's sales.
By reason of the foregoing, Weiner violated Section 5 of the Securities Act [15
u.S.c. § 77eJ.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
\VHEREFORE, the Commission respectfully requests that this Court enter a judgment:
(a) pennanently enjoining Weiner from violating Section 5 of the Securities Act [15
u.S.c. § 77e];
(b) ordering Weiner to
pay disgorgement ofSl,215,057, plus prejudgment interest of
S80,135, representing the benefit fi-om the conduct alleged herein;
(c) ordering Weiner to
pay a civil money penalty of $50,000, pursuant to Section
20(d)
ofthe Securities Act [15 U.S.c. § 77t(d)];
(d) ordering, pursuant to Section 308
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of2002, that the
amount
of civil penalties ordered against and paid by Weiner be added to and
become part
of a disgorgement fund for the benefit of the victims ofthe violations
alleged herein;
5
(e) barring Weiner from engaging in any offering of penny stock pursuant to
Securities Act Section 20(g) [15 U.S.c. § 77t(g)] for a period of one year; and
(f) granting such other and further relief as this Court deems just and appropriate.
Dated: November 17,2011
Of Counsel:
Antonia Chion
Lisa Deitch
Linda Stevens
Respectfully submitted,
~w·l~
Paul W. Kisslinger (PK0764)
Assistant
Chief Litigation Counsel
Attorney for Plaintiff
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549-5977
202-551-4427
202-772-9292 (FAX)
6
iN.i ..UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
lJ$~ls
EASTERl~ DISTRICT OF NE'V YORK
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION,
Plaintiff, Civil Action No.
v. ECF
MYRON WEINER,
Defendant.
COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC" or
"Commission"), alleges as follows:
SUMMARY
1. Defendant MYTon Weiner (,,\Veiner") sold 8 million shares of Spongetech
Delivery Systems, Inc. ("Spongetech") stock to the investing public in violation of the
registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act").
7 Weiner purchased the Spongetech shares from Spongetech affiliate RM
Enterprises International, Ltd., alk/a RM Enterprises International; Inc., ("Ri\1 Enterprises") on
June 19,2009 for $400,000, a price ofSO.05 per share. Weiner signed a subscription agreement
3 days prior to his purchase, in which he acknowledged that his purchase of Spongetech stock
was not covered by a registration statement and that a restrictive legend would therefore be
placed on his share certificates. However, he requested "free-trading" shares that he would be
able to immediately sell into the public market. RM Enterprises delivered the shares to Weiner
without restrictive legends. Weiner received the shares in two tranches - one on July 8, 2009
and one on July 15,2009.
3. Weiner sold the shares to the investing public shortly after receiving them, at a
price of $0.20 per share. The transactions were not registered with the Commission, and the
transactions did not satisfy any exemption from the registration requirements. Weiner's profits
on these unregistered securities transactions were $1,215,057.96.
4. By engaging in this conduct, Weiner violated Section 5 of the Securities Act [15
u.S.c. § 77e].
JURISDICTION & VENUE
5. The Commission brings this action pursuant to Section 20(b) of the Securities Act
of 1933 ("Securities Act") [15 U.S.c. § 77t(b)].
6. The Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Section 22(a) of the
Securities Act [15 U.S.c. § 77v(a)]. Weiner directly, or indirectly, made use of the means or
instrumentalities of interstate commerce, of the mails, or of the facilities of a national securities
exchange in connection with the transactions, acts, practices, and courses of business alleged in
this Complaint.
7. Venue is appropriate in the Eastem District of New York under Section 22( a) of
the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77v(a)]. Certain of the acts, transactions, practices, and courses
of business constituting the violations alleged herein occurred within this district. Weiner
communicated bye-mail with Spongetech's CFO, who resides in this district, about his sales of
Spongetech stock.
DEFENDANT
8. Defendant Myron Weiner, age 69, is a resident of Hoboken, New Jersey. Since
1973, Weiner has owned and operated a restaurant in New York City.
9. Previously, Weiner was a registered representative from 1970 to 1975, and was an
assistant syndicate manager at N ew York brokerage firm, Kenneth Bove & Co. ("Kenneth
Bove") from 1970 to 1972. In 1974, the SEC brought an administrative proceeding against
Kenneth Bove, Weiner, and other employees, alleging they manipulated the price of certain
stocks and violated or aided and abetted the registration, antifraud, and other securities
provisions. In the Matter ojKenneth Bove, Inc., Release No.1 0885, Release No. 34-10885, 4
S.E.C. Docket 507,1974 WL 163488 (Jun. 27,1974). Weiner settled this matter and agreed to
be barred from association with any broker, dealer, or investment company, with a right to apply
to become associated with a broker or dealer after 18 months. In the Matter oJTimothy JvJurray
et ai., Release No. 11572, Admin. Proc. File No. 3-4509 (Aug. 5, 1975).
OTHER RELATED ENTITIES
10. Spongetech Delivery Systems. Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its principal
place of business in New York, New York. During the relevant period, Spongetech was a
publicly-traded corporation that purportedly sold soap-filled sponges. From 2006 until October
5,2009, Spongetech's common stock was quoted on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board as
"SPNG" and then as "SPNGE." On October 5,2009, the SEC temporarily suspended
Spongetech trading for 10 days, after which Spongetech's stock continued to be traded on an
unsolicited basis in the grey market. In the lVJatter oJSpongetech DelivelY Systems, Inc., Release
No. 60788, Admin. Proc. File No. 500-1 (Oct. 5,2009).
2
11. Rl\1 Enterprises International, Ltd., aIkIa Rl\1 Enterprises International, Inc., is a
Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in New Yark, New Yark. RM
Enterprises was the majority shareholder of Spongetech and was controlled by Spongetech's
CEO and CFO.
12. On May 5, 2010, the Commission filed a civil injunctive action against
Spongetech, RM Enterprises, and others. SEC v. Spongetech, et al., 1 0-CV-2031 (E.D.N.Y.
2010).
FACTS
13. Weiner first met Spongetech's CEO in 1970 while working at Kermeth Bove.
From 1970 to 2009, Weiner maintained contact with Spongetech's CEO, and invested in several
private placements through him. Weiner became a shareholder of Rl\1 Enterprises, Inc. ("RM
Enterprises") when his real estate business partner gave him 13 shares as a gift in 2001. At the
time, he was aware that Spongetech's CEO was involved with RM Enterprises.
14. On June 16,2009, Weiner signed a subscription agreement with RM Enterprises
for the purchase of 10 million restricted Spongetech shares for S500,000, at a price of SO. 05 per
share. The subscription agreement provided that the securities were not covered by a registration
statement, that the securities were being purchased for investment purposes and not with a view
to distribution or resale, and that a restrictive legend would be placed on the share certificates.
Nevertheless, Weiner asked Spongetech's CEO for umestricted shares.
15. Weiner purchased the shares at a discount to the current market price. On June
16,2009, the closing market price of Spongetech stock was SO.17, SO.12 greater than the SO. 05
per share that Weiner paid. The subscription agreement additionally provided that RM
Enterprises would increase the number of Weiner's shares by one-third if Spongetech's stock
price closed below $0.09 on any given day.
16. On June 19,2009, Weiner wired the purchase price of$500,000 into RM
Enterprises' account at TD Bank, N.A. The memo field notation on the wire reflected Weiner's
desire for shares that he could easily and readily sell. The memo field notation reads, "re: myron
Weiner ref purchase 1 OM shares of Spongetech @ 0.05 per share free and clear."
17. On July 8,2009, Weiner received 5 million restricted Spongetech shares £i'om RM
Enterprises split between two share certificates. On July 15,2009, 'Weiner received an additional
5 million restricted Spongetech shares from RJV1 Enterplises in one share certificate. The
restrictive legends had been removed from the share certificates, although the shares were, in
fact, restricted.
18. On August 19,2009, Weiner opened a brokerage account and deposited the 10
million Spongetech shares into that account on August 31, 2009.
19. On September 3,2009, after holding the Spongetech shares for less than 2
months, Weiner solei 8 million of the shares on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board for gross
proceeds of approximately $1,615,057. 'Weiner's actual realized net profit on the sale was
approximately $1,215,057 after subtracting his initial payment of S400,000 (8 million shares at a
price ofSO.05 per share). Weiner's sales of Sponge tech stock were not registered with the
Commission, and no exemption from the registration requirements applied.
CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Violations of Section 5 of the Securities Act)
20. Paragraphs 1 - 19 are hereby realleged and incorporated by reference.
4
21. As alleged above, Weiner has, by engaging in the conduct described above,
directly or indirectly, through use of the means or instruments of transportation or
communication in interstate commerce of or the mails, offered to sell or sold securities or carried
or caused such securities to be carried through the mails or in interstate commerce, for the
purpose of sale or delivery after sale.
22. No registration statements were filed with the Commission or were in effect in
connection with sales of, and offers to sell, securities of Spongetech by Weiner, and no
exemption from the registration requirements applied to Weiner's sales.
By reason of the foregoing, Weiner violated Section 5 of the Securities Act [15
u.S.c. § 77eJ.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
\VHEREFORE, the Commission respectfully requests that this Court enter a judgment:
(a) pennanently enjoining Weiner from violating Section 5 of the Securities Act [15
u.S.c. § 77e];
(b) ordering Weiner to pay disgorgement ofSl,215,057, plus prejudgment interest of
S80,135, representing the benefit fi-om the conduct alleged herein;
(c) ordering Weiner to pay a civil money penalty of $50,000, pursuant to Section
20(d) ofthe Securities Act [15 U.S.c. § 77t(d)];
(d) ordering, pursuant to Section 308 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that the
amount of civil penalties ordered against and paid by Weiner be added to and
become part of a disgorgement fund for the benefit of the victims of the violations
alleged herein;
5
(e) barring Weiner from engaging in any offering of penny stock pursuant to
Securities Act Section 20(g) [15 U.S.c. § 77t(g)] for a period of one year; and
(f) granting such other and further relief as this Court deems just and appropriate.
Dated: November 17,2011
Of Counsel:
Antonia Chion
Lisa Deitch
Linda Stevens
Respectfully submitted,
~w·l~
Paul W. Kisslinger (PK0764)
Assistant Chief Litigation Counsel
Attorney for Plaintiff
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549-5977
202-551-4427
202-772- 9292 (FAX)
6