SEC v. Darren Ofsink; and Michael T. Morris, No. LR-25686, Eastern District of New York (Apr. 3, 2023) — Press Release
raw: DiScala et al.
DiScala et al., No. 1:14-cv-4346 (E.D.N.Y. Apr. 3, 2023)
The SEC obtained final judgments against Darren Ofsink and Michael T. Morris for manipulating CodeSmart Holdings securities through unregistered sales and matched trading.
Darren Ofsink and Michael T. Morris were charged with violating various provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Ofsink facilitated a reverse merger and obscured holdings, while Morris engaged in matched trading to inflate stock prices. The defendants were ordered to disgorge $292,409.11 and $27,526 respectively, with payments satisfied via a parallel criminal restitution order.
The SEC secured final judgments against Darren Ofsink and Michael T. Morris for their involvement in a securities manipulation scheme for CodeSmart Holdings, Inc. starting in 2013. Ofsink, an attorney, helped execute a reverse merger and obscured the holdings of key individuals while selling unregistered shares. Morris engaged in matched trading to artificially inflate CodeSmart's stock prices and also sold unregistered securities. The defendants faced charges under both the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. By consent, both were hit with permanent injunctions and penny stock bars. Ofsink was ordered to disgorge $292,409.11, while Morris was ordered to disgorge $27,526. These financial obligations were satisfied through a restitution order in a parallel criminal proceeding.
Extracted insights
- $292K $292,409 $100K–$1M
- $28K $27,526 $10K–$100K
- person darren ofsink
- agency Federal Bureau of Investigation
- organization Federal Bureau of Investigation
- person final judgments
- person matched trading
- person michael t. morris
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- organization Securities and Exchange Commission
- Securities And Exchange Commission obtains final judgments
- Darren Ofsink violated federal securities law
- Michael T. Morris engaged in matched trading
- Securities And Exchange Commission alleged securities manipulation
- Darren Ofsink received $292,409.11
- Michael T. Morris received $27,526
- Securities And Exchange Commission charged Morris and Ofsink
- United States Attorney's Office assisted Securities And Exchange Commission
- Federal Bureau Of Investigation assisted Securities And Exchange Commission
- Darren Ofsink agreed to disgorge ill-gotten gains
- Michael T. Morris agreed to disgorge ill-gotten gains
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 25686 / April 3, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. DiScala et al., No. 1:14-cv-4346 (E.D.N.Y. filed July 17, 2014; amended January 19, 2016) SEC Obtains Final Judgments Against Two Additional Defendants in Codesmart Fraud On March 31, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered final judgments against Darren Ofsink and Michael T. Morris, enjoining them from violating certain provisions of the federal securities law and imposing other remedies. According to the SEC's complaint, starting in 2013, Ofsink and Morris, along with the other defendants, were involved in a scheme to manipulate the securities of CodeSmart Holdings, Inc. ("CodeSmart"). The SEC alleged that Ofsink, an attorney, helped execute the reverse merger of CodeSmart into a public shell company and thereafter, received and sold shares of CodeSmart, the offer and sale of which was not registered, and obscured the holdings of other key individuals. As to Morris, the SEC alleged that he engaged in matched trading for the purpose of inflating the price of CodeSmart securities and received and sold shares of CodeSmart, the offer and sale of which was not registered. The SEC's complaint charged Morris with violating Sections 5(a), 5(c) and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), Sections 9(a) and the antifraud provisions of 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and charged Ofsink with violating Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act. On March 31, 2023, the Court entered separate final judgments against Morris and Ofsink by consent in which they each agreed to be permanently enjoined from violations of the charged provisions and to penny stock bars. Each agreed to disgorge over ill-gotten gains ($292,409.11 for Ofsink and $27,526 for Morris) and prejudgment interest thereon, the payment of which was deemed satisfied by the restitution order in the parallel criminal proceeding, United States v. DiScala, et al., 14 Cr. 399 (E.D.N.Y.). The SEC's litigation is being handled by Todd Brody and Lindsay Moilanen of the New York Regional Office and is being supervised by Sheldon L. Pollock and Joseph Sansone. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 25686 / April 3, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. DiScala et al., No. 1:14-cv-4346 (E.D.N.Y. filed July 17, 2014; amended January 19, 2016) SEC Obtains Final Judgments Against Two Additional Defendants in Codesmart Fraud On March 31, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered final judgments against Darren Ofsink and Michael T. Morris, enjoining them from violating certain provisions of the federal securities law and imposing other remedies. According to the SEC's complaint, starting in 2013, Ofsink and Morris, along with the other defendants, were involved in a scheme to manipulate the securities of CodeSmart Holdings, Inc. ("CodeSmart"). The SEC alleged that Ofsink, an attorney, helped execute the reverse merger of CodeSmart into a public shell company and thereafter, received and sold shares of CodeSmart, the offer and sale of which was not registered, and obscured the holdings of other key individuals. As to Morris, the SEC alleged that he engaged in matched trading for the purpose of inflating the price of CodeSmart securities and received and sold shares of CodeSmart, the offer and sale of which was not registered. The SEC's complaint charged Morris with violating Sections 5(a), 5(c) and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), Sections 9(a) and the antifraud provisions of 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and charged Ofsink with violating Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act. On March 31, 2023, the Court entered separate final judgments against Morris and Ofsink by consent in which they each agreed to be permanently enjoined from violations of the charged provisions and to penny stock bars. Each agreed to disgorge over ill-gotten gains ($292,409.11 for Ofsink and $27,526 for Morris) and prejudgment interest thereon, the payment of which was deemed satisfied by the restitution order in the parallel criminal proceeding, United States v. DiScala, et al., 14 Cr. 399 (E.D.N.Y.). The SEC's litigation is being handled by Todd Brody and Lindsay Moilanen of the New York Regional Office and is being supervised by Sheldon L. Pollock and Joseph Sansone. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.