SEC v. American Patriot Brands, Inc.; Urban Pharms, LLC; DJ & S Property #1; TSL Distribution; Robert Y. Lee; Brian L. Pallas, et al., No. LR-25675, District of Puerto Rico (Mar. 24, 2023) — Press Release
raw: American Patriot Brands, Inc., Urban Pharms, LLC, DJ & S Property #1, TSL Distribution, Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, and J. Bernard Rice, Defendants, and Puerto Rico One Corporation, Castro Business Enterprises, and Legion Accounting Services, Relief Defendants
American Patriot Brands, Inc., Urban Pharms, LLC, DJ & S Property #1, TSL Distribution, Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, and J. Bernard Rice, Defendants, and Puerto Rico One Corporation, Castro Business Enterprises, and Legion Accounting Services, Relief Defendants, No. 3:23-cv-01124 (Mar. 24, 2023)
The SEC charged American Patriot Brands, its CEO, and several executives with a fraud scheme that raised over $30 million from investors and siphoned millions for personal use.
The SEC charged American Patriot Brands, CEO Robert Y. Lee, and executives Brian L. Pallas and J. Bernard Rice for orchestrating a scheme that raised over $30 million from more than 100 investors. The defendants allegedly made false statements regarding the company's financial condition and operations to siphon millions into personal accounts. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement, civil penalties, and officer and director bars.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged cannabis company American Patriot Brands (APB), its CEO Robert Y. Lee, and executives Brian L. Pallas and J. Bernard Rice with a long-running fraud scheme. Since at least mid-2016, the defendants allegedly made false and misleading statements about the company's financial health, operations, and the value of its Oregon cannabis farm. Through these misrepresentations, the group raised more than $30 million from over one hundred investors across the country. The SEC alleges that millions of these proceeds were siphoned into the executives' personal accounts to fund personal expenses and enrich themselves. The complaint charges the defendants with violating antifraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement with interest, civil penalties, and officer and director bars against the primary individuals. Additionally, the SEC seeks disgorgement from several relief defendants that allegedly received millions in misappropriated funds.
Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)
Extracted insights
- $30.00M $30 million $10M–$100M
- company american patriot brands inc.
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- Securities And Exchange Commission charged American Patriot Brands Inc., its CEO Robert Y. Lee, and executives Brian L. Pallas and J. Bernard Rice with fraud
- American Patriot Brands Inc. raised more than $30 million from more than one hundred investors across the country
- American Patriot Brands Inc. siphoned off millions of investor funds to enrich executives
- American Patriot Brands Inc., Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, and J. Bernard Rice made false and misleading statements to investors about financial condition, operations, Oregon cannabis farm, and investment safety
- American Patriot Brands Inc. funneled millions in investor proceeds to executives' personal accounts
- American Patriot Brands Inc. spent tens of thousands on executives' personal expenses
- Securities And Exchange Commission charges American Patriot Brands Inc., Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, J. Bernard Rice, DJ & S Property #1, LLC, TSL Distribution, LLC, and Urban Pharms, LLC with violating antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5
- Securities And Exchange Commission seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and officer and director bars against Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, and J. Bernard Rice
- Securities And Exchange Commission seeks disgorgement with prejudgment interest from Legion Accounting Services, Inc., Puerto Rico One Corporation, and Castro Business Enterprises, LLC
SEC Charges Cannabis Company American Patriot Brands, CEO, and Others with Fraud Litigation Release No. 25675/ March 24, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. American Patriot Brands, Inc., Urban Pharms, LLC, DJ & S Property #1, LLC, TSL Distribution, LLC, Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, and J. Bernard Rice, Defendants, and Puerto Rico One Corporation, Castro Business Enterprises, LLC, and Legion Accounting Services, Inc., Relief Defendants, No. 3:23-cv-01124 (D.P.R. filed March 16, 2023) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged American Patriot Brands Inc. (APB), a cannabis cultivation and distribution company, its CEO, and five other entities and individuals for their participation in a long-running scheme in which they raised more than $30 million from more than one hundred investors across the country and siphoned off millions of those funds to enrich themselves. According to the SEC's complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, since at least mid-2016, APB, its CEO Robert Y. Lee, and current and former executives Brian L. Pallas and J. Bernard Rice made a series of false and misleading statements to investors about various aspects of the company, including its financial condition, the scope of its operations, the value of its Oregon cannabis farm, and the safety and security of investing in APB. The complaint alleges that APB funneled millions in investor proceeds to the APB executives' personal accounts and spent tens of thousands on the executives' personal expenses. The complaint charges APB, Lee, Pallas, Rice, and APB subsidiaries DJ&S Property #1, LLC, TSL Distribution, LLC, and Urban Pharms, LLC with violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and officer and director bars against Lee, Pallas, and Rice. The complaint names as relief defendants, and seeks disgorgement with prejudgment interest from, three affiliated entities (Legion Accounting Services, Inc., Puerto Rico One Corp., and Castro Business Enterprises, LLC) that allegedly received millions in investor proceeds. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Andrew Elliott and Brianna Ripa, with assistance from accountant Jamie Wohlert, and it was supervised by Ms. Welshhans and Amy L. Friedman. The litigation will be led by Samantha Williams and supervised by James Carlson. SEC Complaint
SEC Charges Cannabis Company American Patriot Brands, CEO, and Others with Fraud Litigation Release No. 25675/ March 24, 2023 Securities and Exchange Commission v. American Patriot Brands, Inc., Urban Pharms, LLC, DJ & S Property #1, LLC, TSL Distribution, LLC, Robert Y. Lee, Brian L. Pallas, and J. Bernard Rice, Defendants, and Puerto Rico One Corporation, Castro Business Enterprises, LLC, and Legion Accounting Services, Inc., Relief Defendants, No. 3:23-cv-01124 (D.P.R. filed March 16, 2023) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged American Patriot Brands Inc. (APB), a cannabis cultivation and distribution company, its CEO, and five other entities and individuals for their participation in a long-running scheme in which they raised more than $30 million from more than one hundred investors across the country and siphoned off millions of those funds to enrich themselves. According to the SEC's complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, since at least mid-2016, APB, its CEO Robert Y. Lee, and current and former executives Brian L. Pallas and J. Bernard Rice made a series of false and misleading statements to investors about various aspects of the company, including its financial condition, the scope of its operations, the value of its Oregon cannabis farm, and the safety and security of investing in APB. The complaint alleges that APB funneled millions in investor proceeds to the APB executives' personal accounts and spent tens of thousands on the executives' personal expenses. The complaint charges APB, Lee, Pallas, Rice, and APB subsidiaries DJ&S Property #1, LLC, TSL Distribution, LLC, and Urban Pharms, LLC with violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and officer and director bars against Lee, Pallas, and Rice. The complaint names as relief defendants, and seeks disgorgement with prejudgment interest from, three affiliated entities (Legion Accounting Services, Inc., Puerto Rico One Corp., and Castro Business Enterprises, LLC) that allegedly received millions in investor proceeds. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Andrew Elliott and Brianna Ripa, with assistance from accountant Jamie Wohlert, and it was supervised by Ms. Welshhans and Amy L. Friedman. The litigation will be led by Samantha Williams and supervised by James Carlson. SEC Complaint