In re Charles R. Hunt
Charles R. Hunt, CPA, and his firm willfully violated Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an unregistered audit report for E’ Prime Aerospace in December 2003, leading to a SEC cease-and-desist order, censure, and mandatory PCAOB registration before practicing before the Commission again.
The SEC found that Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA, and its partner Charles R. Hunt willfully violated Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an audit report for E’ Prime Aerospace Corporation on December 18, 2003, while unregistered with the PCAOB—a requirement effective since October 22, 2003. The firm received $3,500 in audit fees, which it later voluntarily reimbursed to E’ Prime, eliminating the need for disgorgement. Both respondents consented to a cease-and-desist order and censure without admitting or denying the allegations, and are barred from practicing before the SEC unless they maintain active PCAOB registration and provide proof of approval to the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) instituted administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings against Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA, and its partner Charles R. Hunt, CPA, for willfully violating Section 102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by issuing an audit report for E’ Prime Aerospace Corporation on December 18, 2003, while unregistered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). The requirement for PCAOB registration became effective on October 22, 2003, and E’ Prime, a public issuer registered with the SEC, relied on the fraudulent audit in its Form 10-KSB filing. The firm received $3,500 for the audit services but voluntarily reimbursed the client, which led the SEC to forgo disgorgement. Hunt, as the engagement partner, directly participated in preparing and issuing the unlawful report, thereby causing the violation. Both respondents consented to the SEC’s Order without admitting or denying the findings, except as to jurisdiction and subject matter. The SEC imposed a cease-and-desist order, censured the firm, and mandated that neither respondent may practice before the Commission unless they maintain active PCAOB registration and provide documented proof of approval to the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant. This case underscores the SEC’s strict enforcement of PCAOB registration requirements for auditors of public companies under Sarbanes-Oxley.
Extracted insights
- $235K $234,848 $100K–$1M
- $4K $3,500 <$10K
- $4K $3,500 <$10K
- company e' prime aerospace corporation
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- SEC instituted proceedings against Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA and Charles R. Hunt, CPA
- Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA is headquartered in Edgewater, Florida
- Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA audited financial statements for E' Prime Aerospace Corporation for fiscal year ended September 30, 2003
- E' Prime Aerospace Corporation dismissed Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA as independent auditor on May 27, 2005
- Charles R. Hunt, CPA is licensed in Florida since 1989
- Charles R. Hunt, CPA was engagement partner for E' Prime Aerospace Corporation audit for fiscal year ended September 30, 2003
- Charles R. Hunt, CPA is 64 years old, of Titusville, Florida
- SEC accepted Offer of Settlement from Respondents
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 56406 / September 13, 2007
ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING ENFORCEMENT
Release No. 2686 / September 13, 2007
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-12767
In the Matter of
Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA and
Charles R. Hunt, CPA,
Respondents.
ORDER INSTITUTING PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-AND-
DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO
SECTIONS 4C AND 21C OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AND RULE 102(e) OF THE
COMMISSION’S RULES OF PRACTICE,
MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING
REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A CEASE-
AND-DESIST ORDER
I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that cease-
and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA and
Charles R. Hunt, CPA, (collectively “Respondents”) pursuant to Section 21C of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), and that public administrative proceedings be, and
hereby are, instituted against Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA pursuant to Section 4C
1
of the Exchange
Act and Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice.
2
1
Section 4C provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure any person, or deny, temporarily or permanently, to any person the
privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission in any way, if that person is found . . .
to have willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of, any provision of the
securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.
2
Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure a person or deny, temporarily or permanently, the privilege of
appearing or practicing before it in any way to any person who is found . . . to have willfully
violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of any provision of the Federal securities laws
or the rules and regulations thereunder.
II.
In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondents have submitted an Offer
of Settlement (“Offer”), which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for the purpose
of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or to
which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings herein, except as
to the Commission’s jurisdiction over them and the subject matter of these proceedings, which are
admitted, Respondents consent to the entry of this Order Instituting Public Administrative and
Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 4C and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Making Findings, and Imposing
Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth below.
III.
On the basis of this Order and Respondents’ Offer, the Commission finds
3
that:
A. RESPONDENTS
1. Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA (the “Firm”) is a Florida professional association
headquartered in Edgewater, Florida. The Firm audited E’ Prime Aerospace Corporation’s (“E’
Prime”) financial statements for the company’s 2003 fiscal year ended September 30, 2003. E’
Prime dismissed the Firm as its independent auditor on May 27, 2005.
2. Charles R. Hunt, CPA, (“Hunt”), 64, of Titusville, Florida, is a certified public
accountant licensed in the state of Florida since 1989. Hunt was the engagement partner in
connection with the Firm’s audit of E’ Prime’s financial statements for the company’s 2003 fiscal
year ended September 30, 2003.
B. FACTS
1. E’ Prime is a Colorado corporation with its headquarters in Titusville, Florida. E’
Prime’s common stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Exchange Act and trades on the Pink Sheets under the symbol EPEO. For its fiscal year ended
September 30, 2003, E’ Prime reported no revenues and total assets of $234,848.
2. E’ Prime has at all relevant times been an issuer as defined by the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 (the “Act”).
3. The Firm audited E’ Prime’s 2003 financial statements included in E’ Prime’s
annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-KSB, filed with the Commission on December 23,
2003. As part of that audit, the Firm prepared and issued an audit report dated December 18, 2003
The findings herein are made pursuant to Respondents’ Offer of Settlement and are not binding on any
other person or entity in this or any other proceeding.
2
3
(the “E’ Prime audit report”), which the company included in its 2003 Form 10-KSB.
E’ Prime paid the Firm $3,500 for the audit work.
4
4. At the time the Firm issued the E’ Prime audit report, it was not registered with the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “Board”), as required by Section 102(a) of the
Act.
5. Hunt was the engagement partner on the Firm’s audit of E’ Prime’s 2003 financial
statements. Hunt participated in the preparation and issuance of the E’ Prime audit report.
C. VIOLATIONS
1. Section 102(a) of the Act provides that “it shall be unlawful for any person that is
not a registered public accounting firm to prepare or issue, or to participate in the preparation or
issuance of, any audit report with respect to any issuer.”
5
2. The provisions of Section 102(a) of the Act became effective on October 22, 2003.
6
3. Based on the conduct described above, the Firm willfully
7
violated Section 102(a)
of the Act.
4. Based on the conduct described above, Hunt caused the Firm’s violation of Section
102(a) of the Act.
D. FINDINGS
Based on the foregoing, the Commission finds that the Firm willfully violated Section
102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and that Hunt caused the Firm’s violation of Section
102(a) of the Act.
4
During the course of the Commission’s investigation, the Firm voluntarily reimbursed E’ Prime the $3,500
in audit fees. In view of the Firm’s reimbursement, the Commission is not ordering disgorgement in this matter.
5
A violation of the Act or any rule that the Board issues under the Act is treated for all purposes in the same
manner as a violation of the Exchange Act, including with respect to penalties. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 15
U.S.C.A. § 7202(b)(1) (West 2002).
6
Section 102(a) became effective “[b]eginning 180 days after the date of the determination of the
Commission under Section 101(d)” of the Act that the Board was prepared to undertake its statutory responsibilities.
The Commission made the required determination on April 25, 2003. See
Order Regarding Section 101(d) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Securities Act Release No. 8223, Exchange Act Release No. 47746, 2003 WL
1956164 (Apr. 25, 2003).
7
“Willfully” as used in this Order means intentionally committing the act that constitutes the violation.
There is no requirement that the actor also be aware that he is violating a rule or statute. See Wonsover v. SEC, 205
F.3d 408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000); Tager v. SEC, 344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).
3
E. UNDERTAKING
Respondents have undertaken not to request, demand, or accept, directly or indirectly, any
compensation from E’ Prime in connection with the audit work associated with the E’ Prime audit
report. In determining whether to accept the Offer, the Commission has considered this
undertaking.
IV.
In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate to impose the sanctions
agreed to in Respondents’ Offer.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED, effective immediately, that:
1. Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA
A. The Firm shall cease and desist from committing or causing any violations
and any future violations of Section 102(a) of the Act.
B. The Firm is censured.
C. The Firm may practice before the Commission as an independent accountant
provided that:
1. It is registered with the Board in accordance with the Act, and such
registration continues to be effective; and
2. It has submitted to the Commission staff (attention: Office of the
Chief Accountant) the Board’s letter notifying the Firm that its registration application has been
approved.
2. Charles R. Hunt, CPA,
A. Hunt shall cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and
any future violations of Section 102(a) of the Act.
B. Hunt may practice before the Commission as an independent accountant
provided that:
1. The public accounting firm with which he is associated is registered
with the Board in accordance with the Act, and such registration continues to be effective; and
4
2. He has submitted to the Commission staff (attention: Office of the
Chief Accountant) the Board’s letter notifying the public accounting firm with which he is
associated that its registration application has been approved.
By the Commission.
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
5
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 56406 / September 13, 2007
ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING ENFORCEMENT
Release No. 2686 / September 13, 2007
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-12767
In the Matter of
Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA and
Charles R. Hunt, CPA,
Respondents.
ORDER INSTITUTING PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-AND
DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO
SECTIONS 4C AND 21C OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
AND RULE 102(e) OF THE
COMMISSION’S RULES OF PRACTICE,
MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING
REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A CEASE
AND-DESIST ORDER
I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that cease-
and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA and
Charles R. Hunt, CPA, (collectively “Respondents”) pursuant to Section 21C of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), and that public administrative proceedings be, and
hereby are, instituted against Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA pursuant to Section 4C1 of the Exchange
Act and Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice.2
1 Section 4C provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure any person, or deny, temporarily or permanently, to any person the
privilege of appearing or practicing before the Commission in any way, if that person is found . . .
to have willfully violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of, any provision of the
securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.
2 Rule 102(e)(1)(iii) provides, in relevant part, that:
The Commission may censure a person or deny, temporarily or permanently, the privilege of
appearing or practicing before it in any way to any person who is found . . . to have willfully
violated, or willfully aided and abetted the violation of any provision of the Federal securities laws
or the rules and regulations thereunder.
II.
In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondents have submitted an Offer
of Settlement (“Offer”), which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for the purpose
of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or to
which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings herein, except as
to the Commission’s jurisdiction over them and the subject matter of these proceedings, which are
admitted, Respondents consent to the entry of this Order Instituting Public Administrative and
Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 4C and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Making Findings, and Imposing
Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth below.
III.
On the basis of this Order and Respondents’ Offer, the Commission finds3 that:
A. RESPONDENTS
1. Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA (the “Firm”) is a Florida professional association
headquartered in Edgewater, Florida. The Firm audited E’ Prime Aerospace Corporation’s (“E’
Prime”) financial statements for the company’s 2003 fiscal year ended September 30, 2003. E’
Prime dismissed the Firm as its independent auditor on May 27, 2005.
2. Charles R. Hunt, CPA, (“Hunt”), 64, of Titusville, Florida, is a certified public
accountant licensed in the state of Florida since 1989. Hunt was the engagement partner in
connection with the Firm’s audit of E’ Prime’s financial statements for the company’s 2003 fiscal
year ended September 30, 2003.
B. FACTS
1. E’ Prime is a Colorado corporation with its headquarters in Titusville, Florida. E’
Prime’s common stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to Section 12(g) of the
Exchange Act and trades on the Pink Sheets under the symbol EPEO. For its fiscal year ended
September 30, 2003, E’ Prime reported no revenues and total assets of $234,848.
2. E’ Prime has at all relevant times been an issuer as defined by the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002 (the “Act”).
3. The Firm audited E’ Prime’s 2003 financial statements included in E’ Prime’s
annual report for fiscal year 2003 on Form 10-KSB, filed with the Commission on December 23,
2003. As part of that audit, the Firm prepared and issued an audit report dated December 18, 2003
The findings herein are made pursuant to Respondents’ Offer of Settlement and are not binding on any
other person or entity in this or any other proceeding.
2
3
(the “E’ Prime audit report”), which the company included in its 2003 Form 10-KSB.
E’ Prime paid the Firm $3,500 for the audit work.4
4. At the time the Firm issued the E’ Prime audit report, it was not registered with the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “Board”), as required by Section 102(a) of the
Act.
5. Hunt was the engagement partner on the Firm’s audit of E’ Prime’s 2003 financial
statements. Hunt participated in the preparation and issuance of the E’ Prime audit report.
C. VIOLATIONS
1. Section 102(a) of the Act provides that “it shall be unlawful for any person that is
not a registered public accounting firm to prepare or issue, or to participate in the preparation or
issuance of, any audit report with respect to any issuer.”5
2. The provisions of Section 102(a) of the Act became effective on October 22, 2003.6
3. Based on the conduct described above, the Firm willfully7 violated Section 102(a)
of the Act.
4. Based on the conduct described above, Hunt caused the Firm’s violation of Section
102(a) of the Act.
D. FINDINGS
Based on the foregoing, the Commission finds that the Firm willfully violated Section
102(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and that Hunt caused the Firm’s violation of Section
102(a) of the Act.
4 During the course of the Commission’s investigation, the Firm voluntarily reimbursed E’ Prime the $3,500
in audit fees. In view of the Firm’s reimbursement, the Commission is not ordering disgorgement in this matter.
5 A violation of the Act or any rule that the Board issues under the Act is treated for all purposes in the same
manner as a violation of the Exchange Act, including with respect to penalties. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 15
U.S.C.A. § 7202(b)(1) (West 2002).
6 Section 102(a) became effective “[b]eginning 180 days after the date of the determination of the
Commission under Section 101(d)” of the Act that the Board was prepared to undertake its statutory responsibilities.
The Commission made the required determination on April 25, 2003. See Order Regarding Section 101(d) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Securities Act Release No. 8223, Exchange Act Release No. 47746, 2003 WL
1956164 (Apr. 25, 2003).
7 “Willfully” as used in this Order means intentionally committing the act that constitutes the violation.
There is no requirement that the actor also be aware that he is violating a rule or statute. See Wonsover v. SEC, 205
F.3d 408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000); Tager v. SEC, 344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).
3
E. UNDERTAKING
Respondents have undertaken not to request, demand, or accept, directly or indirectly, any
compensation from E’ Prime in connection with the audit work associated with the E’ Prime audit
report. In determining whether to accept the Offer, the Commission has considered this
undertaking.
IV.
In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate to impose the sanctions
agreed to in Respondents’ Offer.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED, effective immediately, that:
1. Charles R. Hunt, CPA, PA
A. The Firm shall cease and desist from committing or causing any violations
and any future violations of Section 102(a) of the Act.
B. The Firm is censured.
C. The Firm may practice before the Commission as an independent accountant
provided that:
1. It is registered with the Board in accordance with the Act, and such
registration continues to be effective; and
2. It has submitted to the Commission staff (attention: Office of the
Chief Accountant) the Board’s letter notifying the Firm that its registration application has been
approved.
2. Charles R. Hunt, CPA,
A. Hunt shall cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and
any future violations of Section 102(a) of the Act.
B. Hunt may practice before the Commission as an independent accountant
provided that:
1. The public accounting firm with which he is associated is registered
with the Board in accordance with the Act, and such registration continues to be effective; and
4
2. He has submitted to the Commission staff (attention: Office of the
Chief Accountant) the Board’s letter notifying the public accounting firm with which he is
associated that its registration application has been approved.
By the Commission.
Nancy M. Morris
Secretary
5