SEC Press pdf 275 KB 9,359 chars

In re Charles R. Hunt

summary

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.

paragraph

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.

narrative

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.

Enriched metadata

Scheme
accounting-fraud (100%)
Outcome
settled
Classified accounting-fraud(confidence 100%). EDGAR detection: forms 10-K/10-Q/8-K/NT 10-K· recall 80% / precision 48%. detection rule →
Statutes
SECTIONS 4C AND 21C OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACTSECTIONS 4C AND 21C OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
Parties
e' prime aerospace corporationSecurities and Exchange Commission
Keywords
commissioncharles hunthuntfirmprimesecurities exchangecharlesexchangeaudit reportauditsecuritiescparespondentsprime auditorder

Extracted insights

Dollar amounts 3
  • $235K $234,848 $100K–$1M
  • $4K $3,500 <$10K
  • $4K $3,500 <$10K
Entities 2
  • company e' prime aerospace corporation
  • agency Securities and Exchange Commission
Triples 8
  • 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
Text layers
Extracted body text (9,359c)

                                                 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 
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OCR text (8,890c · tika · 95% conf)
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