SEC v. Jose D. Rocha, No. LR-26365, District of Massachusetts (July 30, 2025) — Press Release
raw: Jose D. Rocha
Jose D. Rocha, No. 1:23-cv-11779 (July 30, 2025)
summary
Jose D. Rocha obtained a final judgment after running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 13 Cape Verdean community investors of over $1 million through false return promises.
paragraph
Jose D. Rocha was charged with operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded 13 investors of more than $1 million by promising guaranteed 12% monthly returns. He violated antifraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The final judgment permanently enjoins Rocha from future securities violations and prohibits him from participating in the offer or sale of any securities.
narrative
The SEC obtained a final judgment against Jose D. Rocha for operating a Ponzi scheme targeting 13 investors in the Cape Verdean community around Boston. Rocha promised guaranteed monthly returns of 12%, but he used only a small portion of funds for unsuccessful leveraged trades. The majority of the $1 million collected was spent on his gambling habit and a luxury lifestyle. To sustain the scheme, Rocha used funds from later investors to pay out earlier ones. He faces permanent injunctions against violating antifraud provisions of the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act, and the Investment Advisers Act. Additionally, Rocha is barred from participating in the offer or sale of any securities to investors.
Classified ponzi(confidence 100%). EDGAR detection: forms Form D· recall 35% / precision 15%. detection rule →
Statutes
Parties
GodfreyAFAM Concept, Inc. d/b/a JF Labs, Inc.
Keywords
rochajose rochasecurities exchangesecuritiesexchange commissionjoseexchangefinalinvestorsjuly securitiesfinal againstponzi schemerocha usedrocha consentedconsented entry
Exhibits & Attached Documents (2)
Extracted insights
Dollar amounts 1
- $1.00M $1 million $1M–$10M
Entities 3
- person jose d. rocha
- scheme_term offering fraud and ponzi scheme
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
Triples 10
- Securities And Exchange Commission obtained final judgment against Jose D. Rocha
- Jose D. Rocha charged with offering fraud and Ponzi scheme
- Jose D. Rocha took over $1 million from 13 investors in the Cape Verdean community around the Boston area
- Jose D. Rocha promised investors he would invest their money in securities with guaranteed returns of 12% per month
- Jose D. Rocha used only a small percentage of the money to make highly leveraged, and highly unsuccessful, trades of stock and stock options
- Jose D. Rocha spent the balance of the funds to feed his gambling habit and embark on a luxury lifestyle
- Jose D. Rocha used money from later investments to pay out on earlier investments
- Jose D. Rocha consented to entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from violations of the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
- Jose D. Rocha consented to entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from participating in the offer or sale of any security to investors or potential investors
- Securities And Exchange Commission conducted litigation by Alfred Day, Jeffrey Cook, Patrick Noone, and Celia Moore of the SEC's Boston Regional Office
PDF (from attached: complaint)
Text layers
Extracted body text (1,757c)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26365 / July 30, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jose D. Rocha, No. 1:23-cv-11779 (D. Mass. filed Aug. 3, 2023) SEC Obtains Final Judgment Against Defendant Charged with Offering Fraud and Ponzi Scheme On July 29, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a final judgment against Jose D. Rocha, whom the SEC previously charged with running a Ponzi scheme in which he took over $1 million from 13 investors in the Cape Verdean community around the Boston area. The SEC's complaint was filed in August 2023 and charged Rocha with having promised investors he would invest their money in securities with guaranteed returns of 12% per month. Instead, the complaint alleged, Rocha used only a small percentage of the money to make highly leveraged, and highly unsuccessful, trades of stock and stock options. Rocha allegedly spent the balance of the funds, the vast majority, to feed his gambling habit and embark on a luxury lifestyle. According to the complaint, Rocha also used money from later investments to pay out on earlier investments. Rocha consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from violations of the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In addition, Rocha consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from participating in the offer or sale of any security to investors or potential investors. The SEC's litigation was conducted by Alfred Day, Jeffrey Cook, Patrick Noone, and Celia Moore of the SEC's Boston Regional Office.
OCR text (1,757c · html-text · 99% conf)
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26365 / July 30, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jose D. Rocha, No. 1:23-cv-11779 (D. Mass. filed Aug. 3, 2023) SEC Obtains Final Judgment Against Defendant Charged with Offering Fraud and Ponzi Scheme On July 29, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a final judgment against Jose D. Rocha, whom the SEC previously charged with running a Ponzi scheme in which he took over $1 million from 13 investors in the Cape Verdean community around the Boston area. The SEC's complaint was filed in August 2023 and charged Rocha with having promised investors he would invest their money in securities with guaranteed returns of 12% per month. Instead, the complaint alleged, Rocha used only a small percentage of the money to make highly leveraged, and highly unsuccessful, trades of stock and stock options. Rocha allegedly spent the balance of the funds, the vast majority, to feed his gambling habit and embark on a luxury lifestyle. According to the complaint, Rocha also used money from later investments to pay out on earlier investments. Rocha consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from violations of the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In addition, Rocha consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from participating in the offer or sale of any security to investors or potential investors. The SEC's litigation was conducted by Alfred Day, Jeffrey Cook, Patrick Noone, and Celia Moore of the SEC's Boston Regional Office.