SEC v. JEFFREY IKAHN, No. 2:22-cv-00693, Central District of California (May 9, 2025) — Judgment
raw: Ikahn (“Defendant”) having entered a general appearance; consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over
Ikahn (“Defendant”) having entered a general appearance; consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over, No. 2:22-cv-00693 (May 9, 2025)
Jeffrey Ikahn (f/k/a Jeffrey S. Santulan) was ordered to pay over $55 million to the SEC to resolve allegations of securities and investment adviser fraud.
The SEC secured a final judgment against Jeffrey Ikahn and Safeguard Metals LLC for violations of the Exchange Act and the Advisers Act. The court ordered Ikahn to pay $25,569,303 in disgorgement, $4,821,263 in prejudgment interest, and a $25,569,303 civil penalty. These obligations, totaling $55,959,869, are subject to offsets against any amounts paid in a parallel CFTC action.
The Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a final judgment against Jeffrey Ikahn, formerly known as Jeffrey S. Santulan, and Safeguard Metals LLC for fraudulent conduct involving the Securities Exchange Act and the Advisers Act. The court permanently enjoined Ikahn from future violations involving schemes to defraud or making material omissions in connection with securities and investment advisory services. Ikahn was held jointly and severally liable for $25,569,303 in disgorgement of net profits, $4,821,263 in prejudgment interest, and a $25,569,303 civil penalty. The total payment of $55,959,869 must be made to the SEC within 30 days of the judgment. These payments are subject to offsets against any amounts paid as restitution or penalties in a parallel action brought by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. While Ikahn consented to the judgment without admitting or denying the allegations, the court ordered the funds to be sent to the United States Treasury.
Extracted insights
- $55.96M $55,959,869 $10M–$100M
- $25.57M $25,569,303 $10M–$100M
- $4.82M $4,821,263 $1M–$10M
- person defendant jeffrey ikahn
- person Jeffrey Ikahn
- person John F. Walter
- organization Safeguard Metals LLC
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- court united states district court central district of california, western division
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed a Complaint Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn
- Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn entered a general appearance United States District Court Central District of California, Western Division
- Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over Defendant and the subject matter of this action
- Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn waived findings of fact and conclusions of law any right to appeal from this Final Judgment
- Court restrained and enjoined Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5
- Court restrained and enjoined Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn from violating Section 206(1) and Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act
JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT
JEFFREY IKAHN
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, WESTERN DIVISION
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION,
Plaintiff,
vs.
SAFEGUARD METALS LLC AND
JEFFREY IKAHN (f/k/a/ JEFFREY S.
SANTULAN),
Defendants.
Case No. 2:22-CV-00693 JFW (SKx)
Hon. John F. Walter, Crtrm 7A
FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO
DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN
Complaint Filed: Feb. 1, 2022
The Securities and Exchange Commission having filed a Complaint and Defendant Jeffrey
Ikahn (“Defendant”) having entered a general appearance; consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over
Defendant and the subject matter of this action; consented to entry of this Final Judgment without
admitting or denying the allegations of the Complaint (except as to jurisdiction and except as
otherwise provided herein in paragraph IV); waived findings of fact and conclusions of law; and
waived any right to appeal from this Final Judgment:
I.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is permanently
restrained and enjoined from violating, directly or indirectly, Section 10(b) of the Securities
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FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT
JEFFREY IKAHN
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Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) [15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)] and Rule 10b-5 promulgated
thereunder [17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5], by using any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce,
or of the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, in connection with the
purchase or sale of any security:
(a) to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud;
(b) to make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; or
(c) to engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would
operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, as provided in Federal
Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2), the foregoing paragraph also binds the following who receive
actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or otherwise: (a) Defendant’s officers,
agents, servants, employees, and attorneys; and (b) other persons in active concert or participation
with Defendant or with anyone described in (a).
II.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is permanently
restrained and enjoined from violating, directly or indirectly, Section 206(1) and Section 206(2) of
the Advisers Act [15 U.S.C. §§ 80b-6(1) and 80b-6(2)] (“Advisers Act”), by making use of the
mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce, in connection with the conduct of
business as an investment adviser, directly or indirectly:
(i) to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud any investment advisory clients or
prospective clients; or
(ii) to engage in any transaction, practice or course of business which operates as a fraud or
deceit upon any such investment advisory clients or prospective clients.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, as provided in Federal
Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2), the foregoing paragraph also binds the following who receive
actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or otherwise: (a) Defendant’s officers,
#:579
FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT
JEFFREY IKAHN
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agents, servants, employees, and attorneys; and (b) other persons in active concert or participation
with Defendant or with anyone described in (a).
III.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is liable,
jointly and severally with Defendant Safeguard Metals LLC, for disgorgement of $25,569,303,
representing net profits gained as a result of the conduct alleged in the Complaint, to be offset
against any amounts paid in restitution to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”)
in its parallel action, CFTC, et al. v. Safeguard Metals LLC and Jeffrey Santulan, 2:22-cv-00691-
JFW(SKx), together with prejudgment interest thereon in the amount of $4,821,263. The Court
finds that sending the disgorged funds to the United States Treasury, as ordered below, is consistent
with equitable principles. The Court further imposes, jointly and severally with Defendant
Safeguard Metals LLC, a civil penalty in the amount of $25,569,303, pursuant to Section 21(d)(3)
of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u(d)(3)], and Section 209(e) of the Advisers Act [15 U.S.C. §
80b-9(e)], to be offset against any amounts paid as a penalty to the CFTC in its parallel action.
Defendant shall satisfy these obligations by paying $55,959,869 to the Securities and Exchange
Commission within 30 days after entry of this Final Judgment.
Defendant may transmit payment electronically to the Commission, which will provide
detailed ACH transfer/Fedwire instructions upon request. Payment may also be made directly from
a bank account via Pay.gov through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm.
Defendant may also pay by certified check, bank cashier’s check, or United States postal money
order payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which shall be delivered or mailed to
Enterprise Services Center
Accounts Receivable Branch
6500 South MacArthur Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73169
and shall be accompanied by a letter identifying the case title, civil action number, and name of this
Court; Jeffrey Ikahn as a defendant in this action; and specifying that payment is made pursuant to
this Final Judgment.
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FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT
JEFFREY IKAHN
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Defendant shall simultaneously transmit photocopies of evidence of payment and case
identifying information to the Commission’s counsel in this action. By making this payment,
Defendant relinquishes all legal and equitable right, title, and interest in such funds and no part of
the funds shall be returned to Defendant. The Commission shall send the funds paid pursuant to
this Final Judgment to the United States Treasury.
The Commission may enforce the Court’s judgment for disgorgement and prejudgment
interest by using all collection procedures authorized by law, including, but not limited to, moving
for civil contempt at any time after 30 days following entry of this Final Judgment. The
Commission may enforce the Court’s judgment for penalties by the use of all collection procedures
authorized by law, including the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act, 28 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.,
and moving for civil contempt for the violation of any Court orders issued in this action. Defendant
shall pay post judgment interest on any amounts due after 30 days of the entry of this Final
Judgment pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1961.
IV.
IT
IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, solely for purposes of
exceptions to discharge set forth in Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §523, the
allegations in the complaint are true and admitted by Defendant, and further, any debt for
disgorgement, prejudgment interest, civil penalty or other amounts due by Defendant under this
Final Judgment or any other judgment, order, consent order, decree or settlement agreement entered
in connection with this proceeding, is a debt for the violation by Defendant of the federal securities
laws or any regulation or order issued under such laws, as set forth in Section 523(a)(19) of the
Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §523(a)(19).
/ / /
/ / /
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FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT
JEFFREY IKAHN
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V.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that this Court shall retain
jurisdiction of this matter for the purposes of enforcing the terms of this Final Judgment.
Dated: May 2, 2025
____________________________________
John F. Walter
UNITED STATES DISTR T JUDGE
_________________________________________
JohnFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. Walter
UNUNUUUNNNNNNUNUUUUUUUNNNNNNNITITTTTTTITTTTTTTTTTITTIIITIITEEDE STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
#:582JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, WESTERN DIVISION SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, Plaintiff, vs. SAFEGUARD METALS LLC AND JEFFREY IKAHN (f/k/a/ JEFFREY S. SANTULAN), Defendants. Case No. 2:22-CV-00693 JFW (SKx) Hon. John F. Walter, Crtrm 7A FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN Complaint Filed: Feb. 1, 2022 The Securities and Exchange Commission having filed a Complaint and Defendant Jeffrey Ikahn (“Defendant”) having entered a general appearance; consented to the Court’s jurisdiction over Defendant and the subject matter of this action; consented to entry of this Final Judgment without admitting or denying the allegations of the Complaint (except as to jurisdiction and except as otherwise provided herein in paragraph IV); waived findings of fact and conclusions of law; and waived any right to appeal from this Final Judgment: I. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is permanently restrained and enjoined from violating, directly or indirectly, Section 10(b) of the Securities Case 2:22-cv-00693-JFW-SK Document 71 Filed 05/02/25 Page 1 of 5 Page ID #:578 FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) [15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)] and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder [17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5], by using any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce, or of the mails, or of any facility of any national securities exchange, in connection with the purchase or sale of any security: (a) to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud; (b) to make any untrue statement of a material fact or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (c) to engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, as provided in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2), the foregoing paragraph also binds the following who receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or otherwise: (a) Defendant’s officers, agents, servants, employees, and attorneys; and (b) other persons in active concert or participation with Defendant or with anyone described in (a). II. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is permanently restrained and enjoined from violating, directly or indirectly, Section 206(1) and Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act [15 U.S.C. §§ 80b-6(1) and 80b-6(2)] (“Advisers Act”), by making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce, in connection with the conduct of business as an investment adviser, directly or indirectly: (i) to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud any investment advisory clients or prospective clients; or (ii) to engage in any transaction, practice or course of business which operates as a fraud or deceit upon any such investment advisory clients or prospective clients. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, as provided in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 65(d)(2), the foregoing paragraph also binds the following who receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or otherwise: (a) Defendant’s officers, Case 2:22-cv-00693-JFW-SK Document 71 Filed 05/02/25 Page 2 of 5 Page ID #:579 FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 agents, servants, employees, and attorneys; and (b) other persons in active concert or participation with Defendant or with anyone described in (a). III. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Defendant is liable, jointly and severally with Defendant Safeguard Metals LLC, for disgorgement of $25,569,303, representing net profits gained as a result of the conduct alleged in the Complaint, to be offset against any amounts paid in restitution to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) in its parallel action, CFTC, et al. v. Safeguard Metals LLC and Jeffrey Santulan, 2:22-cv-00691- JFW(SKx), together with prejudgment interest thereon in the amount of $4,821,263. The Court finds that sending the disgorged funds to the United States Treasury, as ordered below, is consistent with equitable principles. The Court further imposes, jointly and severally with Defendant Safeguard Metals LLC, a civil penalty in the amount of $25,569,303, pursuant to Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78u(d)(3)], and Section 209(e) of the Advisers Act [15 U.S.C. § 80b-9(e)], to be offset against any amounts paid as a penalty to the CFTC in its parallel action. Defendant shall satisfy these obligations by paying $55,959,869 to the Securities and Exchange Commission within 30 days after entry of this Final Judgment. Defendant may transmit payment electronically to the Commission, which will provide detailed ACH transfer/Fedwire instructions upon request. Payment may also be made directly from a bank account via Pay.gov through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm. Defendant may also pay by certified check, bank cashier’s check, or United States postal money order payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which shall be delivered or mailed to Enterprise Services Center Accounts Receivable Branch 6500 South MacArthur Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73169 and shall be accompanied by a letter identifying the case title, civil action number, and name of this Court; Jeffrey Ikahn as a defendant in this action; and specifying that payment is made pursuant to this Final Judgment. Case 2:22-cv-00693-JFW-SK Document 71 Filed 05/02/25 Page 3 of 5 Page ID #:580 FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Defendant shall simultaneously transmit photocopies of evidence of payment and case identifying information to the Commission’s counsel in this action. By making this payment, Defendant relinquishes all legal and equitable right, title, and interest in such funds and no part of the funds shall be returned to Defendant. The Commission shall send the funds paid pursuant to this Final Judgment to the United States Treasury. The Commission may enforce the Court’s judgment for disgorgement and prejudgment interest by using all collection procedures authorized by law, including, but not limited to, moving for civil contempt at any time after 30 days following entry of this Final Judgment. The Commission may enforce the Court’s judgment for penalties by the use of all collection procedures authorized by law, including the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act, 28 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq., and moving for civil contempt for the violation of any Court orders issued in this action. Defendant shall pay post judgment interest on any amounts due after 30 days of the entry of this Final Judgment pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1961. IV. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, solely for purposes of exceptions to discharge set forth in Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §523, the allegations in the complaint are true and admitted by Defendant, and further, any debt for disgorgement, prejudgment interest, civil penalty or other amounts due by Defendant under this Final Judgment or any other judgment, order, consent order, decree or settlement agreement entered in connection with this proceeding, is a debt for the violation by Defendant of the federal securities laws or any regulation or order issued under such laws, as set forth in Section 523(a)(19) of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §523(a)(19). / / / / / / Case 2:22-cv-00693-JFW-SK Document 71 Filed 05/02/25 Page 4 of 5 Page ID #:581 FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT JEFFREY IKAHN 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 V. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that this Court shall retain jurisdiction of this matter for the purposes of enforcing the terms of this Final Judgment. Dated: May 2, 2025 ____________________________________ John F. Walter UNITED STATES DISTR T JUDGE _________________________________________ John FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF. Walter UNUNUUUNNNNNNUNUUUUUUUNNNNNNNITITTTTTTITTTTTTTTTTITTIIITIITEEDE STATES DISTRICT JUDGE Case 2:22-cv-00693-JFW-SK Document 71 Filed 05/02/25 Page 5 of 5 Page ID #:582