SEC v. Alfred V. Tobia, Jr.; and Elizabeth Lee, No. LR-26218, Southern District of New York (Jan. 13, 2025) — Press Release
raw: Alfred V. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee
Alfred V. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee, No. LR-26218 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 13, 2025)
Alfred V. Tobia, Jr. and his sister-in-law Elizabeth Lee settled SEC insider trading charges for $1.36 million regarding Spok Holdings and PFSWeb, Inc. acquisitions.
The SEC charged former public company officer Alfred V. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee with insider trading that generated over $428,000 in illegal profits. The defendants face charges for violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5. To settle the matter, they agreed to pay more than $1.36 million in combined civil penalties, with Tobia also accepting a five-year bar from serving as a public company officer or director.
The SEC charged Alfred V. Tobia, Jr., a former public company officer and board member, and his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Lee, with insider trading. Tobia allegedly used his positions to tip Lee about two major events: his company's acquisition of Spok Holdings Inc. and the sale of PFSWeb, Inc.’s LiveArea business unit. These tips allowed Lee to generate over $262,000 from Spok trades and more than $166,000 from PFSWeb trades. The total illegal profits exceeded $428,000. To resolve the charges of violating Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5, the defendants agreed to a settlement exceeding $1.36 million. Tobia will pay a $785,020 penalty and face a five-year bar from public company leadership, while Lee will pay $576,955. The settlement is subject to court approval in the Southern District of New York.
Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)
Extracted insights
- $1.36M $1.36 million $1M–$10M
- $785K $785,020 $100K–$1M
- $577K $576,955 $100K–$1M
- $428K $428,000 $100K–$1M
- $262K $262,000 $100K–$1M
- $166K $166,000 $100K–$1M
- person elizabeth lee
- agency financial industry regulatory authority for its assistance
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- agency settle sec charges without admitting or denying allegations
- Securities And Exchange Commission charged Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee with insider trading that resulted in more than $428,000 in illegal profits
- Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. tipped Elizabeth Lee about his company's plan to acquire all outstanding shares of Spok Holdings Inc.
- Elizabeth Lee purchased Spok stock after being tipped by Alfred v. Tobia, Jr.
- Elizabeth Lee sold all Spok shares she purchased, generating illicit profits of more than $262,000
- Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. learned material nonpublic information about PFSWeb, Inc.'s sale of its LiveArea business unit
- Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. tipped Elizabeth Lee about PFSWeb, Inc.'s sale of its LiveArea business unit
- Elizabeth Lee purchased 60,000 shares of PFSWeb based on tipped information
- Elizabeth Lee sold PFSWeb shares after LiveArea transaction announcement, making more than $166,000 in profit
- Securities And Exchange Commission charged Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5
- Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. agreed to pay a civil penalty of $785,020 and be barred from serving as officer or director of public company for five years
- Elizabeth Lee agreed to pay a civil penalty of $576,955
- Alfred v. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee agreed to settle SEC charges without admitting or denying allegations
- SEC investigated this matter with Mariel Bronen, Kiran Patel, Oren Gleich, Elizabeth Baier, George O’Kane, and George N. Stepaniuk
- SEC thanked Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for its assistance
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26218 / January 13, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Alfred V. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee, No. 1:25-civ-00280 (S.D.N.Y. filed Jan. 13, 2025) SEC Charges Former Public Company Officer and His Sister-In-Law with Insider Trading On January 13, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Alfred V. Tobia, Jr., the former president and chief investment officer (CIO) of one public company and a member of the board of another, and his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Lee, with insider trading that resulted in more than $428,000 in illegal profits. The defendants have agreed to pay more than $1.36 million to settle the charges. According to the SEC’s complaint, Tobia allegedly breached his fiduciary duty as president and CIO of the public company by tipping Lee in the Summer of 2021 about his company’s plan to make an offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Spok Holdings Inc., after which Lee promptly placed trades to purchase Spok stock. When Tobia’s company later issued a press release announcing the offer, Spok’s stock price increased by approximately 26 percent. Within two days, Lee allegedly sold all of the Spok shares she had purchased, generating illicit profits of more than $262,000. In addition, while serving as a member of the board of the other public company, Tobia allegedly learned material nonpublic information about PFSWeb, Inc.’s sale of one of its business units known as LiveArea. Tobia allegedly tipped the information to Lee, who purchased 60,000 shares of PFSWeb and sold those shares once the LiveArea transaction was announced. As a result, Lee made more than $166,000 in profit. The SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges Tobia and Lee with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC’s complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Tobia and Lee have both agreed to settle the SEC’s charges. In addition to agreeing to permanent injunctive relief, Tobia has agreed to be barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company for five years and to pay a civil penalty of $785,020. In addition, Lee has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $576,955. The settlements are subject to court approval. The investigation of this matter was conducted by Mariel Bronen, Kiran Patel, Oren Gleich, Elizabeth Baier, George O’Kane, and George N. Stepaniuk of the SEC’s New York Regional Office and was supervised by Ms. Shah. The SEC wishes to thank the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for its assistance.
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Litigation Release No. 26218 / January 13, 2025 Securities and Exchange Commission v. Alfred V. Tobia, Jr. and Elizabeth Lee, No. 1:25-civ-00280 (S.D.N.Y. filed Jan. 13, 2025) SEC Charges Former Public Company Officer and His Sister-In-Law with Insider Trading On January 13, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Alfred V. Tobia, Jr., the former president and chief investment officer (CIO) of one public company and a member of the board of another, and his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Lee, with insider trading that resulted in more than $428,000 in illegal profits. The defendants have agreed to pay more than $1.36 million to settle the charges. According to the SEC’s complaint, Tobia allegedly breached his fiduciary duty as president and CIO of the public company by tipping Lee in the Summer of 2021 about his company’s plan to make an offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Spok Holdings Inc., after which Lee promptly placed trades to purchase Spok stock. When Tobia’s company later issued a press release announcing the offer, Spok’s stock price increased by approximately 26 percent. Within two days, Lee allegedly sold all of the Spok shares she had purchased, generating illicit profits of more than $262,000. In addition, while serving as a member of the board of the other public company, Tobia allegedly learned material nonpublic information about PFSWeb, Inc.’s sale of one of its business units known as LiveArea. Tobia allegedly tipped the information to Lee, who purchased 60,000 shares of PFSWeb and sold those shares once the LiveArea transaction was announced. As a result, Lee made more than $166,000 in profit. The SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges Tobia and Lee with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC’s complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Tobia and Lee have both agreed to settle the SEC’s charges. In addition to agreeing to permanent injunctive relief, Tobia has agreed to be barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company for five years and to pay a civil penalty of $785,020. In addition, Lee has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $576,955. The settlements are subject to court approval. The investigation of this matter was conducted by Mariel Bronen, Kiran Patel, Oren Gleich, Elizabeth Baier, George O’Kane, and George N. Stepaniuk of the SEC’s New York Regional Office and was supervised by Ms. Shah. The SEC wishes to thank the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for its assistance.