The U.S. Securities and Trade Fee (SEC) is settling securities fraud allegations levied in opposition to the Seattle-based firm Coinme Inc. for $4 million in penalties.
In response to an SEC announcement, the US securities regulator accuses Coinme, its subsidiary Up International and Neil Bergquist, the CEO of each entities, of violating securities regulation for promoting the digital asset UpToken (UP).
The SEC additionally accuses Bergquist and Up International of constructing false and deceptive statements relating to the demand for UpToken and the quantity raised within the preliminary coin providing (ICO).
The phrases of the settlement embody Up International agreeing to pay a $3.52 million penalty for which Coinme is liable, Coinme agreeing to pay a separate $250,000 penalty and Bergquist agreeing to pay a penalty of $150,000.
The SEC expenses relate to the ICO between October sixteenth, 2017 to December fifteenth, 2017.
In response to the SEC, Coinme, Up International and Bergquist falsely marketed that buyers may see beneficial properties in accumulating UpToken as Coinme supposed to purchase the digital asset within the secondary market following the ICO. The SEC goes on to say that each Bergquist and Up International had already taken measures to front-run potential UpToken buyers.
“Bergquist and Up International took steps earlier than and all through the ICO to acquire an UpToken provide that will considerably scale back Coinme’s must buy UpToken after the ICO, and in addition knowingly or recklessly publicly inflated quantities raised within the ICO.”
The announcement additionally reveals that Coinme, Up International and Bergquist agreed to settle the fees with out admitting or denying the SEC’s accusations.
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