Regulation Crowdfunding
SEC Accepts Settlement On Cannabis Crowdfunding Scheme
Dec 30, 2021
The crowdfunding portal implicated in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) first enforcement action involving crowdfunding regulations has reached a settlement with the regulator, as reported by Law360.
TruCrowd Inc., which does business as Fundanna, has agreed to pay $243,747 in disgorgement, interest and penalties to tie up claims that it ignored red flags about businessman Robert Shumake Jr. and his two cannabis-related companies that raised nearly $2 million in allegedly fraudulent crowdfunding offerings.
The money was supposed to be used to buy and invest in cannabis properties, but no money was ever used for those purposes. Instead, the money was siphoned off for personal use. In addition to that, the SEC also charged the registered crowdfunding portal, TruCrowd, and its CEO Vincent Petrescu, who placed the offerings on the portal’s platform. For his part, Petrescu will pay a $9,700 fine as part of the settlement.
Law360 reported that neither he nor TruCrowd admits or denies the SEC’s allegations against them.
In addition to those settlements, Shumake’s associate Nicole Birch has also agreed to settle the claims against her by paying more than $679,000 in disgorgement and interest as well as a $200,000 fine. The report also stated that she also neither admits nor denies the claims.
According to the SEC’s complaint, Robert Shumake, alongside associates Nicole Birch and Willard Jackson, conducted fraudulent and unregistered crowdfunding offerings through two cannabis and hemp companies, Transatlantic Real Estate LLC and 420 Real Estate LLC.
The complaint alleges that Shumake and Birch raised $1,020,100 from retail investors through Transatlantic Real Estate, while Shumake and Jackson raised $888,180 through 420 Real Estate. Shumake, Birch, and Jackson allegedly diverted investor funds for personal use rather than using the funds for the purposes disclosed to investors.
Birch was the CEO of Transatlantic Real Estate and Bangi, Inc. The complaint alleges that Birch facilitated the payment of money from the Transatlantic Real Estate offering to herself and to H.B. Associates. Birch is also CEO of Bangi, which is a publicly-traded company that supposedly specializes in the acquisition and leasing of properties that support the cannabis industry.
Bangi’s common stock trades in the over-the-counter market under the symbol “BNGI.” Jackson was the CEO of 420 real Estate and is accused of Jackson taking the payment of money from the 420 Real Estate offering to the Jackson Entities. 420 Real Estate is a Houston TX LLC.
Investors were unaware of Shumake’s criminal past when they invested in the real estate companies. According to the filing, in December 2017, Shumake pled guilty to two misdemeanor violations of the Michigan Credit Services Protection Act, and on behalf of his business, to two felony counts of obtaining money by false pretense, for improperly taking upfront fees for mortgage audit services that he promised, but failed to deliver (People v. Shumake, et al., Mich. 46th Jud. Dist. (Feb. 15, 2017)).
The filing went on to say that the presiding court sentenced Shumake to a probationary period of 18 months, during which time Shumake was forbidden to work in a position where he could have “direct control over, or access to, another person’s money.” Before his probation ended in May 2019, he is said to have begun working with the Transatlantic Real Estate offering with Birch and set in motion the 420 Real Estate offering with Jackson.
The complaint suggested that Shunake’s personal relationship with Birch led them to create the crowdfunding scheme and hide Shumake’s involvement with the company. The complaint also says that “Shumake regularly attended and participated in Bangi Board meetings, gave direction to the company’s officers and directors, and conducted business on behalf of Bangi.
Board minutes identify Shumake as the founder of Bangi. Bangi Directors and Shumake discussed his criminal history and its potential impact on prospective investors. Despite his involvement in the affairs of Bangi, Shumake elected not to serve as an officer or director of the company. Nor was he listed on Bangi’s website.”
Through the Bangi company, Shumake connected with Jackson to create 420 Real Estate and also hide his involvement with that company. The fear was that if investors became aware of Shunake’s criminal past they wouldn’t want to commit any money.
The SEC alleges that The Transatlantic Real Estate offering statement lied to potential investors. They claim that Transatlantic Real Estate told investors it had employed a senior management team that had significant experience in the real estate industry and sophisticated finance and capital markets expertise, which wasn’t the case.
Investors were also told that Transatlantic Real Estate had acquired a 9-plus acre property with 80,000 Square Foot Green Houses located in California; and that Transatlantic Real Estate would use $584,220 of the proceeds for “property improvement.” None of which was true. 420 Real Estate is also being accused of making similar false claims to investors.
Shumake’s connection to the company was kept secret even though he directed communications with current and prospective investors, lined up a transfer agent for Transatlantic Real Estate, helped prepare documents and promote the offering, solicited Transatlantic Real Estate advertisements from third parties, and drafted advertising scripts for social media. Shumake is also accused of performing similar duties for 420 Real Estate without that being disclosed to investors.
The crowdfunding site called TruCrowd is a registered funding portal. The SEC alleges that CEO Vincent Petrescu hosted the Transatlantic Real Estate and 420 Real Estate offerings on its platform but is accused of failing to address red flags including Shumake’s criminal history and involvement in the crowdfunding offerings, and otherwise failed to reduce the risk of fraud to investors. Some 2,000 investors from various states gave money to the companies without knowing that they were being given false information about the companies.
Petrescu is responsible for selecting the companies for his site. He also assisted in preparing the documents for the offerings. In exchange for its services in connection with the Transatlantic Real Estate and 420 Real Estate crowdfunding offerings, TruCrowd received $91,679 and $48,412, respectively.
Petrescu was aware of Shumake’s deep involvement with the companies and continued to keep investors in the dark about his connections. Petrescu continued to work with Shumake despite learning of his past through a securities lawyer who declined to work with Shumake for a Reg-A offering proposed for Bangi.
Apparently, it didn’t take investors long to suspect they were being scammed and began sending complaints to Petrescu, who either ignored them or assured the investors that everything was okay. No registration statements were filed with the SEC.
The SEC’s complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges Shumake, Birch, Jackson, and 420 Real Estate with violating the antifraud and registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and seeks disgorgement plus pre-judgment interest, penalties, permanent injunctions, and officer and director bars.
The complaint also charges TruCrowd and Petrescu with violating the crowdfunding rules of the Securities Act and seeks disgorgement plus pre-judgment interest, penalties, and permanent injunctions.
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Our clients include broker dealers, family offices, wealth managers, incubators, accelerators, social impact and real estate funds, in providing customized SaaS solutions to power private capital and alternative investment platforms, with a strong focus on investor management services.
Capital Engine® provides a comprehensive, integrated suite of digital investment tools, back office technology and distribution platform to connect private capital with HNW individuals and family office capital.
Our software helps leverage the opportunity to better originate and showcase a diverse selection of private investment deals and offer these to investors i.e. a deal’s potential viability can be better assessed, market appetite determined and transaction promptly closed.
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TruCrowd Inc., which does business as Fundanna, has agreed to pay $243,747 in disgorgement, interest and penalties to tie up claims that it ignored red flags about businessman Robert Shumake Jr. and his two cannabis-related companies that raised nearly $2 million in allegedly fraudulent crowdfunding offerings.
The money was supposed to be used to buy and invest in cannabis properties, but no money was ever used for those purposes. Instead, the money was siphoned off for personal use. In addition to that, the SEC also charged the registered crowdfunding portal, TruCrowd, and its CEO Vincent Petrescu, who placed the offerings on the portal’s platform. For his part, Petrescu will pay a $9,700 fine as part of the settlement.
Law360 reported that neither he nor TruCrowd admits or denies the SEC’s allegations against them.
In addition to those settlements, Shumake’s associate Nicole Birch has also agreed to settle the claims against her by paying more than $679,000 in disgorgement and interest as well as a $200,000 fine. The report also stated that she also neither admits nor denies the claims.
According to the SEC’s complaint, Robert Shumake, alongside associates Nicole Birch and Willard Jackson, conducted fraudulent and unregistered crowdfunding offerings through two cannabis and hemp companies, Transatlantic Real Estate LLC and 420 Real Estate LLC.
The complaint alleges that Shumake and Birch raised $1,020,100 from retail investors through Transatlantic Real Estate, while Shumake and Jackson raised $888,180 through 420 Real Estate. Shumake, Birch, and Jackson allegedly diverted investor funds for personal use rather than using the funds for the purposes disclosed to investors.
Birch was the CEO of Transatlantic Real Estate and Bangi, Inc. The complaint alleges that Birch facilitated the payment of money from the Transatlantic Real Estate offering to herself and to H.B. Associates. Birch is also CEO of Bangi, which is a publicly-traded company that supposedly specializes in the acquisition and leasing of properties that support the cannabis industry.
Bangi’s common stock trades in the over-the-counter market under the symbol “BNGI.” Jackson was the CEO of 420 real Estate and is accused of Jackson taking the payment of money from the 420 Real Estate offering to the Jackson Entities. 420 Real Estate is a Houston TX LLC.
Investors were unaware of Shumake’s criminal past when they invested in the real estate companies. According to the filing, in December 2017, Shumake pled guilty to two misdemeanor violations of the Michigan Credit Services Protection Act, and on behalf of his business, to two felony counts of obtaining money by false pretense, for improperly taking upfront fees for mortgage audit services that he promised, but failed to deliver (People v. Shumake, et al., Mich. 46th Jud. Dist. (Feb. 15, 2017)).
The filing went on to say that the presiding court sentenced Shumake to a probationary period of 18 months, during which time Shumake was forbidden to work in a position where he could have “direct control over, or access to, another person’s money.” Before his probation ended in May 2019, he is said to have begun working with the Transatlantic Real Estate offering with Birch and set in motion the 420 Real Estate offering with Jackson.
The complaint suggested that Shunake’s personal relationship with Birch led them to create the crowdfunding scheme and hide Shumake’s involvement with the company. The complaint also says that “Shumake regularly attended and participated in Bangi Board meetings, gave direction to the company’s officers and directors, and conducted business on behalf of Bangi.
Board minutes identify Shumake as the founder of Bangi. Bangi Directors and Shumake discussed his criminal history and its potential impact on prospective investors. Despite his involvement in the affairs of Bangi, Shumake elected not to serve as an officer or director of the company. Nor was he listed on Bangi’s website.”
Through the Bangi company, Shumake connected with Jackson to create 420 Real Estate and also hide his involvement with that company. The fear was that if investors became aware of Shunake’s criminal past they wouldn’t want to commit any money.
The SEC alleges that The Transatlantic Real Estate offering statement lied to potential investors. They claim that Transatlantic Real Estate told investors it had employed a senior management team that had significant experience in the real estate industry and sophisticated finance and capital markets expertise, which wasn’t the case.
Investors were also told that Transatlantic Real Estate had acquired a 9-plus acre property with 80,000 Square Foot Green Houses located in California; and that Transatlantic Real Estate would use $584,220 of the proceeds for “property improvement.” None of which was true. 420 Real Estate is also being accused of making similar false claims to investors.
Shumake’s connection to the company was kept secret even though he directed communications with current and prospective investors, lined up a transfer agent for Transatlantic Real Estate, helped prepare documents and promote the offering, solicited Transatlantic Real Estate advertisements from third parties, and drafted advertising scripts for social media. Shumake is also accused of performing similar duties for 420 Real Estate without that being disclosed to investors.
The crowdfunding site called TruCrowd is a registered funding portal. The SEC alleges that CEO Vincent Petrescu hosted the Transatlantic Real Estate and 420 Real Estate offerings on its platform but is accused of failing to address red flags including Shumake’s criminal history and involvement in the crowdfunding offerings, and otherwise failed to reduce the risk of fraud to investors. Some 2,000 investors from various states gave money to the companies without knowing that they were being given false information about the companies.
Petrescu is responsible for selecting the companies for his site. He also assisted in preparing the documents for the offerings. In exchange for its services in connection with the Transatlantic Real Estate and 420 Real Estate crowdfunding offerings, TruCrowd received $91,679 and $48,412, respectively.
Petrescu was aware of Shumake’s deep involvement with the companies and continued to keep investors in the dark about his connections. Petrescu continued to work with Shumake despite learning of his past through a securities lawyer who declined to work with Shumake for a Reg-A offering proposed for Bangi.
Apparently, it didn’t take investors long to suspect they were being scammed and began sending complaints to Petrescu, who either ignored them or assured the investors that everything was okay. No registration statements were filed with the SEC.
The SEC’s complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges Shumake, Birch, Jackson, and 420 Real Estate with violating the antifraud and registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and seeks disgorgement plus pre-judgment interest, penalties, permanent injunctions, and officer and director bars.
The complaint also charges TruCrowd and Petrescu with violating the crowdfunding rules of the Securities Act and seeks disgorgement plus pre-judgment interest, penalties, and permanent injunctions.
About Capital Engine®
Capital Engine® facilitates the creation of efficient, trusted and scalable online private capital and alternative investment marketplaces for traditional and digital assets, through our tiered business technology ecosystem: private label platforms, strategic partnerships and inhouse marketplace for private placements.
Our clients include broker dealers, family offices, wealth managers, incubators, accelerators, social impact and real estate funds, in providing customized SaaS solutions to power private capital and alternative investment platforms, with a strong focus on investor management services.
Capital Engine® provides a comprehensive, integrated suite of digital investment tools, back office technology and distribution platform to connect private capital with HNW individuals and family office capital.
Our software helps leverage the opportunity to better originate and showcase a diverse selection of private investment deals and offer these to investors i.e. a deal’s potential viability can be better assessed, market appetite determined and transaction promptly closed.
Interested in raising capital https://capitalengine.io/raise-capital
Interested in a demo https://capitalengine.io/request-a-demo
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