Key Takeaways
The SEC has placed a $7.6 million fine on Loci Inc., a cryptocurrency-powered invention search service.
The regulator says that Loci misrepresented its business activities and did not register its ICO under securities regulations.
Loci’s token holdings will be destroyed and the LOCIcoin cryptocurrency will be removed from exchange listings.
Share this article
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has announced that it has settled with Loci Inc., a startup that ran an ICO in 2017.
SEC Says Loci Violated Regulations
Loci provided an intellectual property search service called InnVenn that was aimed at inventors. The company also raised $7.6 million through an ICO sale of its Ethereum-based token, LOCIcoin.
Had the project succeeded, LOCIcoin would have been used to stake claims on InnVenn’s web service. This would allow investors to earn crypto rewards without ever selling their work.
The SEC says that Loci and its CEO made several false statements about the company’s revenue, employee count, and user base. It adds that Loci’s ICO was not registered with the SEC.
Furthermore, the SEC says that CEO John Wise used more than $38,000 of the ICO proceeds to pay personal expenses.
Kristina Littman of the SEC noted that Loci “misled investors regarding critical aspects of Loci’s business,” explaining that investors are “entitled to truthful information and fulsome disclosures so they can make informed investment decisions.”
Loci Faces Large Penalty
Loci is not required to admit or deny the SEC’s findings, but it has accepted penalties. Loci and Wise have been given a cease and desist order, and their crypto tokens will be destroyed.
The company must also request that trading platforms remove the LOCIcoin token from their listings. According to CoinGecko, only Bancor currently trades the token at present.
Wise will be barred from service as officer or director and must refrain from participating in future securities offerings.
Loci will also pay a $7.6 million penalty, the same amount of money as the company raised in its ICO sale.
The company’s website is currently inaccessible; as such, it has not made any public announcement regarding the settlement.
Disclaimer: At the time of writing this author held less than $75 of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins.
Share this article
The information on or accessed through this website is obtained from independent sources we believe to be accurate and reliable, but Decentral Media, Inc. makes no representation or warranty as to the timeliness, completeness, or accuracy of any information on or accessed through this website. Decentral Media, Inc. is not an investment advisor. We do not give personalized investment advice or other financial advice. The information on this website is subject to change without notice. Some or all of the information on this website may become outdated, or it may be or become incomplete or inaccurate. We may, but are not obligated to, update any outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate information.
You should never make an investment decision on an ICO, IEO, or other investment based on the information on this website, and you should never interpret or otherwise rely on any of the information on this website as investment advice. We strongly recommend that you consult a licensed investment advisor or other qualified financial professional if you are seeking investment advice on an ICO, IEO, or other investment. We do not accept compensation in any form for analyzing or reporting on any ICO, IEO, cryptocurrency, currency, tokenized sales, securities, or commodities.
See full terms and conditions.
SEC Charges Five Individuals Tied to BitConnect Scam
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged five individuals in connection with the Ponzi scheme BitConnect. SEC Charges BitConnect Promoters The SEC says that from January 2017 to January…
SEC Suing LBRY Over $11 Million Token Sales
The SEC is going after LBRY. SEC Suing LBRY The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a lawsuit against LBRY. The complaint relates to the company’s LBRY Credits (LBC),…
What is Polygon (MATIC): Ethereum’s Internet of Blockchains
In terms of both decentralized app (DApp) development and adoption, no blockchain has been more successful than Ethereum (ETH). But despite its relative success, the Ethereum network still contains several…
$28 Million Maryland Ponzi Scam Offered Crypto Payout
The FBI is investigating a Ponzi scheme in which three people stole $28 million by promising returns on cryptocurrency and other investments. Ponzi Promised Crypto Returns According to a Dec….
SEC Accuses Australian Fund Manager of Fraud
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has accused Stefan Qin, an Australian citizen, of cryptocurrency-related securities fraud. Allegedly Fraudulent Offers According to a press release published today by the SEC, Qin…
Be the first to comment