SEC v. Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC, Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV, Edith F. Ramirez Cano — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Litigation Release No. 26457, dated January 6, 2026.
The SEC charged Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and his firm Toltec Capital LLC with defrauding investors out of approximately $3.3 million. They allegedly made false statements to raise funds, then used the money for Ponzi-like payments and personal expenses. A final judgment was entered against them, ordering disgorgement, interest, and a civil penalty.
Imagine someone promises to invest your money safely for big returns, but instead, they use your money to pay off earlier investors and buy themselves nice things. That's what happened here. The court stepped in and ordered the person and their company to pay back the money they took and also pay a penalty.
Disclaimer: all facts are drawn from the SEC's own filings; the claims described are allegations unless and until a court rules or the parties settle, and some cases end in dismissal.
On December 16, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California entered a final judgment as to Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz, his private equity firm, Toltec Capital LLC, and two relief defendants, in connection with previously filed fraud charges. The SEC’s complaint, filed on August 23, 2024, alleged that from at least December 2019 through September 2023, the defendants raised approximately $3.3 million from investors by making false and misleading statements. According to the complaint, Mendia-Alcaraz used investor funds to make Ponzi-like payments to other investors and for personal expenses. The complaint also alleged that relief defendants, Edith F. Ramirez Cano and Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV, received proceeds from the alleged fraudulent scheme. The final judgment, entered by default, permanently enjoins Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital from violating securities laws; permanently enjoins Mendia-Alcaraz from participating in the issuance, purchase, offer or sale of securities, except for purchases or sales for his personal accounts; and prohibits Mendia-Alcaraz from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company. The final judgment also holds Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital jointly and severally liable for disgorgement of $2,207,524 and prejudgment interest of $150,866, and, of those amounts, holds relief defendants Fondo Toltec and Ramirez Cano liable—jointly and severally with the defendants—for disgorgement of $554,563 and $3,654, respectively, plus prejudgment interest of $37,899 and $249, respectively. Lastly, the final judgment orders Mendia-Alcaraz to pay a civil penalty of $2,207,524.
Named in this action: Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and Toltec Capital LLC, Fondo Toltec S de RL de CV, Edith F. Ramirez Cano.