PODCAST HOST DEFRAUDED MILLIONS, LIED ABOUT MORTGAGES!

SEC v. Matthew M. Motil, North Shore Equity Sales, LLC, d/b/a The Marie Paul Company, North Shore Equity Management, LLC, et al. — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Litigation Release No. 26462, dated January 16, 2026.

Matthew Motil defrauded investors of millions by promising low-risk, high-return promissory notes supposedly backed by mortgages. In reality, the notes were not fully collateralized, and investor funds were used for Ponzi payments and personal expenses. The SEC obtained a final consent judgment against Motil, permanently enjoining him from securities law violations.

In Plain English

Imagine someone promising to invest your money in houses, saying it's super safe and will make a lot of profit. They claim they'll use your money to fix up houses and then sell them for a big profit, and you'll get a good return. But instead of actually buying or fixing houses, they use new investors' money to pay off earlier investors, like a game of financial musical chairs. They also spent a lot of the money on themselves. When the music stopped, the SEC stepped in to stop the fraud and get some money back for the people who lost it.

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.

How the Alleged Scheme Worked

1. Promise of Safe, High Returns Matthew Motil promised investors short-term, low-risk, high-return promissory notes. He claimed these notes were fully collateralized by first mortgages on residential real estate throughout Ohio.
2. Misuse of Funds for Ponzi Payments Instead of using investor money as promised, Motil used it to make Ponzi payments to earlier investors. Over $3.7 million was used for these payments, masking the scheme's true nature.
3. Personal Enrichment Motil also spent over $1.6 million of investor funds on personal expenses. Additionally, over $900,000 was diverted to unrelated businesses, and hundreds of thousands were routed to his wife.
4. Over-Collateralization Fraud The notes were often not fully collateralized. In one instance, Motil issued at least twenty notes totaling over $1.3 million against a single-family home purchased for $47,000 and valued at no more than $130,000.
5. Failure to Record Mortgages Despite promising many investors that their mortgages would be recorded, Motil failed to do so. This left investors without the promised security for their investments.
6. Operating Through Multiple Entities From October 2017 through May 2021, Motil operated the scheme through North Shore Equity Sales, LLC, North Shore Equity Management, LLC, and various other created LLCs.
7. Targeting Specific Investors Motil raised over $11 million from more than 60 investors nationwide. He persuaded individuals, including a cancer researcher and a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, to invest their savings by advertising his financial acumen.
8. Scheme Collapse and Bankruptcy After the scheme collapsed, Motil filed for personal bankruptcy in March 2022, attempting to discharge millions owed to investors, but failed to disclose the Ponzi scheme in his petition.

The Enforcement Action

On January 13, 2026, the SEC obtained a final consent judgment against Matthew Motil. Motil was permanently enjoined from violating registration and anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. He was also barred from participating in the issuance, purchase, offer, or sale of any security outside of certain personal transactions. Motil was ordered to pay disgorgement of $2,967,535 plus prejudgment interest of $340,396, which is deemed satisfied by restitution ordered in a parallel criminal case. In the criminal case, Motil was sentenced to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,040,862 in restitution.

Named in this action: Matthew M. Motil, North Shore Equity Sales, LLC, d/b/a The Marie Paul Company, North Shore Equity Management, LLC, Amy Doubrava Motil.

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