SEC v. Brian Keasberry — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Litigation Release No. 26615, dated August 21, 2026.
The SEC settled a case against Brian Keasberry for his role in a microcap fraud scheme. Keasberry helped orchestrate a plan to control and manipulate a company's stock, promoting it to retail investors while concealing their control and sales. He agreed to injunctions, a penny stock bar, an officer-and-director bar, and to pay disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty.
Imagine someone secretly bought a lot of shares in a small company. Then, they paid for ads that made the stock sound amazing, but they didn't tell anyone they owned so much stock or that they were planning to sell it. This person, Brian Keasberry, helped do just that. He's now been ordered to stop this kind of activity and pay back money he made.
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.
SEC Settles Litigation with Individual Charged in Alleged Microcap Fraud Scheme. On August 20, 2026, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a final consent judgment as to defendant Brian Keasberry. The Commission’s complaint, filed on January 12, 2024, alleged that Keasberry and two co-defendants carried out a fraudulent scheme to profit from their accumulation, manipulation, and sale of the stock of a small publicly traded company to retail investors. Keasberry consented to the entry of a final judgment enjoining him from violating Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, ordering him to pay disgorgement of $37,500, prejudgment interest of $12,864, a civil penalty of $37,500, and imposing a penny stock bar and an officer-and-director bar against him.
Named in this action: Brian Keasberry.