USA Real Estate Fund 1, Inc. and Daniel F. Peterson
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Litigation Release No. 22685 / April 25, 2013
Securities and Exchange Commission v. USA Real Estate Fund 1, Inc. and Daniel F. Peterson, Civil Action No. CV-13-157-LRS (E.D. Washington, filed Apr. 24, 2013)
SEC Seeks to Halt Scheme Raising Investor Funds Under Guise of Jobs Act
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced fraud charges against a Spokane Valley, Wash., company and its owner for misleading investors with claims to raise billions of investment capital under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act and invest it exclusively in American businesses.
The SEC alleges that Daniel F. Peterson and his company USA Real Estate Fund 1 promised investors that they could reap spectacular returns from an upcoming offering in a "secured" product backed by prominent financial firms. Peterson repeatedly told investors that the 2012 JOBS Act would enable him to raise billions of dollars by advertising the offering to the general public, and produce big profits for early investors. He preyed upon investors' sense of patriotism by promising to invest the proceeds of the offering in exclusively American businesses, and help assist in Washington State's economic recovery. The SEC alleges that Peterson used investors' money for personal expenses, and is continuing to solicit investors and may be preparing to tout the offering through investor seminars and public advertising.
According to the SEC's complaint filed in federal court in Spokane, Peterson sold common stock in USA Real Estate Fund from November 2010 to June 2012 to more than 20 investors in Washington and at least five other states. In e-mails and in periodic e-newsletters that he used to solicit USA Real Estate Fund investors, Peterson claimed that he was preparing to raise billions of dollars in a second offering of additional preferred" securities, which he claimed would be "secured" and have 10-year returns of up to 1,300 percent. Peterson claimed that two prominent Wall Street financial firms had partnered with him to bring his offering to market, and that the firms had conducted due diligence on USA Real Estate Fund and were structuring sales agreements and pricing. Peterson promised the early investors they would profit massively once the purported future offering was underway.
Peterson's claims were false. He has no guaranteed investment product to offer, the projected returns were either fictitious or based on implausible and unsupported analyses, and he has no affiliation with any financial firm to underwrite his purported future offering, the SEC alleged.
The SEC alleges that Peterson used investor money to pay for his rent, food, entertainment, vacations, and a rented Mercedes Benz SUV. He also used investor funds on clothing for friends, luggage for his wife, and expenses at a Las Vegas casino.
The SEC's complaint charges USA Fund and Peterson with violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The SEC seeks disgorgement and financial penalties as well as a preliminary injunction restraining USA Real Estate Fund and Peterson from engaging in conduct that would allow them to continue their scheme, and restraining them from further violations of the securities laws.
David Berman and Tracy Davis of the SEC's San Francisco Regional Office investigated the case. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.
