US v Farmer et al - Victim Information

US v Farmer et al
Case Number: 4:16-cr-00408

In a typical “pump-and-dump” fraud scheme, the perpetrators engage in fraudulent trading practices in a company’s stock and publish false and misleading information about the company, all in order to fraudulently inflate the price of the stock. The perpetrators then sell the stock to unwitting investors at the inflated prices.

According to the charges in this case, the conspiracy involved a scheme to defraud investors in numerous companies by engaging in fraudulent trading practices, evading Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting requirements and publishing false and misleading information through press releases and advertisements about the companies. As a result of the scheme, the defendants allegedly defrauded investors that purchased shares of these companies out of more than $25 million.

Actual Charges:

Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Securities Fraud
Wire Fraud
Securities Fraud

Significant Court Events:

upcoming sentencings:

-

Thomas Galen Massey - 10/12/2021 at 09:30 a.m.

Scott Russell Sieck - 11/15/2021 at 09:30 a.m.

Eddie Austin - 12/6/2021 at 9:30 a.m.

Carolyn Austin - 12/13/2021 at 9:30 a.m.

previous events:

Indictment: 9/15/16

Superseding Indictment - 4/26/17

2nd Superseding Indictment - 7/19/17

3rd Supersecing Indictment - 8/17/17

4/18/17 - Plea (Massey)

12/5/18 - Plea (Grob)

1/14/19 - Plea (Sieck)

1/17/19 - Plea (Austin and Austin Jr. )

2/1/19 - Plea (Farmer)

2/12/19 - Plea (Brotherton)

2/3/20 - Sentencing (Brotherton) -  60 months

2/3/20 - Sentencing (Grob) - 12 months + 1 day

6/25/21 - Sentencing (Andrew Ian Farmer) - 72 months

Official Press Releases:

2/3/20 - Two sentenced in securities fraud conspiracy 

2/12/19 - Seven Defendants Convicted in Securities Fraud Conspiracy

7/20/17 - Six Defendants Charged in Expanded Securities Fraud Conspiracy

Restitution info for victims:

For those that submitted statements prior to July 1, 2020, your information is being reviewed and will be submitted for the court’s consideration. If we have any questions or need clarification regarding the documents you submitted, we will contact you using the information included in your statement.  

If you have attempted to submit new requests after this date, we are no longer able to process Impact Statements and supporting documentation of losses.

For more information or for questions, please contact Kesha Miller, Victim Witness Coordinator, via email to this address.