The Supreme Court allowed the SEC to seek “disgorgement” as a form of “equitable relief” in civil-actions, but limited the remedy to net profits for benefit of harmed investors. Answering part of a question reserved in 2017’s Kokesh opinion, this week’s Liu opinion raised more questions than it answered.
The Liu’s raised investor funds for an EB-5 visa program under a private offering, but pocketed most of them. In a civil enforcement action, the SEC obtained the Liu’s disgorgement of full amount raised from investors (not net), jointly and severally. The Supreme ...
On Friday, January 13, the Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve a Circuit split on the extent to which SEC enforcement actions are restricted by the five-year statute of limitations in 28 U.S.C. § 2462.
Section 2462 sets a five-year limitations period "for the enforcement of any civil fine, penalty, or forfeiture." The Supreme Court has held those limitations accrue when the violation occurs and the SEC does not benefit from a "discovery rule." Gabelli v. SEC, 133 S. Ct. 1216, 1220 (2013).
But there's disagreement over whether it applies to the commonly-sought disgorgement and ...