SEC Charges 18 Traders in $31 Million Stock Manipulation Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed an emergency action and obtained an asset freeze against 18 traders in a scheme to manipulate more than 3,000 U.S.-listed securities for over $31 million in illicit profits. The SEC alleges that the traders, who are primarily based in China, manipulated the prices of thousands of thinly traded securities by creating the false appearance of trading interest and activity in those stocks, thereby enabling them to reap illicit profits by artificially boosting or depressing stock prices. For example, according to the SEC's complaint, the traders used multiple accounts to place several small sell orders to drive down a stock’s price before using a different set of accounts to buy larger amounts of the stock at the artificially low prices.