On Friday 14 August 2009, that is more than twelve years ago, I wrote a little blog post about a fraudulent oil company run by Mr. Massimiliano (Max) Pozzoni. The name translated from Italian roughly as "Mr Big Wells".
You can find that blog post here.
I was sure it was a fraud because they claimed in press releases that renowned petroleum engineer Dr. Daulat Mamora had consulted for them. This was an easy check - I emailed the Good Doctor, and he replied that he had never heard of the company.
I sent those details to the SEC to test how fast they would react.
I posited that Mr Big Wells was likely a fictional person - but my blessed readers did find the real Max Pozzoni.
The blog post was titled: Mr Big Wells and the new faster SEC.
I guess they have demonstrated their speed because - after more than twelve years UK-resident Ronald Bauer and various combinations of his associates, Craig James Auringer, Adam Christopher Kambeitz, Alon Friedlander, Massimiliano ("Max") Pozzoni, Daniel Mark Ferris, Petar Dmitrov Mihaylov, and David Sidoo face civil charges.
Yes, Massimiliano ("Max") Pozzoni has been charged by the new faster SEC.
Parallel criminal charges have been filed, but only against Bauer, Auringer, Ferris, and Mihaylov.
Mr Big Wells has escaped criminal charges.
It appears that the SEC is faster than the Justice Department.
Praise be the new faster SEC.
John