SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 49762 / May 24, 2004

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-11502


In the Matter of

RAYMOND P. SOBIERALSKI,

Respondent.


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ORDER INSTITUTING ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO SECTION
15(b) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
ACT OF 1934, MAKING FINDINGS, AND
IMPOSING REMEDIAL SANCTIONS

I.

The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") deems it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") against Raymond P. Sobieralski ("Respondent").

II.

In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement (the "Offer") which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for the purpose of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or to which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings herein, except as to the Commission's jurisdiction over him and the subject matter of these proceedings, and the findings contained in Section III.2 below, which are admitted, Respondent consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings Pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions ("Order"), as set forth below.

III.

On the basis of this Order and Respondent's Offer, the Commission finds that:

1. Sobieralski, age 42, is a resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania. From 1996 until November 1998, Sobieralski was the Chief Executive Officer of Mortgage Bankers Holding Corp. ("Mortgage Bankers"), and from 1992 to 1996, the owner of its predecessor, Mortgage Bankers Service Corporation. During the period from August 1996 to May 1998, Respondent, without being registered with the Commission, acted as a broker or dealer within the meaning of Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act in connection with the sale of securities of Mortgage Bankers and its subsidiary, Commonwealth Capital Investment Corp. ("Commonwealth Capital"). During that time, Respondent did not qualify for the safe harbor from broker-dealer registration for associated persons of an issuer provided by Rule 3a4-1 of the Exchange Act. As part of that conduct, Respondent participated in an offering of Mortgage Bankers stock, which is a penny stock.

2. On December 14, 2001, an order was entered by default against Respondent, permanently enjoining him from future violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Sections 10(b) and 15(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, in the civil action entitled Securities and Exchange Commission v. National Institute Companies of America, et al., Civil Action Number 00-CV-1216, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

3. The Commission's Complaint alleged that, in connection with the sale of unregistered securities of Mortgage Bankers and Commonwealth Capital, Respondent made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors concerning, among other things, the risk of the investment, the financial condition of the issuers, and the use of proceeds. The Complaint also alleged that Respondent acted as an unregistered broker or dealer in connection with the sale of those securities.

IV.

In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to impose the sanctions specified in Respondent's Offer.

Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED:

Pursuant to Section 15(b)(6) of the Exchange Act, that Respondent be, and hereby is barred from association with any broker or dealer;

Any reapplication for association by the Respondent will be subject to the applicable laws and regulations governing the reentry process, and reentry may be conditioned upon a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the satisfaction of any or all of the following: (a) any disgorgement ordered against the Respondent, whether or not the Commission has fully or partially waived payment of such disgorgement; (b) any arbitration award related to the conduct that served as the basis for the Commission order; (c) any self-regulatory organization arbitration award to a customer, whether or not related to the conduct that served as the basis for the Commission order; and (d) any restitution order by a self-regulatory organization, whether or not related to the conduct that served as the basis for the Commission order;

Respondent be, and hereby is, barred from participating in any offering of a penny stock, including: acting as a promoter, finder, consultant, agent or other person who engages in activities with a broker, dealer or issuer for purposes of the issuance or trading in any penny stock, or inducing or attempting to induce the purchase or sale of any penny stock.

For the Commission, by its Secretary, pursuant to delegated authority.

Jonathan G. Katz
Secretary