John M. Fife, et al.; Auctus Fund Management, LLC, et al.; Curt Kramer, et al.
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Litigation Release No. 26330 / June 18, 2025
Securities and Exchange Commission v. John M. Fife, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-05227 (N.D. Ill. filed Sept. 3, 2020)
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Auctus Fund Management, LLC, et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-11233 (D. Mass. filed Jun. 1, 2023)
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Curt Kramer, et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-03498 (S.D.N.Y. filed May 7, 2024)
SEC Announces Dismissal of Three Civil Enforcement Actions
On June 18, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed joint stipulations with the defendants in three separate cases to dismiss, with prejudice, the following ongoing civil enforcement actions against them:
- Securities and Exchange Commission v. John M. Fife, et al., Case No. 1:20-cv-05227 (N.D. Ill. filed Sept. 3, 2020);
- Securities and Exchange Commission v. Auctus Fund Management, LLC, et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-11233 (D. Mass. filed June 1, 2023); and
- Securities and Exchange Commission v. Curt Kramer, et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-03498 (S.D.N.Y. filed May 7, 2024).
The Commission’s decision to exercise its discretion and dismiss these pending enforcement actions rests on its judgment that the dismissals are appropriate as a policy matter, not on any assessment of the merits of the claims alleged in the actions. Furthermore, as stated in each of the joint stipulations, the Commission’s decision to seek dismissal of the actions “does not necessarily reflect the Commission’s position on any other case.”