Charles T. Lawrence and Landes Prive, LLC
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Litigation Release No. 26492 / February 25, 2026
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Charles T. Lawrence, Jr. et. al., No. 2:23-cv-550-pp (E.D. Wis. filed May 1, 2023)
SEC Obtains Final Consent Judgment Against Defendant Charged in a Multi-Million Dollar Offering Fraud
On February 23, 2026, the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin entered a final judgment by consent against Charles T. Lawrence, Jr. in the SEC’s civil enforcement action against him.
According to the SEC’s complaint, from at least February 2022 through filing of the complaint, Lawrence engaged in an offering fraud in which he falsely represented that he was the managing director of a Swedish entity, Landes and Compagnie Trust Privé KB, that was defunct by at least February 2022. The complaint further alleged that Lawrence told investors, falsely, that the investment contracts he offered were expected to provide weekly returns of 25% to 100%, and the investors’ funds would not be at risk. As alleged, Lawrence directed investors to send their money directly to an account in the name of Landes Prive, LLC, an entity he controlled, and then Lawrence misappropriated at least $4.89 million of investor funds for personal purchases. In addition, Lawrence allegedly sent more than $689,000 of investor funds to five relief defendants, against each of whom the SEC previously obtained final judgments.
The final judgment against Lawrence permanently enjoins him from violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The final judgment also orders Lawrence liable, jointly and severally with relief defendant Landes Prive, for disgorgement of $3,588,713 plus prejudgment interest of $402,534, for a total of $3,991,247, which is deemed satisfied by the order of restitution entered against Lawrence in the parallel criminal case, United States v. Charles T. Lawrence, No. 2:23-cr-00096 (E.D. Wis.). The SEC previously obtained final judgments as to the five relief defendants. The final judgment as to Lawrence completes the SEC’s litigation on this matter.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Matthew T. Wissa and supervised by Jeffrey A. Shank of the Chicago Regional Office. BeLinda I. Mathie led the litigation.