Arthur Bruce Bahlav and Frank J. Fasano, former owners of SFI Investments, Inc.

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 45583 / March 18, 2002

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
File No. 3-10510

In the Matter of

FRANK J. FASANO and

ARTHUR BRUCE BAHLAV,

Respondents.

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 ORDER MAKING FINDINGS AND IMPOSING REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AS TO ARTHUR BRUCE BAHLAV

I.

By an order issued June 18, 2001, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") instituted a public administrative proceeding pursuant to Section 15(b)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") against Respondent Arthur Bruce Bahlav.

II.

After the institution of these proceedings, Bahlav submitted an Offer of Settlement ("Offer"), which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for purposes of this proceeding and any other proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Commission or in which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings contained in this Order Making Findings and Imposing Remedial Sanctions as to Arthur Bruce Bahlav ("Order"), except that Bahlav admits to the jurisdiction of the Commission over him and over the subject matter of this proceeding and admits the findings in Sections III.A, III.B, and III.C below, Bahlav consents to the entry of this Order, and to the entry of the findings and the imposition of the remedial sanctions set forth below.

III.

On the basis of this Order and Bahlav's Offer, the Commission finds1:

  1. From November 1988 to October 1997, Bahlav was a minority owner of, and registered representative at, SFI Investments, Inc. ("SFI"), a now defunct broker-dealer that was registered with the Commission from 1988 until October 1997.

  2. On August 16, 1999, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York convicted Bahlav of mail fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $1.5 million from SFI clients through the sale of securities in the form of unsecured promissory notes. United States v. Arthur Bruce Bahlav and Frank J. Fasano, No. 98 CR 135 (ERK).

  3. On December 6, 2000, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a permanent injunction against Bahlav enjoining him from violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. SEC v. Arthur Bruce Bahlav and Frank J. Fasano, 99 Civ. 11772 (SWK).

  4. Both the criminal action and the injunctive action were based on the following allegations. From May 1992 through June 1995, Bahlav and Frank Fasano orchestrated a fraudulent scheme through which they defrauded 24 SFI clients of more than $1.5 million. Bahlav and Fasano induced investors to purchase unsecured promissory notes with promises of high rates of return. Many investors purchased notes with securities. Bahlav and Fasano made materially false statements, and failed to disclose material information, to investors concerning, among other things, the use and disposition of the securities that investors used to purchase the notes. Bahlav and Fasano then liquidated the investors' securities and used the proceeds to pay, among other things, personal and business expenses, and to repay earlier investors their principal and interest.

IV.

ORDER

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

ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED that Arthur Bruce Bahlav be, and hereby is, barred from association with any broker or dealer.

By the Commission.

Jonathan G. Katz
Secretary

Footnote

1 The findings in this Order are made pursuant to Bahlav's Offer and are not binding on any other person or entity in this or any other proceeding.