UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Before the SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Release No. 38304 / February 19, 1997 ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING File No. 3-9252 --------------------------- : In the Matter of : : ORDER INSTITUTING PUBLIC NEAL B. STEIN : ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING, MAKING : FINDINGS AND IMPOSING REMEDIAL Respondent. : SANCTIONS : --------------------------- I. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") deems it appropriate and in the public interest that a public administrative proceeding pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 19(h) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") be instituted against Neal B. Stein ("Stein"). II. In anticipation of the institution of this proceeding, Stein has submitted an Offer of Settlement ("Offer"), which the Commission has determined to accept. Solely for the purpose 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 herein, except that Stein admits the jurisdiction of the Commission over him and over the subject matter of this proceeding and the entry of a Judgment of Permanent Injunction and Other Relief against him as set forth in paragraph III.B., Stein consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Public Administrative Proceeding, Making Findings and Imposing Remedial Sanctions ("Order") set forth below. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that a proceeding pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 19(h) of the Exchange Act be, and hereby is, instituted. ==========================================START OF PAGE 2====== III. On the basis of this Order and the Offer submitted by Stein, the Commission finds-[1]- that: A. Stein is 38 years old and resides in Los Angeles, California. From December 1987 through July 1992, Stein was a registered representative and Executive Vice President with Fortress Securities, Inc. ("Fortress"), a broker-dealer registered with the Commission (File No. 8-37686) with its main office in Beverly Hills, California. From June 1994 through December 1994, Stein was a registered representative with Columbus Financial, Inc. ("Columbus"), another broker-dealer registered with the Commission (File No. 8-39935) and based in Beverly Hills, California. Since its formation in 1987, Stein has been the president of Mustang Development Corporation ("Mustang"). Stein and another individual were co-owners of Mustang until October 1994, when Stein became Mustang's sole owner. B. A Judgment of Permanent Injunction and Other Relief was entered in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Stein on February 3, 1997. The Judgment permanently enjoins Stein from violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. SEC v. Mustang Development Corporation, et al., Civil Action No. 97-0440 JGD (CTx) (C.D. Cal.). C. The Commission's Complaint filed in the action described above alleges that from December 1987 through March 1995, Stein was president and part owner of Mustang. During that period, Mustang raised approximately $139 million from some 4,500 investors in the sale of interests in approximately 60 oil and gas limited partnerships. Investors were told that the money they invested would be used by each partnership to purchase oil and gas properties and that the returns to be paid by the partnerships would come from revenues generated by those properties. From August 1992 through March 1995, Stein, as one of Mustang's principals, directed Mustang's investment scheme that, among other things: (1) commingled the assets of the various Mustang partnerships; (2) in some partnerships, used virtually none of the investors' capital to purchase oil and gas properties; (3) misappropriated millions of dollars of the investors' funds to support his personal lifestyle; and (4) used investor funds to finance a Ponzi scheme in which millions of ---------FOOTNOTES---------- -[1]- The findings herein are made pursuant to Stein's Offer and are not binding on any other person or entity named as a respondent in this or any other proceeding. ==========================================START OF PAGE 3====== dollars from new investors were funnelled back to old investors in the form of fictitious returns. IV. Based on the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to accept the Offer submitted by Stein and impose the sanctions specified in the Offer. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Stein, be, and hereby is, barred from association with any broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, investment adviser, or investment company. By the Commission. Jonathan G. Katz Secretary