U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Litigation Release No. 19632 / March 30, 2006

SEC v. Sherwin P. Brown, Jamerica Financial and Brawta Ventures, LLC, Civil Action No. 06-1213 (D. Minn.) (Magnuson, J.)

The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") announced that on March 29, 2006, the Honorable Paul A. Magnuson of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota issued a Temporary Restraining Order along with asset freeze and other emergency relief against Sherwin P. Brown ("Brown"), Jamerica Financial, Inc. ("Jamerica") and Brawta Ventures, LLC ("Brawta"), in connection with an alleged fraudulent scheme to misappropriate funds from investors, a number of whom are retired or near retirement.

According to allegations in the Commission's civil injunctive complaint that was filed earlier the same day, Brown is the majority owner and President of Jamerica, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based investment advisor. Brown is also manager of Brawta, a purported private investment fund formed by Brown and Jamerica. The Commission's complaint alleges that Brown, Jamerica and Brawta raised at least $1.65 million from 53 investors and defrauded the investors of Brawta by misappropriating approximately $569,950 of investor funds, and using the diverted proceeds to pay for Brown's personal expenses and Jamerica's business expenses.

The Commission's complaint alleged that the defendants' conduct violated the antifraud and record keeping provisions of the federal securities laws. In addition to an injunction and asset freeze, the Commission's complaint also seeks the disgorgement of any investor funds defendants may have misappropriated as well the imposition of civil penalties.

SEC Complaint in this matter