SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Litigation Release No. 16625 / July 13, 2000
Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release No. 1286 / July 13, 2000
SEC FILES COMPLAINT AND OBTAINS INJUNCTION AGAINST MICHAEL A. PUHR,
FORMER CEO OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Michael A. Puhr, No.
00-2387-CIV-KING (S.D. Fla.) (filed July 6, 2000).
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that on July 6,
2000, it filed a civil complaint against Michael A. Puhr of
Westminster, Colorado, in connection with fraudulent statements made
in certain press releases disseminated to the public, and filings made
with the SEC, by Rocky Mountain International, Ltd. ("Rocky
Mountain"). At the time of these false statements, Puhr was the chief
executive officer and president of Rocky Mountain. Simultaneously with
the filing of the complaint, Puhr agreed to settle the charges against
him by consenting to the entry of permanent injunctive relief, without
admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint.
In its complaint, the SEC alleges that in October 1997, Rocky Mountain
filed false and misleading financial statements with the SEC and
issued false press releases that were disseminated to the investing
public. In particular, Rocky Mountain filed a Form 8-K and issued a
press release that falsely claimed that Rocky Mountain's assets were
worth more than $21 million. In contrast, the Company's assets were
worth, at most, a third of that value. In addition, the press releases
also failed to disclose material information about Rocky Mountain's
garment manufacturing operations.
The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief and civil money
penalties from Puhr based on allegations that he violated Sections
10(b), 13(a), 13(b)(2) and 13(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and Rules 10b-5, 12b-20 and 13a-11 thereunder. Simultaneously
with the filing of the SEC's complaint, Puhr agreed to settle the
action against him by consenting, without admitting or denying any of
the allegations contained in the SEC's complaint, to the entry of a
permanent injunction against future violations of the sections and
rules of the federal securities laws referred to above. The SEC will
not seek civil penalties from Puhr due to his demonstrated financial
inability to pay. United States District Judge James Lawrence King
entered the permanent injunction against Puhr on July 10, 2000.
Previously, the Commission suspended trading in Rocky Mountain's stock
for a ten-day period effective December 22, 1997. (See Securities
Exchange Act No. 34-39471).
SNIPPETS:
SEC FILES COMPLAINT AND OBTAINS INJUNCTION AGAINST MICHAEL A. PUHR, FORMER CEO OF ROCKY
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Michael A. Puhr,
Simultaneously with the filing of the complaint, Puhr agreed to settle the charges against
Rocky Mountain filed a Form 8-K and issued a press release that falsely claimed that Rocky
The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief and civil money penalties from Puhr based on
Simultaneously with the filing of the SEC's complaint, Puhr agreed to settle the action
The SEC will not seek civil penalties from Puhr due to his demonstrated financial inability
United States District Judge James Lawrence King entered the permanent injunction against
Previously, the Commission suspended trading in Rocky Mountain's stock for a ten-day period
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