U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
Litigation Release No. 15412 / July 16, 1997
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION v. GRAY HAWK FUND COMPANY, a
Delaware
limited liability company; SALVATORE A. VECCHIO; AND FREDRICK J.
RICE,
Civil Action No. 97-5125 RAP (AJWx)
On July 15, 1997, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a
complaint in federal district court in Los Angeles against Gray Hawk
Fund
Company, an oil and gas limited liability company based in Woodland
Hills,
California, and its principals, Salvatore A. Vecchio, age 51, of Los
Angeles, California, and Fredrick J. Rice, age 38, of Simi Valley,
California. The Commission alleges that, from August 1994 through
January
1996, the defendants perpetrated a fraudulent investment scheme
through
which they raised approximately $1,055,000 from the sale of Gray Hawk
securities to 75 investors nationwide, most of whom were elderly.
Vecchio
and Rice misrepresented the use of investor proceeds and misused
$474,500
of investor funds, $179,350 of which was used for their own personal
benefit. Vecchio and Rice also falsely represented that investors
were
purchasing interests in wells that were already producing oil when,
in
fact, at no time during the sale of the Gray Hawk securities did the
company have an interest in any producing wells.
The Complaint alleges that Gray Hawk, Vecchio, and Rice violated
the
securities registration requirements of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the
Securities Act of 1933, and the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a)
of
the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act
SNIPPETS:
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
On July 15, 1997, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint in federal
Company, an oil and gas limited liability company based in Woodland Hills, California, and
The Commission alleges that,
Vecchio and Rice also falsely represented that investors were purchasing interests in wells
The Complaint alleges that Gray Hawk, Vecchio, and Rice violated the securities registration
Hawk, Vecchio, and Rice consented, without admitting or denying the allegations in the
The Commission waived payment of disgorgement and prejudgment interest, and did not assess
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