Six Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme Orchestrated by Recidivist Eliyahu Weinstein.

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged six individuals with a multi-million dollar Ponzi-like fraud scheme orchestrated by criminal recidivist Eliyahu Weinstein of Lakewood, New Jersey. The individuals charged were Weinstein himself, as well as Aryeh L. Bromberg, Joel L. Wittels, Richard M. Curry, Christopher J. Anderson, and Alaa Mohamed Hattab. It is alleged that beginning in November 2021, the defendants raised money from investors for purported deals through Optimus Investments Inc. while concealing Weinstein’s identity, criminal history, and involvement from investors. Then in January 2022, Anderson and Curry began raising money for Optimus deals through Tryon Management Group LLC, and, by August 2022, they joined the other defendants in actively concealing Weinstein’s role in the venture. The SEC alleges that, collectively, the defendants’ fraudulent scheme raised at least $38 million from at least 150 investors. The SEC seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement and prejudgment interest, a civil penalty, an officer and director bar, and a conduct-based injunction from each defendant. Weinstein was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2014 for fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering charges which was then commuted in 2021 by then-President Donald J. Trump. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the FBI.