SEC Charges Three with Pump and Dump Scheme

The SEC filed a civil enforcement action against Tulsa attorney George David Gordon; Dallas, Texas resident Joshua Lankford; and Canadian Dean Sheptycki for their roles in a scheme to defraud the public by manipulating the share prices of three penny stocks (National Storm Management Group, Inc. ("NLST"), Deep Rock Oil and Gas, Inc. ("DPRK"), and Global Beverages Solutions, Inc. ("GBVS) collectively referred to as "Target Stocks"). The Commission charged Gordon and Lankford with violating the antifraud and stock registration provisions of the United States securities laws and charged Sheptycki with aiding and abetting Gordon and Lankford's violations of the antifraud provisions.  According to the complaint, Defendants' scheme to defraud was perpetrated from the spring of 2005 through December 2006 and derived illegal trading profits totaling in excess of $20 million.

The complaint charges Gordon and Lankford with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), and seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement, prejudgment interest, a civil penalty, and a penny stock bar. The complaint charges Sheptycki with aiding and abetting Mark B. Lindberg, Gordon, and Lankford's violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Section 17(a) of the Securities Act, and seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement, prejudgment interest, a civil penalty, and a penny stock bar.