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Case Intel:

• The SEC filed federal lawsuits Thursday against three alleged unregistered brokers who used podcasts, radio shows, and mass marketing to sell risky oil and gas investments
• Podcast host Charles Oliver alone raised $52 million from 50 investors while collecting over $4.3 million in commissions through his "Hidden Wealth Radio" platform
• The enforcement actions span two federal districts and target what regulators describe as a sophisticated securities fraud operation masquerading as investment education

USA HERALD - Federal securities regulators dropped the hammer Thursday on a trio of alleged unregistered brokers who turned podcasts, radio commercials, and investment seminars into what the SEC calls an $82 million securities sales operation.

The centerpiece defendant is Charles D. Oliver, a Florida-based podcast host and insurance agent who allegedly leveraged his "Hidden Wealth Radio" show to pitch oil and gas investments to unsuspecting listeners. According to SEC filings in the Middle District of Florida, Oliver wasn't just discussing investment strategies on air—he was actively soliciting investors for what regulators describe as risky, unregistered securities offerings.

Oliver's co-defendants include David Patrick Ortiz, operating out of California as a purported investment adviser, and Kevin Neal Richards, a former investment adviser representative who allegedly targeted his existing insurance client base. Together, the three men face federal complaints alleging they operated as unregistered investment advisers while collecting transaction-based compensation for securities sales.

The SEC's complaints, filed Thursday in Florida and California federal courts, lay out a detailed paper trail of alleged securities violations spanning multiple states and marketing channels.

Florida Case (Oliver): Case number 6:25-cv-01754 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida details how Oliver allegedly used his radio show and podcast platform to reach investors while operating under the business name "Hidden Wealth Solutions"—which the SEC says was merely a "doing business as" designation rather than a legitimate advisory firm.

California Cases (Ortiz and Richards): Case numbers 2:25-cv-08610 and 8:25-cv-02057 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California describe how Ortiz used commercials on Los Angeles radio stations to promote investment workshops, while Richards leveraged email solicitations, print ads, networking events, and even local news interviews to market the securities.

The complaints identify the underlying securities as offerings sponsored by Resolute Capital Partners LLC and Homebound Resources LLC. Notably, Resolute previously settled with the SEC in 2021 over similar oil and gas securities offering allegations, paying $225,000 to resolve that matter.

According to the SEC's filings, the payment structure worked through intermediary Beacon Global Group Inc., which facilitated compensation to the defendants. Ortiz allegedly received payments through a pass-through entity he controlled called DaveGlo Investment Group Inc.

This enforcement action centers on two fundamental securities law requirements that form the backbone of investor protection.

Securities Registration: Under the Securities Act of 1933, securities offerings must generally be registered with the SEC unless they qualify for specific exemptions. The SEC alleges these oil and gas investments were sold without proper registration, depriving investors of required disclosures about risks, financials, and business operations.

Investment Adviser Registration: The Investment Advisers Act of 1940 requires individuals who provide investment advice for compensation to register as investment advisers, subjecting them to fiduciary duties and regulatory oversight. The SEC claims all three defendants crossed this line by advising clients to invest in specific securities while receiving transaction-based compensation.

Burden of Proof: In these civil enforcement cases, the SEC must prove violations by a preponderance of the evidence—a lower standard than criminal prosecution requires. The agency seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties.

What "Unregistered Securities" Means: When the SEC calls these "unregistered securities," it means the offerings never went through the agency's review process, which typically requires detailed disclosure documents, financial statements, and risk warnings that help investors make informed decisions.