In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday charged co-founders of Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC with carrying out fraudulent securities offerings, misusing investor funds and making Ponzi-like payments to investors. According to the SEC complaint, the company's primary business was to purchase distressed but recognizable retail companies and convert them into online-only operations.
I did everything Ted asked me to do and never questioned him. I concealed my relationship with Ted from the board and shareholders and allowed others to use my signature, not telling investors and the public that the company was failing even though I knew it was.
"The judge's decisions were limiting a great deal of the evidence," Corozzo explained of the decision that ultimately led Franzone to plead guilty instead of facing a jury.