I.
The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") deems it
appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative
proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 15(b) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") against William E. Lyons
("Lyons" or "Respondent").
II.
In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has
submitted an Offer of Settlement (the "Offer") which the Commission has
determined to accept. Solely for the purpose of these proceedings and any
other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or to which the
Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings herein,
except as to the Commission's jurisdiction over him and the subject matter
of these proceedings, and the findings contained in Section III below, which
are admitted, Respondent consents to the entry of this Order Instituting
Administrative Proceedings Pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, Making Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions
("Order"), as set forth below.
III.
On the basis of this Order and Respondent's Offer, the Commission finds
that
1. Lyons, age 40, was the founder and CEO of SV Group, which he operated,
at all relevant times, out of his home in Great Falls, Virginia. Lyons was
employed as a broker at Bear Stearns for four years and at various times
held Series 7, Series 63 and Series 24 licenses. During the relevant time
Lyons was associated with an unregistered broker dealer.
2. On May 3,
2004, a final judgment was entered by consent against Lyons, permanently
enjoining him from future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities
Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), and Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act, in
the civil action entitled Securities and Exchange Commission v. William E.
Lyons, Civil Action Number 04-CV-459, in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Virginia.
3. The Commission's complaint alleged that Lyons, through SV Group,
offered to consummate the sale of prime bank instruments to at least four
large financial institutions, including Bear Stearns, and made material
oral and written misrepresentations and omissions regarding the purported
investment offerings in violation of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act.
The complaint further alleged that Lyons did not verify the authenticity
of the purported bank guarantees or into the individuals behind them and,
that by failing to do so, Lyons violated Section 17(a) of the Securities
Act. The complaint also alleged that during the offering period Lyons
acted as an unregistered broker dealer in violation of Section 15(a) of
the Exchange Act.
IV.
In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the
public interest to impose the sanctions agreed to in Respondent Lyons'
Offer.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED:
Pursuant to Section 15(b)(6) of the Exchange Act that Respondent Lyons
be, and hereby is barred from association with any broker or dealer, with
the right to reapply for association after five years to the appropriate
self-regulatory organization, or if there is none, to the Commission;
Any reapplication for association by the Respondent will be subject to
the applicable laws and regulations governing the reentry process, and
reentry may be conditioned upon a number of factors, including, but not
limited to, the satisfaction of any or all of the following: (a) any
disgorgement ordered against the Respondent, whether or not the Commission
has fully or partially waived payment of such disgorgement; (b) any
arbitration award related to the conduct that served as the basis for the
Commission order; (c) any self-regulatory organization arbitration award to
a customer, whether or not related to the conduct that served as the basis
for the Commission order; and (d) any restitution order by a self-regulatory
organization, whether or not related to the conduct that served as the basis
for the Commission order.
By the Commission.
Jonathan G. Katz
Secretary
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/34-49657.htm
