Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc.

CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedApril 28, 2025
Docket2:21-cv-07339
StatusUnknown

This text of Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc. (Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc., (C.D. Cal. 2025).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL MINUTES —- GENERAL ‘O’ Case No. 2:21-cv-07339-CAS-ASx Date April 28, 2025 Title Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc. et al

Present: The Honorable CHRISTINA A. SNYDER Catherine Jeang Miriam Veliz-Baird N/A Deputy Clerk Court Reporter / Recorder Tape No. Attorneys Present for Plaintiffs: Attorneys Present for Defendants: Stephen Kam Lupe Rose Shelby Sonya Shelby Proceedings: ZOOM HEARING RE:

DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SET ASIDE JUDGMENT, VACATE BIFURCATION AGREEMENT, AND DISMISS PROCEEDINGS (Dkt. 115, filed on March 12, 2025) DEFENDANT’S AMENDED MOTION TO DISMISS (Dkt. 117, filed on March 20, 2025) DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR RELIEF FROM JUDGMENT (Dkt. 119, filed on March 24, 2025) DEFENDANT’S REQUEST FOR HEARING (Dkt. 121, filed on March 24, 2025) I. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND On September 14, 2021, plaintiff United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed this action against defendants SHE Beverage, Inc., (“SHE Beverage’), Lupe L. Rose (“Rose”), Sonja F. Shelby, and Katherine E. Dirden (collectively, “defendants”). Dkt. 1 at 2. The SEC alleges that defendants violated Sections 5 and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1993 (“Securities Act”), 15 U.S.C. §§ 77(e)(a), 77(e)(c), 77q(a), and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. § 78)(b) and

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL MINUTES —- GENERAL ‘O’ Case No. 2:21-cv-07339-CAS-ASx Date April 28, 2025 Title Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc. et al Rule 10b-5 thereunder, 17 C_F.R. § 240.10b5(a)-(c), by conducting a fraudulent offering between 2017 and 2019 and raising $15.4 million. Dkt. 1 at 3. The history and background of this case are well-known to the parties and set forth in detail in the Court’s December 14, 2023 order. See dkt. 108 at 1-4. The Court briefly recites the most recent procedural events below. On September 18, 2023, the Court granted the SEC’s motion for default judgment against SHE Beverage. Dkt. 98. On December 14, 2023, the Court granted the SEC’s motion for disgorgement and prejudgment interest, and partially granted the SEC’s motion for civil penalties. Dkt. 108 at 15. In the December 14, 2023 order, the Court denied Rose’s request to dismiss the case, which was made in her opposition to the SEC’s motion. Id. at 6. On January 16, 2024, the Court entered final judgments against all defendants. Dkts. 110-113. On January 18, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California filed a criminal indictment against defendant Rose, alleging that she “marketed SHE Beverage to the victim-investors as a successful beverage company [and]... falsely stated that the money raised... would be used to fund the operations of SHE Beverage,” when in fact “Rose used the funds personally” to enrich herself, her friends, and her family. See United States of America v. Lupe Rose, Case No. 2:24-cr-00037-GW-1, dkt. 1 19. The trial in Rose’s criminal case 1s set for September 23, 2025. See id., dkt. 40. On March 12, 2025, Rose, proceeding pro se, filed a motion in the instant case to set aside judgment, vacate the bifurcation agreement, and dismiss the proceedings.! Dkt. 115 (Mot. 1”). On March 20, 2025, Rose filed an “amended motion to dismiss.” Dkt. 117 (Mot. 2”). The same day, Rose filed a supplemental memorandum regarding the SEC expert’s report at issue in this matter.?7 Dkt. 118 (“Mot. 3”). On March 24, 2025, Rose filed a motion for relief from judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60 (“Rule 60”). Dkt 119 (“Mot. 4”). The same day, Rose filed a notice of clarification of her recent filings, a notice of or request for a hearing on April 28, 2025, and a declaration in support of her filings. Dkts. 120, 121, 122. Her notice of clarification states that the “primary motion for the Court’s consideration” is the Rule 60 motion. Dkt. 120 at 2. On

Rose attached Exhibits A-H and Exhibits J-K to her first motion. See dkt. 115. ? Rose attached Exhibits Z-1, Z-2, and Z-5 to her third motion. See dkt. 118.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL MINUTES —- GENERAL ‘O’ Case No. 2:21-cv-07339-CAS-ASx Date April 28, 2025 Title Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc. et al March 26, 2025, the SEC filed its opposition to Rose’s motions. Dkt. 123 (“Opp.”). The same day, Rose filed her reply. Dkt. 124 (“Reply”). On March 31, 2025, Rose filed an emergency supplemental motion for immediate relief, a comprehensive restraining order, and potential Supreme Court referral. Dkt. 126. On April 3, 2025, the Court denied Rose’s motion for emergency relief, indicated that it construed Rose’s four motions as a Rule 60 motion to set aside the judgment in this case, and set a motion hearing for April 28, 2025.7 Dkt. 127. On April 28, 2025, the Court held a hearing. Having carefully considered the parties’ arguments and submissions, the Court finds and concludes as follows. I. LEGAL STANDARD Under Rule 60(b), the court may grant reconsideration of a final judgment and any order based on: “(1) mistake, surprise, or excusable neglect; (2) newly discovered evidence; (3) fraud; (4) a void judgment; (5) a satisfied or discharged judgment; or (6) extraordinary circumstances which would justify relief.” School Dist. No. 1J, Multnomah County, Or. v. ACandS, Inc., 5 F.3d 1255, 1263 (9th Cir. 1993). Under Rule 60(b)(6), the so-called catch-all provision, the party seeking relief “must demonstrate both injury and circumstances beyond his control that prevented him from proceeding with the action in a proper fashion.” Latshaw v. Trainer Wortham & Co., Inc., 452 F.3d 1097, 1103 (9th Cir. 2006). In addition, the Ninth Circuit recently confirmed that “[t]o receive relief under Rule 60(b)(6), a party must demonstrate extraordinary circumstances which prevented or rendered him unable to prosecute his case.” Lal v. California, 610 F.3d 518, 524 (9th Cir. 2010). This Rule must be “used sparingly as an equitable remedy to prevent manifest injustice and is to be utilized only where extraordinary circumstances prevented a party from taking timely action to prevent or correct an erroneous judgment.” Id. (quoting United States v. Washington, 394 F.3d 1152, 1157 (9th Cir. 2005)). Any

> The Court provided a courtesy copy of its order denying Rose’s emergency motion to the Court and all counsel in Rose’s criminal case, “to be certain that Rose’s criminal defense counsel 1s fully apprised of her motions” in the instant civil case. Dkt. 127 at 2. Similarly, the Court is providing a courtesy copy of this order to Rose’s criminal defense counsel.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL MINUTES —- GENERAL ‘Oo’ Case No. 2:21-cv-07339-CAS-ASx Date April 28, 2025 Title Securities and Exchange Commission v. SHE Beverage Company, Inc. et al Rule 60(b) motion must be brought within a reasonable time and no later than one year after entry of judgment or the order being challenged. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(c)(1).

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