U.S. Sec. & Exch. Comm'n v. Kameli

373 F. Supp. 3d 1194
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Illinois
DecidedMarch 14, 2019
DocketCase No. 17 CV 4686
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 373 F. Supp. 3d 1194 (U.S. Sec. & Exch. Comm'n v. Kameli) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
U.S. Sec. & Exch. Comm'n v. Kameli, 373 F. Supp. 3d 1194 (illinoised 2019).

Opinion

Joan B. Gottschall, United States District Court Judge

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC" or "Commission") brought this civil enforcement action against Seyed Taher Kameli ("Kameli") and several corporations, alleging violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), 15 U.S.C. § 77q(a) ; Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"), 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b) ; and Rule 10b-5, 17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5, promulgated thereunder. The SEC's allegations are set against the backdrop of a program commonly called the EB-5 program. EB-5 visas may be issued to "qualified immigrants seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in a new commercial enterprise" provided that (i) the immigrant invests a set amount of capital in the enterprise, and (ii) the enterprise benefits the U.S. economy by "creat[ing] full-time employment for not fewer than 10 [qualified employees]." 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(5). The SEC's allegations concern investments in projects to build senior living facilities offered by Kameli to immigrants seeking to qualify for the EB-5 program.

Four motions to dismiss the SEC's First Amended Complaint ("FAC"), ECF No. 105, are before the court. The SEC also moves to strike one of the motions to dismiss. Defendants argue that the FAC fails to state a claim and does not meet the heightened pleading standard of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b), which applies to claims sounding in fraud. The court concludes that the FAC fails to satisfy the requirements of Rule 9(b) and dismisses it.

I. Background

This case began with the SEC's filing of its original complaint, ECF No. 1, and motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, ECF No. 6. The court held hearings1 over five days on the motion for preliminary injunction and denied it by memorandum opinion and order entered September 5, 2017, ECF No. 82 (reported SEC v. Kameli , 276 F.Supp.3d 852 (N.D. Ill. 2017) ).

Defendants then filed motions to dismiss the original complaint. ECF Nos. 100-03. In lieu of responding to those motions, the SEC elected to amend the complaint "as a matter of course," Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(1).

*1197In four separate motions, defendants again moved to dismiss the FAC. ECF Nos. 124, 126-28. The SEC has also filed a motion to strike one of the motions to dismiss. ECF No. 140.

A. The EB-5 Program

Congress created the EB-5 Program under the Immigration Act of 1990. See Pub. L. No. 101-649, 104 Stat 4978 (codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(5) ). In 1991, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) promulgated regulations for the EB-5 Program's administration. Today, USCIS administers the program. The program's chief purpose is to stimulate the economy by encouraging infusions of new capital and creating jobs. See, e.g., Doe v. U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Servs. , 2016 WL 3640687, at *1 (N.D. Ill. June 29, 2016), Kenkhuis v. I.N.S. , 2003 WL 22124059, at *3 & n.2 (N.D. Tex. Mar. 7, 2003) (discussing the EB-5 Program's legislative history).

The application process begins with the filing of a "Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur" with USCIS. 8 C.F.R. § 204.6. The application must be "accompanied by evidence that the alien has invested or is actively in the process of investing lawfully obtained capital in a new commercial enterprise in the United States which will create full-time positions for not fewer than 10 qualifying employees." 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(j). In support of their petitions, applicants may submit "[a] copy of a comprehensive business plan showing that, due to the nature and projected size of the new commercial enterprise, the need for not fewer than ten (10) qualifying employees will result, including approximate dates, within the next two years, and when such employees will be hired." 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(j)(4)(i)(B).

If the I-526 petition is approved, the investor is granted a conditional green card conferring permanent resident status on a conditional basis. 8 U.S.C. § 1186b(a)(1). To have the conditions removed, the investor must file (within a specified time period) a "Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions." 8 C.F.R. § 216.6. At this stage, the investor must show that his investment of capital was "sustained" during his or her period of conditional residence and that the investment "created or can be expected to create with a reasonable period of time ten full-time jobs to qualifying employees." 8 C.F.R. § 216.6(a)(4)(iii)-(iv). If USCIS grants the I-829 petition, the conditions are removed from the investor's green card and he becomes a lawful permanent resident. If not, the investor loses his conditional permanent residency. 8 C.F.R. § 216.6

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Bluebook (online)
373 F. Supp. 3d 1194, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/us-sec-exch-commn-v-kameli-illinoised-2019.