The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged former Pennsylvania-based investment adviser Scott J. Mason, Rubicon Wealth Management LLC, and Orchard Park Real Estate Holdings LLC with misappropriating more than USD 20 million from at least 13 advisory clients. According to the SEC’s complaint, the alleged misconduct ran from at least 2014 to 2024 and involved unauthorized transfers from client accounts to Mason and his entities, use of client funds for personal expenses and other purposes, and efforts to conceal the activity through forged client signatures, misrepresentations, and the provision of fake account statements and tax documents. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and alleges violations of the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws; Mason and the entities have consented to permanent injunctions, with disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties to be determined later, subject to court approval. In parallel, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has announced criminal charges against Mason.