U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Litigation Release No. 19261 / June 9, 2005

U.S. v. Jean Janu, CR 03-1222 (C.D. Cal.)

JEAN JANU SENTENCED FOR OBSTRUCTION OF SEC INVESTIGATION

On May 31, 2005, The Hon. Margaret M. Morrow, U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California, sentenced Jean Janu, 58, to 21 months in federal prison based on her guilty plea to obstructing the SEC's enforcement investigation of Reed E. Slatkin and to misprision of a felony for concealing Slatkin's scheme in an attempt to deceive the SEC regarding the authenticity of Slatkin's account statements. From approximately 1986 until May 2001, Slatkin operated a massive Ponzi scheme in which he raised more than $593 million from approximately 800 investors.

In her plea agreement, Janu admitted that, at Slatkin's direction, she created and revised account statements and other documents that supported Slatkin's claim that he held over $500 million in securities in brokerage accounts at the fictitious entity "NAA Financial" of Zurich, Switzerland. Janu knew these documents were to be submitted to the SEC. Janu created these bogus statements on her computer and printed the NAA account statements on blank, European-sized stationary provided to her by Slatkin that contained NAA's name and purported Swiss address. Slatkin then instructed Janu to erase the account statements from her computer.

During the SEC investigation, Janu falsely testified under oath that she did not have any knowledge of any foreign accounts held by Slatkin. In addition, Janu falsely testified that she had never heard the name NAA Financial.

On June 7, 2001, in the SEC's action, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered a judgment of permanent injunction against Slatkin. Slatkin, without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, consented to the entry of an injunction from future violations of the federal securities laws. Slatkin has also been barred by the Commission from associating with any investment adviser. On September 3, 2003, Judge Morrow sentenced Slatkin to 14 years in prison for his role in the massive Ponzi scheme. Slatkin pleaded guilty to 15 counts, including conspiracy to obstruct justice during an SEC enforcement investigation.

Additional information can be found in Litigation Release Nos. 16998 (May 11, 2001), 17033 (June 11, 2001), 17444 (March 27, 2002), 17796 (September 12, 2002), 17796 (October 22, 2002), 18107 (April 25, 2003), 18323 (September 4, 2003), 18499 (December 10, 2003), and Advisers Act Release 2006 (January 2, 2002).

http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/lr19261.htm