Alejandro O. Soto

Advised a commodities trader in a regulatory investigation involving an alleged fraudulent investment scheme exceeding $10 million, counseling on potential criminal exposure.

Engaged by a public company's CEO to assist an audit-committee investigation into allegations concerning personal-versus-business expenses.

Represents a client charged in the Southern District of Florida with money laundering arising from allegations of unlicensed money remitting, in a case involving over $350 million and among the largest of its kind ever brought by the federal government. The client is in Argentina awaiting extradition proceedings.

Represents a client under investigation by both the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Office of Foreign Assets Control for alleged violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and money laundering, with cross-border exposure to Russia.

Represented an executive of a real estate investment fund in the SEC's enforcement action alleging that the fund, which had raised about $170 million, operated as a real-estate-debenture Ponzi scheme, isolating the client's position and resolving the Commission's claims against him in June 2022.

Counseled a subject of parallel SEC and U.S. Attorney's Office securities investigations, negotiating a settlement of disgorgement exposure with the SEC receiver.

Represented a Senior Vice President of a Fortune 1000 technology company in a DOJ insider-trading investigation. The related prosecution resulted in a guilty plea by the charged individual; our client was not charged.

Represented a registered commodity-pool adviser and its principal in an emergency NFA enforcement action before the Business Conduct Committee for alleged willful false statements and reporting violations.

Investigated and advised an investment adviser facing civil fraud allegations of charging improper fees exceeding $10 million to high-net-worth clients, counseling on both civil and potential criminal exposure.

Represents a registered investment adviser and its principal in a parallel SEC and FINRA investigation arising from a customer complaint alleging overbilling and improper gifts of approximately $5 million.

Represented a company and its principal in an SEC enforcement matter alleging $1.2 million in investor fraud through false press releases, handling pre-filing settlement negotiations.

Represents the former chief executive and chief financial officer of a technology company in an SEC enforcement action alleging $30 million in securities fraud based on material misrepresentations and omissions.

Represents a client and a related holding company in an SEC enforcement action alleging a $35 million securities-fraud and Ponzi scheme.

Represented an individual and a related family trust in an SEC enforcement action arising from an investment program that allegedly raised more than $500 million from investors. The trust was placed into receivership in August 2021, and the individual settled the matter in November 2022.

Represents a company and its chief executive in an SEC administrative action alleging the company made false statements about its revenue to investors, as the SEC evaluates a potential federal enforcement action.

Represents a senior accountant at an investment-fund manager in a formal SEC books-and-records and accounting investigation.

As co-trial counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Soto litigated a $300 million accounting-fraud enforcement action; after the SEC obtained partial summary judgment, the defendants settled for more than $50 million in disgorgement and penalties.

Represented a chief executive in a Florida Office of Financial Regulation investigation into the sale of more than $100 million in viatical settlements alleged to be unregistered securities.

Represents the co-founder of a cryptocurrency fund in an SEC emergency action alleging a Ponzi scheme the agency framed at roughly $100 million in a vehicle that had held around $150 million, while managing parallel exposure as the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida evaluates a potential criminal case. The matter is ongoing.

Lead counsel in an SEC emergency enforcement action and a parallel New York Attorney General action arising from an alleged fraudulent crypto trading-investment and pyramid scheme that raised crypto assets worth more than $650 million, spanning Haiti, Panama, and the Grenadines.

Represents the co-founder of a cryptocurrency fund that held roughly $150 million in assets in an SEC emergency enforcement action alleging a $100 million Ponzi scheme, while managing simultaneous parallel criminal exposure in the Southern District of Florida.

Defended a Brazilian national in the United States against an extradition request connected to an offshoot of Operation Lava Jato (Car Wash), pairing U.S. extradition practice with an understanding of the underlying Brazilian proceeding and coordinating with local counsel in Brazil across both legal systems.