A Huntington Beach businessman is facing a maximum prison term of five years after pleading guilty this month to a federal prosecutor's charge that he conspired to dupe investors purchasing stock.
Todd Taylor, who worked at JAW & Associates, illegally manipulated stock activity in 2011 and 2012, and then advised an investor to purchase 45,000 shares in a company, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report.
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Taylor, who didn't advise his victim of the commission he'd receive in the scam, knew the shares were essentially worthless.
He signed a guilty plea in hope for eventual leniency at his sentencing inside Orange County's Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse.
According to DOJ, Taylor–who was born in 1966 and is free from custody–caused $167,974 in victim losses.
In the government's case, officials mention two “co-conspirators,” but only identify them with initials: J.W. and J.P.
A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
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