Final Consent Judgments - Southern California Residents Charged with Insider Trading

The SEC obtained final consent judgments against Brent Cranmer and Daniel McCormick, two Southern California residents, for insider trading in Kaman Corporation securities ahead of its acquisition announcement. Cranmer was ordered to pay a $50,000 civil penalty and is prohibited from serving as an officer or director of a public company for five years. McCormick was ordered liable for disgorgement of $115,598, satisfied by parallel criminal forfeiture. Combined profits from the scheme exceeded $1 million.

SEC Charges Ronald Smith Insider Trading

The SEC filed insider trading charges against Ronald Smith, a Connecticut resident and registered representative for a New York-based broker-dealer, alleging he traded on material nonpublic information misappropriated from a New York investment bank. Smith generated approximately $530,000 in illicit profits and, with a colleague, recommended trades to customers resulting in millions in customer profits and hundreds of thousands in split commissions.

Titanium Capital LLC and Henry Abdo - Ponzi Scheme Enforcement

The SEC obtained final judgments against Titanium Capital LLC and its founder Henry Abdo for operating a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded at least 162 investors out of over $5.3 million. The court entered permanent injunctions and ordered disgorgement of $2,920,668 plus prejudgment interest of $467,933. Abdo, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud in parallel criminal proceedings, received a 168-month prison sentence.

Merchant Card Payment Surcharging Reform Conclusions

The Reserve Bank of Australia Payments System Board has published its Conclusions Paper on the Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging, finalizing decisions to remove merchant surcharging on debit, prepaid, and credit cards across eftpos, Mastercard, and Visa networks, lower interchange fee caps, and increase transparency requirements for card networks. Most changes take effect 1 October 2026, with remaining changes effective 1 April 2027.

Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education Grant Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) program, inviting multidisciplinary proposals focused on wildland fire science research and education. The program covers six focus areas including coupled fire modeling, data infrastructure, AI/ML approaches, cross-scale interactions, community adaptation, and infrastructure vulnerability reduction. Applications close in April 2026.

NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory - Quantum Testbeds

NSF announced funding opportunity for the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) program, soliciting proposals for Quantum Science and Technology Demonstration (QSTD) projects at Design and Implementation phases. The program supports development of use-inspired quantum technologies to accelerate translation from basic science to market-ready applications under the National Quantum Initiative Act.

NSF FAIROS Open Science Grant Program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the FAIROS (Findable Accessible Interoperable Reusable Open Science) grant program to fund transformative open science activities including research data management, cyberinfrastructure development, and scientific communication innovation. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education. The solicitation supports the NSF Public Access Initiative with proposals due April 8, 2026.

Bryan v. Child Support Enforcement Agency - Mandamus Denial

The Hawaii Supreme Court denied Megan E. Bryan's Verified Petition for Writ of Mandamus without prejudice. The court cited violations of HFCR Rule 11 due to multiple inaccurate case citations in her submissions, including fabricated case names and incorrect volume/page citations, suggesting portions were AI-generated. The court cautioned the petitioner to ensure future filings comply with Rule 11's requirements for accurate representations.

Public First Law Center v. Hon. Morikone - Writ Petition Denied

The Hawaii Supreme Court denied a petition for writ of prohibition and mandamus filed by Public First Law Center challenging the Circuit Court's sealing of court records in a case involving Booking.com B.V. The court found the requested relief unwarranted, concluding the circuit court complied with sealing requirements established in State v. Rogan (2025).

Ka'u Andrade Contracting v. Naito - Contract Dispute Affirmed/Vacated/Remanded

The Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals issued a Memorandum Opinion in Ka'u Andrade Contracting v. Naito (CAAP-23-0000513), affirming in part and vacating in part the Circuit Court of the Third Circuit's August 4, 2023 First Amended Judgment and related orders. The appellate court remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion. The dispute involves a $405,000 contract for coffee farm development services between Dr. Allison Naito and Tiare Lani Coffee, Inc.