BRAEDEN ANDERSON

Welcome to Anderson Insights.

We provide authoritative analysis on securities and commodities regulation, SEC and FINRA enforcement, and legal developments affecting crypto, digital assets, fintech, and financial services, authored by Braeden Anderson.

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K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

Super Micro Subpoenaed by DOJ and SEC Following Short Seller Allegations: What This Means for AI Market Investors and Compliance Officers

San Jose-based Super Micro Computer, a prominent supplier of high-performance AI server hardware, disclosed this week that it has received subpoenas from both the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The subpoenas, served in late 2024, are part of an apparent response to allegations first raised by the now-defunct short seller Hindenburg Research in August of last year.

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K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

FOIA Docs Show NY AG Wanted ETH Declared a Security

In a striking revelation from documents obtained through Coinbase’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) efforts, the New York Attorney General’s Office asked the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2023 to declare Ether (ETH) a security in support of its lawsuit against crypto exchange KuCoin. The request, made during the tenure of former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, was ultimately declined.

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K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SEC Unmasks $91M Ponzi Scheme in Texas: Three DFW Residents Charged in Sweeping Fraud Case

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed sweeping civil charges against three Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) residents for orchestrating an alleged $91 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 200 investors. The defendants—Kenneth Alexander II, Robert D. Welsh, and Caedrynn E. Conner—now face allegations of violating the antifraud and registration provisions of federal securities laws through a complex network of deceptive investment vehicles.

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K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

Civitas Resources Faces Securities Class Action After 18% Stock Drop: What Investors and Public Companies Should Know

Civitas Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CIVI), a prominent player in the U.S. oil and gas sector, now finds itself at the center of a securities class action lawsuit following a sharp 18% decline in its stock price. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (captioned Lin v. Civitas Resources, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-03791), alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, spotlighting misstatements concerning production capabilities and capital expenditures.

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K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SafeMoon Trial Opens: Former CEO Claims Innocence, Points to Founder as Culprit

The trial of SafeMoon’s former CEO, Braden John Karony, commenced this week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), adding another complex layer to the growing landscape of crypto enforcement actions. Facing charges of securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy, Karony has publicly asserted his innocence—and in a rare move, attempted to deflect culpability toward SafeMoon’s founder, Kyle Nagy.

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Braeden Anderson

K. Braeden Anderson serves as a Partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, where he leads the firm’s Blockchain & Digital Assets and Securities Enforcement & Investigations practices. He also chairs Mackrell International’s Blockchain & Digital Assets Group and its Securities Enforcement & Investigations Group.

Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America (2025) for Financial Services Regulation Law and Securities Regulation, Mr. Anderson has built a national reputation as a securities regulatory and enforcement attorney operating at the intersection of traditional finance and emerging technologies. His practice focuses on advising financial institutions, fintech companies, investment advisers (including robo-advisors), broker-dealers, trading platforms, and digital asset companies in complex regulatory, enforcement, and compliance matters before the SEC, CFTC, FINRA, DOJ, and state regulators.

Within the digital asset and blockchain space, Mr. Anderson regularly counsels clients on issues involving market structure, tokenization, robo-advisor and broker-dealer registration, custody frameworks, AML and KYC obligations, and secondary trading considerations for regulated assets. His work spans both established financial institutions and early-stage ventures, helping clients operate within rapidly evolving regulatory environments with precision and strategic clarity.

Mr. Anderson also represents professional athletes and sports organizations in connection with regulatory and investigative matters requiring careful handling and discretion.

Prior to joining Gesmer, Mr. Anderson founded a Washington, D.C.-based law firm. He previously served as Assistant General Counsel at Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD), where he advised on significant regulatory and enforcement matters. Earlier in his career, he practiced at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Sidley Austin LLP in New York and Washington, D.C., representing clients in matters involving major federal enforcement authorities and providing regulatory advice on complex financial matters.

Mr. Anderson is an active contributor to the national conversation on securities and digital asset regulation. He publishes a widely followed weekly newsletter that has reached millions of legal and financial professionals and produces video content on YouTube for an audience of over 160,000 subscribers. He is also the editor of this legal publication, Anderson Insights, where he provides in-depth analysis for regulators, in-house counsel, and compliance professionals.

Mr. Anderson is also the creator of The Long Game with Braeden Anderson, a new digital series on YouTube exploring the intersection of golf, discipline, and high-performance thinking, featuring match-play conversations with legal executives and business leaders.

He was recently recognized as the most-read fintech thought leader in the United States in Mondaq’s Spring 2025 Thought Leadership Awards.