Par Funding Receivership Website

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Complete Business Solutions Group, Inc., et al.

Case No. 20-cv-81205-RAR

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Key Court Documents

Below are links within this website to certain filings and court orders in the SEC’s lawsuit against the Defendants that may be of interest to visitors of this website. All filings, court orders, including other filings from the Receiver, the parties to the lawsuit, and other persons, are also available on the Document Filing System of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which is available at: https://ecf.flsd.uscourts.gov/

DE 606 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [600] Defendant's Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to Answer Plaintiff's Amended Complaint. Defendant Michael C. Furman shall file his answer on or before June 8, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 6/1/2021.
DE 613 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [612] Defendant Joseph LaForte's Motion to Remove Unredacted Exhibits Containing Personal Information from the Record in Exhibits in Response to the Receiver's Argument and Presentation at the May 20, 2021 Status Conference and Replace Them With Redacted Exhibits. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 6/4/2021.
DE 619 - TRANSCRIPT of telephonic discovery hearing held on 3-1-2021 before Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart, 1-40 pages, Court Reporter: Dawn Savino, 305-523-5598 / [email protected]. Transcript may be viewed at the court public terminal or purchased by contacting the Court Reporter/Transcriber before the deadline for Release of Transcript Restriction. After that date it may be obtained through PACER. Redaction Request due 7/6/2021. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 7/15/2021. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 9/13/2021.
DE 620 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [618] Defendant Joseph LaForte's Supplemental Motion to Remove Unredacted Exhibits Containing Personal Information from the Record in Exhibits to Response to the Receiver's Argument and Presentation at the May 20, 2021 Status Conference and Replace them with Redacted Exhibits. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 6/14/2021.
DE 624 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [623] Plaintiffs' Unopposed Motion to File One Motion to Strike Affirmative Defenses Against Defendants. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 6/16/2021.
DE 628 - PAPERLESS ORDER Denying the SEC and Defendant Joseph LaForte's request for a discovery hearing. On June 21, 2021, the parties emailed chambers requesting a discovery hearing pursuant to a dispute over 30(b)(6) deposition topics. That request is denied without prejudice to it being raised again after the deposition has occurred using the procedure set forth in the Court's Standing Discovery Order. Signed by Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart on 6/22/2021.
DE 633 - PAPERLESS ORDER denying as moot [596] Motion for protective order. Signed by Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart
DE 637 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [636] Non-Party's, Lead Funding II, LLC, Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Reply in Further Support of Amended Motion to Intervene and Lift Litigation Injunction to Allow it to Proceed with Foreclosure Action in Colorado State Court. Lead Funding shall file its reply on or before July 6, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 6/30/2021.
DE 641 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [639] Defendant Dean Vagnozzi's Unopposed Motion for an Extension of Time to Respond to Plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission's Motion to Construe Some Affirmative Defenses as Denials, and to Strike Others. Defendant Vagnozzi shall file his response on or before July 20, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 7/5/2021.
DE 645 - PAPERLESS ORDER regarding Defendants' motions for extensions of time to file responses to the Securities and Exchange Commission's Motion to Construe Some Affirmative Defenses as Denials, and to Strike Others [ECF Nos. 639, 643, and 644]. All Defendants shall file a single, consolidated response to the motion on or before July 20, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 7/6/2021.
DE 652 - PAPERLESS ORDER DENYING AS MOOT [646] Defendant Michael Furman's Unopposed Motion for an Extension of Time to Respond to Plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission's Motion to Construe Some Affirmative Defenses as Denials, and to Strike Others. Per the Court's July 6, 2021 Paperless Order [ECF No. 645], all Defendants shall file a single, consolidated response to the motion on or before July 20, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 7/16/2021.
DE 657 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [656] Defendant Dean Vagnozzi's Unopposed Motion to Amend Answer. Mr. Vagnozzi shall file his Amended Answer on or before July 29, 2021. As requested in the Motion, the Court will address Mr. Vagnozzi's Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth affirmative defenses under the current schedule for Plaintiff's Motion to Construe some Affirmative Defenses as Denials, and to Strike Others. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 7/19/2021.
DE 671 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [670] Plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission's Motion for Enlargement of Time to File Reply to Defendants' Joint Response to the Motion to Strike Affirmative Defenses. Plaintiff shall file the reply on or before August 4, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/3/2021.
DE 672 - CLERK'S NOTICE of Compliance by Sealing [663] Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice pursuant to [669] Order
DE 674 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [673] Defendants' Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Reply to the Securities and Exchange Commission's Response to Defendant's Motion to Discharge the Receiver. Defendants shall file their reply on or before August 6, 2021. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/4/2021.
DE 682 - PAPERLESS ORDER setting hearing for August 25, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. on [649] Defendants' Motion to Discharge the Receiver and [666] Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint Due to Misconduct by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Related Constitutional Violations. The hearing will be two hours long and will take place in person in Courtroom 205C at the U.S. Courthouse, 299 E. Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Any requests to appear via videoconference shall be made by motion. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/9/2021.
DE 685 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [684] Plaintiff Securities and Exchange Commission's Motion for Extension of Time and for Additional Pages. Plaintiff shall file its response on or before August 14, 2021 and is permitted to exceed the page limit by 10 pages. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/11/2021.
DE 694 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [693] Plaintiff's Motion to File Exhibits Under Seal. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/15/2021.
DE 695 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [688] Motion to Withdraw as Counsel for Lisa McElhone. Michael F. Bachner, Esq. is hereby withdrawn and relieved of any further responsibility as counsel for Lisa McElhone in this action. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/16/2021.
DE 696 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [689] Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice, Consent to Designation, and Request to Electronically Receive Notices of Electronic Filing for attorney George Bochetto. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/16/2021.
DE 697 - Clerks Notice to Filer re [692] Response in Opposition to Motion,. Login/Signature Block Violation; CORRECTIVE ACTION REQUIRED - The name of attorney e-filing this document via their CM/ECF login does not match the name of attorney on the signature block of the document. The name used for login must match the typed name on signature block of the document. This filing is a violation of Section 3J(1) of CM/ECF Admin Procedures and Local Rule 5.1(b). Filer must File a Notice of Striking, then refile document pursuant to CM/ECF Admin Procedures and Local Rules.
DE 703 - PAPERLESS ORDER REQUIRING EXHIBIT BINDERS. On or before August 20, 2021, Defendants shall deliver to Chambers one hard copy of the exhibits associated with Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Due to Misconduct by the Securities and Exchange Commission [ECF No. 663]as well as any exhibits Defendants plan to submit with their reply in support of that Motion—and the SEC shall deliver to Chambers one hard copy of the exhibits associated with its response to the Motion. The exhibits delivered to Chambers must be unredacted. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/17/2021.
DE 705 - PAPERLESS ORDER REGARDING AUGUST 25, 2021 HEARING. For clarity, the hearing will take place in person with the parties, the Receiver, and their counsel only. Given social distancing requirements and space limitations, any investors or members of the public who wish to observe the hearing can do so via Zoom videoconference using the following link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1619744838?pwd=WHdZT2QxaGJIYXpFcXgvbVRrOG1pUT09. The Meeting ID is 161 974 4838 and the Passcode is 008465. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/17/2021.
DE 706 - PAPERLESS ORDER granting [704] Defendants' Unopposed Motion for Additional Pages. Defendants are permitted to exceed the page limit on their reply by five (5) pages. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/17/2021.
DE 709 - PAPERLESS ORDER DENYING [708] Defendants' Unopposed Motion to Continue Hearing on Defendants' Motion to Discharge the Receiver and Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint. Following the hearing, the parties may supplement the record with the rebuttal expert reports, which the Court will consider prior to issuing its rulings. Additionally, Mr. Futerfas may participate in the hearing via Zoom using the link provided in ECF No. 705 or may rely on fellow counsel for Defendants to present argument on the Motions. Signed by Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II on 8/18/2021.

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