Trucking Company and its Executives Run Offering Fraud

Offering frauds come in all shapes and sizes. Many of the cases filed are essentially sham transactions. Others may be based on an actual business at the start but later turn out to be frauds.
The Commission’s latest case in this area is apparently based on an actual trucking company, Morbex Automation LLC. The firm is based in Miami, Florida. Nevertheless, over a period of months defendants raised significant amounts of money from investors based largely on false statements. SEC v. Morbex Automation Logistics Corp., Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-21223 (S.D. Fla. Filed March 14, 2025).

Named as defendants are the trucking firm; Danilo Monzon, a member of the firm and Vice President of Optimistic Services, as well as a relief defendant; Joshau Smith, also a member of the firm and an authorized signer of firm accounts; and Adrian Colon, a member of the firm.

Over a period of months Defendants raised capital from investors centered on a pitch that the investors were sure to raise money. Investors were told to purchase semi-trailer trucks and then manage the operations across the U.S. Investors were assured that if they made an investment of between $75,0000 to $100,000, they would reap between $4,0000 and $800,000 monthly.

The secret sauce to this investment was the retail companies with whom Defendants assured investors they were affiliated. Those firms included Walmart, Inc., Public Super Markets, Inc., and Costco Wholesale Corporation.

Unfortunately, the statements were false. Defendants Smith and Colon directly misappropriated at least $930,000 of investor funds for themselves – investors were told to move the money into the bank accounts of Defendants. Other transfers of cash were also siphoned off from the company accounts for the benefit of members of the scheme. Overall, Defendants used much of the investor money for their personal benefit – there were no contracts with the supposed retail giants that were supposed to make the scheme work. The complaint alleges violations of Securities Act Sections 5(a), 5(c) and 17(a) and Exchange Act Sections 10(b), Rule 10b-5, and Section 15(a). See Lit. Rel. No. 26272 (March 18, 2025).