SEC Charges Son and Father-in-Law Who Targeted Church Members in $20 Million Fraud

Posted on May 8th, 2023 at 1:22 PM
SEC Charges Son and Father-in-Law Who Targeted Church Members in $20 Million Fraud

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Brett Bartlett and his father-in-law, Scott Miller, along with their companies over fraudulent securities offerings that generated nearly $20.5 million. 

Bartlett and Miller collected funds from at least 1,000 investors between June 2018 and May 2020. According to the SEC, Bartlett and Miller offered promissory notes, stocks, and fraudulent gold contracts through entities they owned, including Dynasty Toys Inc., The 7M eGroup Corp., Concept Management Company LLC, and Dynasty Inc. The SEC further alleges that Bartlett regularly touted his Christian faith and attributed his purported success to divine intervention when he solicited a large group of investors from a church in central Illinois.

In an effort to conceal the fraud, Bartlett and Miller made at least $11 million in Ponzi-style payments and sent nearly $21 million in bad checks to investors that were subsequently bounced, according to the SEC. Bartlett and Miller allegedly used at least $1.2 million to cover personal expenses, including vacations, entertainment, and payments for a luxury rental home. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement, and civil penalties.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents financial advisors and investors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

Thank you for your professional assistance with this matter. You are very good at what you do.

John T.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

November 7, 2025
FINRA Suspends Former Wells Fargo Broker Over Unapproved Real Estate Venture

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) suspended former Wells Fargo broker George J. Cairnes for four months and fined him $25,000 for engaging in unapproved real estate outside business activity, according to a settlement letter issued.

November 6, 2025
Former Ameriprise Broker Ordered to Pay $2.2 Million for Elder Exploitation

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has ordered Eric A. Dupre to pay nearly $2.2 million in damages to his former firm and two customers following allegations of theft and elder exploitation.

November 5, 2025
Former Wells Fargo Representative Suspended for Unauthorized Texting and Obstruction

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended former Wells Fargo representative Eyan M. Townsend for one year and fined him $10,000 for using personal text messages to conduct business and attempting to obstruct an internal investigation by deleting those communications.