2023-09-22
Added · Updated
The Connecticut Banking Commissioner orders Burns Capital Investments LLC and Thomas Zachary Burns to cease and desist from violating the Connecticut Uniform Securities Act, including offering unregistered securities, engaging in fraudulent and dishonest practices, and operating as an unregistered investment adviser. The Respondents are required to make restitution to investors from whom they raised at least $148,000 through misrepresentations regarding a cryptocurrency fund and artificial intelligence trading. The Commissioner also issues a notice of intent to impose fines for these violations and for the Respondents' failure to comply with investigative subpoenas.
IN THE MATTER OF: * ORDER TO MAKE RESTITUTION * BURNS CAPITAL INVESTMENTS LLC * NOTICE OF INTENT TO FINE * THOMAS ZACHARY BURNS * AND *
12 - the public interest or for the protection of investors and consistent with the purposes fairly intended by the policies and provisions of the Act; WHEREAS, notice is hereby given to Respondents that the Commissioner intends to impose a maximum fine not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per violation upon Respondents; WHEREAS, the Commissioner ORDERS that BURNS CAPITAL INVESTMENTS LLC, its affiliates and successors in interest CEASE AND DESIST from directly or indirectly violating the provisions of the Act, including without limitation: (a) offering and selling unregistered securities in and/or from Connecticut; (b) in connection with the offer, sale or purchase of any security, directly or indirectly employing any device, scheme or artifice to defraud, making an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or engaging in an act, practice or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person; (c) in connection with the offer, sale or purchase of any security, directly or indirectly engaging in dishonest or unethical practices; (d) transacting business as an investment adviser in Connecticut absent registration under the Act; (e) in connection with directly or indirectly receiving compensation or other remuneration for advising another person as to the value of securities or their purchase or sale, whether through the issuance of analyses or reports or otherwise, employing a device, scheme or artifice to defraud, making an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or engaging in an act, practice or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon such other person; (f) engaging in dishonest or unethical practices in connection with the rendering of investment advice or the solicitation of investment advisory business; and (g) during the course of an agency investigation, making statements to the Commissioner that are, at the time and in light of the circumstances under which they are made, false or misleading in a material respect, and omitting to state material facts necessary to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not false or misleading in violation of Section 36b 23 of the Act;
13 - WHEREAS, the Commissioner ORDERS that THOMAS ZACHARY BURNS CEASE AND DESIST from directly or indirectly violating the provisions of the Act, including without limitation: (a) offering and selling unregistered securities in and/or from Connecticut; (b) in connection with the offer, sale or purchase of any security, directly or indirectly employing any device, scheme or artifice to defraud, making an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or engaging in an act, practice or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person; (c) in connection with the offer, sale or purchase of any security, directly or indirectly engaging in dishonest or unethical practices; (d) transacting business as an investment adviser in Connecticut absent registration under the Act; (e) in connection with directly or indirectly receiving compensation or other remuneration for advising another person as to the value of securities or their purchase or sale, whether through the issuance of analyses or reports or otherwise, employing a device, scheme or artifice to defraud, making an untrue statement of a material fact or omitting to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, or engaging in an act, practice or course of business which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon such other person; (f) engaging in dishonest or unethical practices in connection with the rendering of investment advice or the solicitation of investment advisory business; and (g) during the course of an agency investigation, making statements to the Commissioner that are, at the time and in light of the circumstances under which they are made, false or misleading in a material respect, and omitting to state material facts necessary to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not false or misleading in violation of Section 36b-23 of the Act; WHEREAS, the Commissioner ORDERS that RESPONDENTS MAKE RESTITUTION of any sums obtained as a result of Respondents’ violations of Sections 36b-4(a), 36b-4(b), 36b-5(a), 36b-5(f), 36b-6(c)(1), and 36b-16 of the Act, plus interest at the legal rate set forth in Section 37-1 of the General Statutes of Connecticut. Specifically, the Commissioner ORDERS that:
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15 - Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. If a hearing is requested, the hearing will be held on November 15, 2023, at 10 a.m. If a hearing is requested, it will be held in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 54 of the General Statutes of Connecticut, unless a Respondent fails to appear at the requested hearing. At such hearing, each Respondent will have the right to appear and present evidence, rebuttal evidence and argument on all issues of fact and law to be considered by the Commissioner. Any remote hearing will be held in accordance with Section 149 of June Special Session Public Act 21-2, and the Remote Hearing Guidelines available on the Department’s website at https://portal.ct.gov/dob. If any Respondent does not request a hearing within the time period prescribed or fails to appear at any such hearing, the allegations herein against any such Respondent will be deemed admitted. Accordingly, the Order to Cease and Desist and Order to Make Restitution shall remain in effect and become permanent against any such Respondent and the Commissioner may order that the maximum fine be imposed upon any such Respondent. Dated at Hartford, Connecticut, this 18th day of September 2023. /s/__________ Jorge L. Perez Banking Commissioner
16 - CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that on this 18th day of September 2023, I caused to be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, the foregoing Order to Cease and Desist, Order to Make Restitution, Notice of Intent to Fine and Notice of Right to Hearing to: Burns Capital Investments LLC at: 16A Windsor Street, Enfield, Connecticut 06082, certified mail no. 7022 1670 0002 0923 2722; and 1401 Windsor Station Drive, Windsor, Connecticut 06095, certified mail no. 7022 1670 0002 0923 2715; and to Thomas Zachary Burns at 1401 Windsor Station Drive, Windsor, Connecticut 06095, certified mail no. 7022 1670 0002 0923 2739. /s/__________ Jackie Wilkey Administrative Assistant