Initially, the SEC, led by attorney Michael Welsh, had convinced the court to freeze DEBT Box’s assets,
arguing the company was moving to Dubai, beyond U.S. regulatory reach.
United States District Judge Robert Shelby has cautioned the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) lawyers, hinting at possible sanctions due to purportedly deceptive statements in a legal action
against Digital Licensing Inc., also recognized as DEBT Box, a crypto company.
Lodged in the federal court of Utah, the SEC’s legal action alleged that DEBT Box deceived investors by
around $50 million via the vending of unregistered securities known as “node licenses.”
Judge Shelby’s decision revealed notable discrepancies in the SEC’s case.
Initially, the SEC, led by attorney Michael Welsh, had convinced the court to freeze DEBT Box’s assets,
arguing the company was moving to Dubai, beyond U.S. regulatory reach. Subsequently,
it was discovered that these assertions were inaccurate, with no bank account closures and an alleged overseas transfer of $720,000 being domestic.
The judge raised apprehensions regarding the behavior of the SEC lawyers. Misrepresenting facts and the failure of other team members to rectify these inaccuracies may have violated federal court Rule
11(b), which mandates evidence-backed factual claims. This resulted in the issuance of a “show cause
order” by Shelby, requiring the SEC to provide reasons why they should not incur penalties for these actions.
The intricacy of the case is underscored by a TRM Labs report corroborating the SEC’s primary claim
that DEBT Box deceived investors regarding mining tokens. The defense counsel has not provided a
statement on the issue, and the SEC has acknowledged the order, planning to respond within the two-week timeframe specified by Judge Shelby.
