UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

SEC ADMIN RELEASE 34-70343, IA RELEASE 3666, SEPTEMBER 6, 2013: THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ("COMMISSION") DEEMED IT APPROPRIATE AND IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS BE INSTITUTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(B) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 ("EXCHANGE ACT") AND SECTION 203(F) OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940 ("ADVISERS ACT") AGAINST VICTOR MANUEL RIVERA, JR. ("RESPONDENT"). THE COMMISSION FOUND THAT: ON FEBRUARY 28, 2012, RIVERA PLED GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF WIRE FRAUD IN VIOLATION OF 18 UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 1343 BEFORE THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY, IN UNITED STATES V. VICTOR MANUEL RIVERA, JR., 2:12-CR-00150-WJM (D.N.J.). ON AUGUST 1, 2012, A JUDGMENT IN THE CRIMINAL CASE WAS ENTERED AGAINST RIVERA. HE WAS SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS' PROBATION AND ORDERED TO MAKE RESTITUTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $94,000. THE COUNT OF THE CRIMINAL INFORMATION TO WHICH RIVERA PLED GUILTY ALLEGED THAT FROM OCTOBER 2008 THROUGH OCTOBER 2010, RIVERA DEFRAUDED INVESTORS AND OBTAINED MONEY AND PROPERTY BY MEANS OF MATERIALLY FALSE AND MISLEADING STATEMENTS, AND THAT HE TRANSMITTED BY WIRE FUNDS IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE FROM THE DEFRAUDED INVESTORS, WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE OR AUTHORIZATION, TO A BANK ACCOUNT RIVERA CONTROLLED.

Order

Bar (Permanent)

ASSOCIATION WITH ANY BROKER, DEALER, INVESTMENT ADVISER, MUNICIPAL SECURITIES DEALER, MUNICIPAL ADVISOR OR TRANSFER AGENT

Indefinite

9/6/2013

ASSOCIATION WITH ANY NATIONALL RECOGNIZED STATISTICAL RATING ORGANIZATION

Indefinite

9/6/2013

PARTICIPATING IN ANY OFFERING OF A PENNY STOCK

Indefinite

9/6/2013

FINRA

RESPONDENT RIVERA FAILED TO COMPLY WITH AN ARBITRATION AWARD OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT OR TO SATISFACTORILY RESPOND TO A FINRA REQUEST TO PROVIDE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE STATUS OF COMPLIANCE.

LETTER

Suspension

ANY CAPACITY

N/A

3/21/2013

PURSUANT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3 OF FINRA BY-LAWS, AND FINRA RULE 9554, RESPONDENT RIVERA IS SUSPENDED MARCH 21, 2013 FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH AN ARBITRATION AWARD OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT OR TO SATISFACTORILY RESPOND TO A FINRA REQUEST TO PROVIDE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE STATUS OF COMPLIANCE.

NEW JERSEY BUREAU OF SECURITIES

RIVERA WAS INDICTED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2012, FOR ALLEGEDLY FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINING APPROXIMATELY $94,000 FROM W.F.'S AND G.H.'S MSSB ACCOUNTS. THE INDICTMENT ALLEGED RIVERA FORGED W.F. AND G.H.'S SIGNATURES ON WIRE TRANSFER REQUEST FORMS AND SUBMITTED THE FORMS TO HIS SUPERVISORS AT MSSB FOR APPROVAL. RIVERA FALSELY INDICATED ON THE WIRE TRANSFER REQUEST FORMS THAT W.F. AND G.H. WISHED TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO A WACHOVIA ACCOUNT THAT RIVERA CONTROLLED. RIVERA SPENT THE MAJORITY OF THE $94,000 ON PERSONAL EXPENDITURES. RIVERA PLED GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF WIRE FRAUD. ON AUGUST 1, 2012, A JUDGMENT IN A CRIMINAL CASE WAS ENTERED AGAINST RIVERA FOR ONE (1)COUNT OF WIRE FRAUD. HE WAS SENTENCED TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROBATION FOR TWO (2) YEARS, PERFORMANCE OF 50 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE DURING THE FIRST YEAR, PROHIBITION FROM INCURRING ANY NEW DEBT, AND TO REFRAIN FROM EMPLOYMENT THAT INVOLVES FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. IT WAS ALSO SO ORDERED THAT RIVERA PAY $100 SPECIAL ASSESSMENT AND MAKE RESTITUTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $94,000 WITH NO INTEREST.

Order

Bar (Permanent)

ALL CAPACITIES

ORDERED THAT VICTOR M. RIVERA BE, AND HEREBY IS, SUMMARILY BARRED, PURSUANT TO N.J.S.A. 49:3-56(K), FROM BEING A PARTNER, OFFICER OR DIRECTOR OF AN ISSUER, BROKER-DEALER OR INVESTMENT ADVISER, OR FROM OCCUPYING A SIMILAR STATUS OR PERFORMING A SIMILAR FUNCTION OR FROM DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CONTROLLING OR BEING CONTROLLED BY AN ISSUER, BROKER-DEALER OR INVESTMENT ADVISER, OR FROM ACTING AS A BROKER-DEALER, AGENT OR INVESTMENT ADVISER IN NEW JERSEY; AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT EXEMPTIONS TO CERTAIN SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS PROVIDED BY N.J.S.A. 49:3-50 ARE HEREBY DENIED; AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT THE EXEMPTIONS TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS PROVIDED BY N.J.S.A. 49:3-56 ARE HEREBY DENIED.

WIRE

Convicted

FINRA

FINRA RULES 2010, 2150(A), NASD RULES 2110, 2330(A) - VICTOR MANUEL RIVERA, JR. CONVERTED A TOTAL OF $94,000 FROM CUSTOMERS' BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS AT HIS MEMBER FIRM AND AFFILIATE. RIVERA, WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION, FORGED A CUSTOMER'S SIGNATURE ON RELATED AUTHORIZATIONS TO EFFECTUATE THE CONVERSION OF FUNDS TO A BANK ACCOUNT OF RIVERA'S RELATIVE FOR RIVERA'S PERSONAL USE; THE CUSTOMERS DID NOT AUTHORIZE THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS. BY FORGING CUSTOMERS' SIGNATURES IN THE AUTHORIZATIONS, RIVERA, IN THE CONDUCT OF HIS BUSINESS, FAILED TO OBSERVE HIGH STANDARDS OF COMMERCIAL HONOR AND JUST AND EQUITABLE PRINCIPLES OF TRADE.

Acceptance, Waiver & Consent(AWC)

Bar (Permanent)

All Capacities

Indefinite

6/3/2011

WITHOUT ADMITTING OR DENYING THE FINDINGS, RIVERA CONSENTED TO THE DESCRIBED SANCTION AND TO THE ENTRY OF FINDINGS; THEREFORE, HE IS BARRED FROM ASSOCIATION WITH ANY FINRA MEMBER IN ANY CAPACITY.