John Schaefer

Saint Kitts-based "recidivist" Paul Bilzerian has been criminally indicted in the United States for allegedly fraudulently avoiding a 1993 SEC judgment that now stands at $180 million. Also indicted were accountant Scott Rohleder and Canadian "cannabis and lifestyle brand company" Ignite International Brands Ltd., while all three and others have also been sued for fraud by the SEC.

Complaint alleging "Ignite - a Canadian company that sells disposable vape pens and other nicotine e-liquid products and whose shares traded in the United States - engaged in a scheme, orchestrated largely by recidivist Bilzerian, who controls Ignite, to fraudulently report revenue" in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Ignite International Brands Ltd., of Ontario, Canada; Paul Bilzerian, described as "a resident of St. Kitts and the father of Ignite’s Chief Executive Officer"; Paul Dowdall, described as "a resident of Ontario, Canada and a Chartered Professional Accountant registered with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario"; Scott Rohleder, described as a resident of North Carolina, USA; John Schaefer, described as a resident of Yorktown Heights, New York, USA; International Investments Ltd., of Saint Kitts; Accell Audit & Compliance PA, of Tampa, Florida, USA, and Christopher Hiestand, described as a resident of San Antonio, Texas, USA, at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.