White-Collar/Regulatory Archives

How Dallas’s Three New Stock Exchanges May Reshape Securities Fraud Enforcement

In a development that could fundamentally reshape the landscape of federal securities enforcement, three major stock exchanges are establishing operations in Dallas within the Northern District of Texas. This geographic diversification of America’s securities exchange infrastructure represents more than mere business expansion — it signals a potential seismic shift in federal criminal and civil securities enforcement. Cases that historically could only be prosecuted in Manhattan may soon find their way to Dallas courtrooms, bringing with them the possibility of different judicial approaches, jury pools and enforcement priorities.

December 18, 2025 Elisha J. Kobre

Ex-VP of Wichita Falls Bank Gets 4 Years in Pandemic Loan Scam

Kaylee Ree Lunn pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud, admitting that she used bank customers’ financial data to apply for bogus loans under the government’s Paycheck Protection Program.

December 8, 2025 Bruce Tomaso

Houston-area Energy Executive Convicted in Scheme to Bribe Mexican Officials

Jurors in the court of U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt found Alexandro Rovirosa guilty of conspiracy and violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. A codefendant, Mario Avila, is a fugitive.

December 8, 2025 Bruce Tomaso

Former USPS Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme

Zechariah Yi is the fourth person to plead guilty in a bribery scheme that involved United States Postal Service contracts that awarded about a total of $15 million to three trucking companies. Yi’s sentencing is set for March 2026.

December 5, 2025 Alexa Shrake

Litigation Roundup: Harrison County Pharma Lawsuit Nets $41.5M Settlement

In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announces a $41.5 million settlement of one Harrison County state court lawsuit against pharmaceutical industry defendants and files another in the same venue, and a fraternity at the University of Texas at Austin draws a wrongful death lawsuit in the wake of a freshman’s death by suicide.

November 24, 2025 Michelle Casady

Former TV News Anchor Gets 10 Years in Pandemic Loan Scam

Stephanie Hockridge, a former local news anchor in Phoenix, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of Fort Worth for her role in what prosecutors called a vast fraud based on phony applications for loans under the Covid-era Payroll Protection Program. Her husband, Nathan Reis, pleaded guilty in August for his role in the scam.

November 21, 2025 Bruce Tomaso

Texas Emerges as a Leading Force in State Privacy Law Enforcement

Over the past two years, Texas has emerged as a leader in the U.S. state privacy regulatory landscape. The state’s attorney general has launched a broad privacy enforcement initiative, secured notable settlements and filed lawsuits against major players across industries ranging from social media to insurance. With new privacy laws that have come into effect in 2024 and 2025 and a steady stream of enforcement activity, Texas has established itself as a state that businesses must pay close attention to when evaluating compliance obligations.

November 20, 2025 Aaron P. Simpson & Danielle Dobrusin

Competent Testifying Expert Supervision Is Required in the Age of AI

In a recent False Claims Act matter, an expert used AI tools to fabricate (among other things) sworn testimony of a federal agency, prompting a motion that may lead to attorney disqualification and even dismissal of the entire case. The pending motion highlights an important issue for litigators to consider in engaging experts. This article summarizes the pending motion and suggests potential solutions and best practices to avoid this issue biting counsel and clients and to protect clients and counsel in the event an expert goes rogue with AI.

November 10, 2025 George M. Padis