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Post by JoeRockss on Feb 20, 2007 19:03:14 GMT -5
gluggo Diamond Cutter Level 4
From what I am hearing is that this has not even been filed yet.
Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 1
25 Pro se UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEVADA G. Gene Hurd, Plaintiff, vs. CMKM Diamonds, Inc., Urban Casavant, Robert Maheu, David DeSormeau, Rupert Perrin, Carolyn Casavant, Wesley Casavant, Cindy Casavant, John Does 1 through 50, each a natural person, and Roes 51 to 200, each a legal person, Defendants. ) Case No.: COMPLAINT AND DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL Plaintiff’s Original Complaint To the Honorable District Court Judge Plaintiff, G. Gene Hurd, appearing pro se, files this Original Complaint against the above named Defendants and for causes of action would respectfully show the Court as follows: Jurisdiction and Venue Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 2 1 225 1. This court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of these claims due to diversity of citizenship pursuant to 28 USC 1322, Section 27 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC §77aa), and 18 USC 1964. Defendants, directly or indirectly, have made use of the means and instrumentalities of interstate commerce or of the mails in connection with the acts, transactions, practices and courses of business alleged in this Complaint. 2. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Defendants Urban Casavant, Robert Maheu, David DeSormeau, Rupert Perrin, Carolyn Casavant, and perhaps others, by virtue of their presence in this district. 3. This Court has supplemental jurisdiction over the claims in this action brought under Nevada law by virtue of the doctrine of pendent jurisdiction pursuant to 28 USC 1367. 4. Venue is proper in this district pursuant to 28 USC 1391(b) because CMKM Diamonds. Inc., the Defendants identified by name in Paragraph 2, and/or their agents reside in, or may be found in, this district, and a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claims occurred in this district. Factual Allegations 5. Plaintiff is unaware of the true names of true names and capacities of the Defendants sued herein as John Doe 1 through John Doe 50, and Roe 51 through Roe 200 inclusive, and therefore sues such Doe and Roe Defendants by fictitious names. Plaintiff reserves the right to request leave to amend this complaint to allege the true names and capacities as and when they have been ascertained. Upon information and belief, each such fictitiously named Defendant is in some way responsible for the events and occurrences referred to herein. 6. Plaintiff purchased more than two hundred million (200,000,000) shares of CMKM Diamonds, Inc. common stock between June 4, 2004 and October 29, 2004. 7. On or about November 25, 2002 the Cyber Mark International Corporation, a company engaged in the entertainment business with securities registered under §12G of the Securities and Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 3 1 2
Exchange Act of 1934 (hereinafter the “1934 Act” - 15 USC 78l(g)), agreed to acquire certain mineral claims owned by Urban Casavant (hereinafter “Casavant”) and his family. 8. Prior to his resignation contemporaneous with the acquisition of said claims, Cyber Mark’s sole director appointed Casavant director, president, and chief executive officer of the corporation. 9. Urban Casavant appointed his wife, Carolyn Casavant, as Vice President of Claims, his son Wesley Casavant to the position of Corporate Treasurer, and his daughter Cindy Casavant to the position of Corporate Secretary (collectively the “Officers”). 10. On December 3, 2002, the corporate name was changed to “Casavant Mining Kimberlite International, Inc.” and on February 5, 2004 the corporate name was changed to “CMKM Diamonds, Inc.” (hereinafter “CMKM”). 11. On January 15, 2003 DeSormeau and Perrin became directors of CMKM, and on January 31, 2005 Maheu became a director of CMKM. 12. Disclosure of the resignation or termination of certain named officers and all directors is required by §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m(l)), but no such disclosures have been filed as of the date of this petition except with regard to Maheu’s resignation which was disclosed in the Form 8K filed on October 24, 2005 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (hereinafter “SEC”). 13. Acquisition and divestiture of securities by officers, directors, and holders that beneficially control five percent or more of a class are required by §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m §§ (d) and (g)), but no such disclosures have been filed as of the date of this petition, with the exception of the Form 3 filed by Maheu on March 8, 2005. 14. Cyber Mark was required to file periodic reports pursuant to §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m(a)), and it filed its last annual report on Form 10K on April 29, 2002 (amended on May 5, 2002) and its last quarterly report on Form 10Q on November 15, 2002 showing assets of $334 in cash and liabilities of $1,672. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 4 1 2 3 15. After Casavant was appointed president of CMKM, no periodic reports were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (hereinafter “SEC”) as required by §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m(a)). 16. On July 22, 2003 CMKM filed a Form 15-12G stating that the corporation was no longer required to file periodic reports pursuant to Rule 12g-4(a)(1)(i) because it had fewer than 300 shareholders, and on February 17, 2005 CMKM amended Form 15-12G stating that at the time the original form was filed it actually had 698 shareholders. 17. On the Form DEF 14C filed on February 3, 2003 CMKM stated that there were 7,241,653,404 shares issued and outstanding, with ten billion (10,000,000,000) authorized and that no shareholder, except Casavant, controlled more than 4.9% of the issued and outstanding shares. 18. No SEC filings were made between February 3, 2003 and March 14, 2005 that disclosed that the authorized share capital had been increased in three steps from ten billion shares (10,000,000,000) to two hundred billion shares (200,000,000,000), to five hundred billion shares (500,000,000,000), and finally to eight hundred billion shares (800,000,000,000). 19. Only on the Form 8K filed on March 14, 2005 did CMKM announce that its authorized shares had been increased on March 1, 2004 to five hundred billion (500,000,000,000), and increased again on August 18, 2004 to eight hundred billion (800,000,000,000), and the date of the increase from ten billion (10,000,000,000) to two hundred billion (200,000,000,000) is not apparent from the public filings. 20. On the Form DEF 14C filed on February 3, 2003 CMKM stated that it had established a drilling budget of CDN$8 million (approximately US$ $5,334,000) despite a lack of financing to fund such activity. 21. On March 4, 2005 CMKM announced in a press release that it had relocated its offices to 5375 Procyon Street, Suite 101, Las Vegas Nevada, while on that date the subject property was in fact Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 5 1
occupied by a “hot rod” shop, and CMKM continued to use the Procyon Street address on its filings with the SEC at least through it’s Form 8K filing on May 13, 2005. 22. On July 15, 2005 CMKM filed a Form 8K stating that it had engaged the accounting firm of Beckstead & Watts LLP to audit the corporation’s books and records for the years ending December 31, 2002 through 2005, and two weeks later on July 29, 2005 CMKM filed a second Form 8K stating that it had terminated that engagement. 23. Beckstead & Watts LLP issued a letter dated July 28, 2005, which was published as an attachment to amend the Form 8K dated July 29, 2005, stating, inter alia, that CMKM may have advanced $4 million for the benefit of CMKXtreme, Inc., a drag racing enterprise owned and controlled by Casavant, in a transaction not approved by the board of directors, that CMKM may have made loans to its officers and directors in violation of §402 the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 USC 78m(k)), that the books and records of CMKM were unauditable because they were incomplete, and that the books and records that did exist were not properly maintained. 24. On March 3, 2005 the SEC suspended trading of CMKM securities and on March 16, 2005 the Commission scheduled a hearing to determine if CMKM was required to comply with the periodic reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m(a)), but had failed to do so. 25. On May 10, 2005 the SEC held such a hearing in Los Angeles before the Honorable Brenda Murray, Chief Administrative Law Judge. 26. Judge Murray’s ruling contained findings of fact and law, including but not limited to, a finding that that CMKM had neither an independent auditor nor financial statements to be audited, that the draft ledger for 2003 and 2004 reflected no business operations, that management “deprived shareholders and investors of material information in official filings, but promoted the company to investors through informal new releases and public statements that contained false information.”, that CMKM filed a false Form 15 and that Casavant knew or was reckless in not knowing that the original Form 15 was false, that the company violated Section 13(a) of the Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 6 1 2 3 1934 Act (15 USC 78m(a)) by failing to file periodic reports when required to do so, and that CMKM had used, and continued to use, a false business address. 27. As a sanction for the violations, Judge Murray ordered that in the public interest the registration of CMKM be revoked, and on October 28, 2005 that decision became final. 28. Casavant when sworn at the hearing and asked a long series of questions by the SEC asserted his right under the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer every question asked with the exception of his name and the spelling thereof. 29. Maheu, when sworn at the hearing, acknowledged that he was a director of CMKM and that he was paid forty thousand dollars ($40,000) per month, but that he was unaware of any director other than Casavant. 30. Maheu testified that he “knew there were problems” when he joined the board, that he later became aware of the SEC investigation, that he was unaware that the accountants were having trouble requested financial information, he stated that to his knowledge CMKM did not have any office, and he stated that he had been told by Casavant that CMKM had employees in Canada but did not know their names, how much they were paid, how many employees there were, or what kind of work they did. 31. During the hearing Ms. Suzanne Herring of Opus Pointe, an accounting and bookkeeping service hired by CMKM to reconstruct the financial records of the company, testified that 2.7 billion shares, valued at $24,687,202, were issued for an “unknown contract”. 32. Financial statements presented at the SEC hearing as Exhibit 58 showed that more than $1.4 million in deposits and $116 thousand in withdrawals were made to the bank accounts of CMKM in 2003, and that more than $35 million was deposited and $6 million withdrawn from three accounts in 2004, all at a time when CMKM had no business operations. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 7 1 2 3 33. Stock ledgers for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2004 were entered into evidence as Exhibits 13 and 14 at the SEC hearing, showing transactions by stock certificate number including certificates owned by, or for entities controlled by, many of the Defendants. 34. On September 21, 2006 the Division of Enforcement of the National Association of Securities Dealers (hereinafter “NASD”), a self-regulating organization under 15 USC 78s, instituted a disciplinary complaint involving NevWest Securities Corporation (hereinafter “NevWest”) of Las Vegas, Nevada and two NevWest employees. 35. The complaint alleges that NevWest engaged in over 500 transactions between March 2003 and May 2005 for a single customer, identified as “JE”, and that this single customer sold more than 259 billion shares realizing proceeds of more than $53 million which, as of the dates of the transactions listed in the NASD complaint, represented not less than 42% of the entire authorized share capital of CMKM, and that in the month of July 2004 alone, “JE” sold approximately 32.9 billion shares out of the then authorized shares of 500 billion, or approximately 6.6% of the total authorized, and that was one of four months where JE sold more than 5% of the entire then authorized share capital. 36. On October 24, 2005 CMKM filed a Form 8K stating that it had exchanged certain mining claims for shares in Entourage Mining Ltd., and it detailed certain defaults on agreements with other mining companies including United Carina, 101047025 Saskatchewan Ltd., and Nevada Minerals because “CMKM does not have the necessary capital” and because “CMKM has been unable to raise the necessary capital”. 37. Every SEC filing made on behalf of registrant CMKM beginning with the Form 8K filed on December 17, 2002 and continuing until the revocation of the registration on October 28, 2005 bears the signature of Casavant . 38. CMKM has called no annual shareholder meeting subsequent to its merger with Cyber Mark in 2002. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 8 1 2 3 First Cause of Action (Violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 Thereunder) 39. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 40. Defendants, through their deliberate actions, and in particular their inactions in failing to file reports required by the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m §§ (a) and (l)), concealed the absence of any meaningful business operation, materially understated the true number of shares outstanding, failed to report on changes in the composition of the board of directors, and withheld other information causing Plaintiff to rely on outdated, incomplete, and materially false and misleading information. 41. The falsity of certain of this information has been conclusively established by the findings of fact set forth in the ruling by Judge Murray, at least with respect to CMKM and Casavant, and which judgment is final and non-appealable. 42. Defendants have, by engaging in the conduct set forth above, directly or indirectly, by use of means or instrumentalities of interstate commerce, or of the mails, or of a facility of a national security exchange, with scienter: (a) employed devices, schemes or artifices to defraud; (b) made untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state material facts necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (c) engaged in acts, practices or courses of business which operated or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon other persons, in connection with the purchase or sale of securities, in violation of 15 USC 78j. Second Cause of Action (Breach of Fiduciary Duty) 43. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 9 1 2 3 44. Maheu, DeSormeau and Perrin failed to supervise the Officers and to monitor the personal transactions between the Officers and CMKM, thereby breaching their fundamental duty to act in the best interests of shareholders. 45. In the alternative, if DeSormeau and Perrin resigned prior to this action, as suggested by Maheu’s testimony referenced at Paragraph 29, and therefore might arguably lack responsibility for supervising the Officers when one or more of the alleged activities occurred, then they breached their obligation to insure that CMKM disclosed a material fact, to wit their resignation and the reasons therefore, as required by §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m(l)). 46. The Officers failed to carry out the duties required of a Nevada Corporation and failed to maintain the records required by 15 USC 78m(b)(2) and NRS 78.257, thereby causing the SEC to revoke the registration of CMKM’s securities and causing Plaintiff to lose his investment. Third Cause of Action (Gross Negligence) 47. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 48. Maheu testified on May 10, 2005 that he was unaware of the existence of any company office despite the press release issued by CMKM on March 4, 2005 announcing establishment of an office, thus demonstrating reckless disregard by allowing materially false and misleading information to be disseminated. 49. Maheu acknowledged that he “knew of problems” before joining the board and that he subsequently became aware of the SEC investigation, yet while in possession of such information he made no independent effort to verify that management was cooperating with the accountants and professionals engaged to correct the filing deficiencies, or to verify any material fact about the company, and that not making independent inquiries about the company, its management processes, and its affairs was, in light of the known circumstances, grossly negligent. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 10 1
Fourth Cause of Action (Civil Conspiracy) 50. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 51. Casavant, together with one or more John Does, agreed and performed overt acts in furtherance of a conspiracy to convert CMKM funds to personal use through illegal loans or advances. 52. Casavant knew, or was reckless in not knowing, that the NevWest Securities customer identified by the NASD complaint as “JE” (hereinafter John Doe 1) was, in fact, the beneficial owner of significantly more than 5% of CMKM’s securities, and that Casavant conspired with John Doe 1 to conceal the fact of this material ownership position, to conceal the eighty-fold (80X) increase in the authorized shares, and to conceal the subsequent disposal of shares representing more than 42% of the entire authorized share capital of CMKM, all acts which are in violation of the reporting requirements of §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m §§ (a), (d), (g), (h), and (l)). Fifth Cause of Action (Racketeering) 53. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 54. Casavant did unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally conduct and participate, directly and indirectly, in the conduct, management, and operation of the affairs of CMKM which was engaged in, and the activities of which affected, interstate and foreign commerce, through a pattern of racketeering activity consisting of numerous acts of racketeering in Las Vegas and elsewhere, indictable under 18 USC §§ 1341 (mail fraud) and 1343 (wire fraud), and 15 USC §78j (securities fraud). Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 11 1 2 3
Sixth Cause of Action (Fraudulent Misrepresentation) 55. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 56. Casavant knowingly or recklessly filed a false Form 15 thereby precipitating an SEC investigation that ultimately let to revocation of CMKM’s registration and loss of Plaintiff’s investment. Seventh Cause of Action (Fraudulent Conveyance) 57. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 58. Defendants caused or allowed CMKM funds to be converted to uses that did not benefit CMKM in violation of 15 USC 78m(k) and NRS 78.300. Eighth Cause of Action (Waste of the Corporate Assets) 59. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 60. Casavant and perhaps others, as detailed in Paragraphs 31 and 33, issued valuable corporate securities without sufficient justification or a sufficient record thereof, thereby causing a waste of the corporate assets. 61. CMKM loaned, advanced or transferred $4 million to CMKXtreme, an entity unrelated to the diamond exploration business, at a time the company had no exploration or other business activities whatsoever. 62. The general ledger referred to in Paragraph 32 showed more than $30 million on deposit in the various bank accounts of CMKM at December 31, 2004, yet CMKM announced less than ten months later that it had defaulted on it obligations to United Carina for want of $500,000. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 12 1 2 3
Ninth Cause of Action (Mismanagement) 63. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 64. The by-laws of the corporation at Article I specify that such a shareholder meeting shall take place annually and at Article II specify that the term of each director shall expire on the day of the succeeding annual shareholder meeting. 65. Casavant has served continuously as a director since his election in 2002 without calling a shareholder meeting in breach of the by-laws and in violation of NRS 78.310-78.330. 66. Casavant as the sole officer of the corporation at most time relevant to this complaint failed to keep the records of the corporation required by NRS 78.257. Tenth Cause of Action (Corporate Veil) 67. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. 68. Casavant through his actions, including the loans, advances, and transfers to himself and CMKXtreme, maintenance of all records in his home, his appointment as the sole director, officer, and employee at most times relevant to this action, and appointment of only immediate family members to corporate officer positions, is for all intents and purposes the alter ego of CMKM and is thus personally responsible for all debts of the corporation pursuant to NRS 78.747. Eleventh Cause of Action (Unjust Enrichment) 69. Plaintiff repeats and realleges the allegations set forth in paragraphs 1 thru 38 above as if fully set forth herein. Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 13 1 2 3
70. Casavant, from the loans, advances, and transfers to himself and CMKXtreme, has enriched himself at the expense of CMKM in an amount of at least $4 million, and has thus damaged CMKM and the value of Plaintiffs investment therein. 71. Casavant, as shown in the stock ledgers referenced in Paragraph 33, John Doe 1, as detailed in the NASD complaint, and possibly others who are or were officers, directors, 5% shareholders, or entities under their control, engaged in a series of transactions in furtherance of their conspiracy and racketeering activities thus receiving proceeds from the sale of securities of at least $53 million without disclosing such transactions as required by §13 of the 1934 Act (15 USC 78m §§ (d) and (g)), and were therefore were unjustly enriched at the expense of purchasing shareholders who acted in ignorance of this material fact. Jury Demand Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 38(b), Plaintiff hereby demands a trial by jury as to all issues. Prayer for Relief Wherefore the Plaintiff prays that this Court: A. Issues findings of fact and conclusions of law that the Defendants committed the acts alleged, B. Award of compensatory damages of an amount to be proven at trial, but in any event at least $50,650, C. Award of punitive damages of an amount to be proven at trial, but in any event at least $101,300, D. Order disgorgement of all gains by any Defendants who were unjustly enriched in an amount to be proven at trial, but in any event at least $57,000,000, Hurd v CMKM Diamonds Inc., Urban Casavant, et al - 14 1 2 3 E. Award pre and post-judgment interest at the maximum rate permitted by law, F. Appoint a receiver or trustee to manage the affairs of CMKM until such time as an annual meeting of shareholders can be convened to elect new directors in accordance with the by-laws of the corporation, G. Order Defendants to pay reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, H. Retain jurisdiction of this action in accordance with the principles of equity and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in order to implement and carry out the terms of all orders and decrees that may be entered, or to entertain any suitable application or motion for additional relief within the jurisdiction of this Court, and I. Grant other such equitable relief as this honorable Court deems just and proper under the circumstances. Dated this 19th day of February, 2007 G. Gene Hurd
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