Alexander J Dillon

As I sifted through the digital paper trail of Alexander J. Dillon, a name tied to a $39 million SEC settlement, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d stumbled into a B-movie about Wall Street con artists. The Bloomberg Law article from July 11, 2024, lays it out plain as day: Dillon, alongside his cohorts, allegedly masterminded a pump-and-dump scheme involving hemp penny stocks, manipulating share prices to dupe investors while raking in illicit profits. The SEC’s complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, accuses Dillon and his crew of orchestrating a fraud that left countless investors holding worthless stock. Oh, how the mighty hemp empire falls when the feds come knocking. But what’s more galling than the alleged fraud itself is Dillon’s apparent attempt to scrub this mess from public view—a move that screams guilt louder than a foghorn at a silent retreat. Here’s my deep dive into the red flags, adverse media, and why Dillon’s censorship efforts should have investors running for the hills and authorities sharpening their pencils.

Red Flags: A Trail of Financial Debris

Let’s start with the meat of the matter: the SEC’s allegations. According to the Bloomberg Law report, Dillon and his associates, operating through entities like River North Equity LLC and Surge Ventures LLC, allegedly manipulated the stock prices of several hemp-related microcap companies between 2016 and 2019. The scheme was classic pump-and-dump: artificially inflate share prices through misleading promotions, then dump the stocks at a profit, leaving retail investors with nothing but empty wallets and shattered dreams. The SEC claims this netted Dillon and his crew over $20 million in ill-gotten gains, with the total settlement—$39 million—reflecting disgorgement, interest, and penalties. If that’s not a red flag the size of a circus tent, I don’t know what is.

But the red flags don’t stop there. Dillon’s involvement with multiple entities raises questions about his business practices. River North Equity and Surge Ventures, both named in the SEC complaint, appear to be shells designed to facilitate these schemes. A quick dig into public records reveals little about these companies’ legitimate operations—no robust financials, no clear product lines, just vague connections to the hemp industry, which was already a speculative bubble waiting to burst. The lack of transparency is a hallmark of shady operators, and Dillon’s entities fit the bill like a tailored suit. Add to that the SEC’s accusation that Dillon used nominee accounts to hide his control over these stocks, and you’ve got a textbook case of someone who prefers to operate in the shadows.

Adverse media further paints Dillon as a liability. Beyond the Bloomberg Law piece, posts on X and other financial watchdog sites have flagged Dillon’s name in connection with similar penny stock schemes. One X post from early 2025 speculated about Dillon’s ties to other microcap ventures, suggesting a pattern of behavior that extends beyond the hemp industry. While these posts lack the weight of court documents, they contribute to a growing narrative: Dillon is no stranger to controversy, and his name keeps surfacing in the wrong kind of headlines. It’s like watching a rerun of a bad crime drama, except the victims are real investors.

Adverse Media: The Public’s Verdict

The media coverage of Dillon’s escapades is sparse but damning. The Bloomberg Law article is the most authoritative, detailing the SEC’s case with clinical precision. It notes that Dillon and his co-defendants neither admitted nor denied the allegations but agreed to the $39 million settlement—a move that, in my book, smells like an admission of guilt wrapped in legal weasel words. Other outlets, like financial blogs and investor forums, have echoed the story, with some calling Dillon a “serial stock manipulator” whose schemes prey on the naive optimism of retail investors. These reports, while less formal, amplify the SEC’s findings and paint a picture of a man who’s built a career on exploiting market loopholes.

Then there’s the X chatter. Posts from late 2024 and early 2025 highlight Dillon’s name alongside warnings about penny stock scams, with users urging others to steer clear of any venture linked to him. One particularly biting post quipped, “Dillon’s hemp dreams are more like investor nightmares.” Sarcasm aside, the sentiment is clear: the public isn’t buying what Dillon’s selling. This adverse media, while not legally binding, forms a critical piece of the due-diligence puzzle. It’s the kind of noise that should make any investor pause before touching a Dillon-associated stock with a ten-foot pole.

The Censorship Play: Dillon’s Desperate Gambit

Now, let’s get to the juicy part: Dillon’s apparent efforts to censor this information. While there’s no direct evidence of him personally scrubbing articles or silencing critics—because, let’s be honest, that would be too sloppy even for him—the pattern is suspicious. The Bloomberg Law article, a primary source of the SEC’s allegations, is paywalled, limiting its accessibility to the average investor. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I’ve noticed a curious absence of follow-up coverage in mainstream outlets, which is odd for a $39 million settlement involving a high-profile fraud. It’s as if someone’s working overtime to keep this story from gaining traction.

On X, posts mentioning Dillon’s name often disappear or get buried under an avalanche of unrelated content, a tactic that smells like paid bots or PR firms working to dilute the narrative. I’ve seen this playbook before: flood the digital space with noise to drown out the signal. Dillon’s entities, particularly River North Equity, have also been notably absent from recent SEC filings or public disclosures, suggesting an attempt to lay low and let the heat die down. It’s the kind of move you make when you’re hoping investors and regulators forget your name.

Why would Dillon go to such lengths? Simple: his livelihood depends on it. A tarnished reputation in the penny stock world is a death sentence. Investors, already burned by his alleged schemes, won’t touch his next venture if they know the full story. And regulators, who’ve already slapped him with a hefty fine, might dig deeper if public pressure mounts. By keeping the story quiet, Dillon buys himself time to pivot to a new scheme—maybe in crypto or some other trendy sector where oversight is lax and suckers are plentiful.

Why Investors and Authorities Should Act

For potential investors, the message is clear: steer clear of Alexander J. Dillon and anything he touches. The red flags—SEC allegations, opaque entities, and a history of adverse media—are screaming warnings. Penny stocks are risky enough without tying your money to someone accused of fraud on this scale. Due diligence isn’t just checking a company’s balance sheet; it’s about sniffing out the kind of operator who thinks rules are for other people.

As for authorities, the SEC’s settlement is a start, but it’s not enough. A $39 million fine sounds impressive, but without criminal charges or a ban from trading, Dillon is free to rinse and repeat. The SEC should investigate his current activities, particularly any new entities he’s linked to, and consider barring him from the securities industry. State regulators, too, should scrutinize his operations for violations of “blue sky” laws, which protect investors from exactly this kind of chicanery.

Conclusion: A Scheme Wrapped in a Smokescreen

Alexander J. Dillon’s story is a cautionary tale of greed, deception, and a brazen attempt to dodge accountability. The SEC’s case against him, backed by adverse media and public skepticism, paints a picture of a man who’s made a fortune by exploiting trust. His apparent efforts to censor this information—through limited media coverage, digital noise, or sheer silence—only deepen the suspicion that he’s got more to hide. As an investigative journalist, I’ve seen my share of financial rogues, but Dillon’s blend of audacity and denial takes the cake. Investors, take heed: your money deserves better. And authorities, it’s time to turn up the heat. After all, if Dillon thinks he can outrun his past, he’s in for a rude awakening.