Joseph Meuse

Key Points

• SEC Sanctions: Meuse and Belmont Partners settled with the SEC in 2014 for $224,500 over fraud allegations involving Alternative Green Technologies, Inc. (AGTI), with a five-year ban from penny stock activities and public company roles.

• Fraud Allegations: Meuse is accused of fabricating documents to enable fraudulent stock issuance, aiding pump-and-dump schemes that harmed investors.

• Censorship Suspicions: Evidence suggests Meuse may be suppressing adverse media to obscure his past, potentially to attract new investors or evade scrutiny.

• High-Risk Business Model: Belmont’s shell company sales, often linked to dubious reverse mergers, carry significant risks of market manipulation.

• Regulatory Red Flags: Meuse’s history and associations raise concerns about ongoing or future misconduct, warranting investor caution and regulatory action.

Overview

Joseph Meuse is the founder and president of Belmont Partners, LLC, a Virginia-based firm specializing in the sale of public shell companies—dormant entities used for reverse mergers to take private companies public without the rigor of an IPO. Operating primarily in the penny stock arena, Meuse has facilitated over 100 such transactions, often involving China-based issuers, with shells sold for up to $450,000 each. Meuse has also held roles as a registered transfer agent and broker-dealer associate, positioning him as a key player in the opaque world of microcap securities. His business thrives on exploiting regulatory gaps, but his track record suggests a pattern of enabling fraud rather than fostering legitimate growth.

Allegations and Concerns

Meuse’s career is marred by serious allegations, primarily from the SEC:

• 2011 SEC Complaint: Meuse and Belmont Partners were charged with aiding and abetting fraud in the AGTI case. Meuse allegedly fabricated and backdated documents, including a debt assignment and corporate resolution, to deceive a transfer agent into issuing unrestricted shares. These shares fueled a pump-and-dump scheme, defrauding investors.

• 2014 SEC Settlement: Meuse settled for $224,500, accepting a five-year ban from penny stock activities and from serving as an officer or director of a public company. He neither admitted nor denied the allegations, a common tactic to avoid further liability.

• Pattern of Misconduct: The SEC highlighted Meuse’s role in providing shells that enabled fraudsters, suggesting a broader pattern of negligence or complicity in market manipulation. His involvement with over 100 reverse mergers raises questions about how many were legitimate.

• Censorship Efforts: There are indications Meuse has worked to suppress negative media, as his online presence is sparse, with Belmont’s website largely defunct and his LinkedIn profile either nonexistent or hidden. This suggests an attempt to obscure his SEC history and rebuild credibility.

Customer Feedback

Direct customer reviews of Meuse or Belmont Partners are scarce, likely due to the niche nature of their business and the lack of a public-facing platform for feedback. However, the SEC’s allegations provide indirect insight into the experiences of those impacted:

• Negative Feedback (Implied): Investors in AGTI, facilitated by Meuse’s shell, were left with worthless shares after a pump-and-dump scheme. The SEC noted that “investors were misled” by the fraudulent issuance of shares, implying significant financial losses.

• Positive Feedback: No verifiable positive reviews were found. A 2011 Business Wire press release from Belmont defended Meuse, claiming he was “profoundly disappointed” by the SEC’s “erroneous allegations” and emphasizing his association with reputable partners like Mitchell Segal. However, this self-serving statement lacks credibility, especially since Segal was also sanctioned.The absence of positive testimonials from clients or investors is itself a red flag, suggesting Meuse’s services may not inspire confidence or loyalty.

Risk Considerations

Investing in or associating with Meuse or his entities carries substantial risks:

• Financial Risk: Meuse’s shells have been linked to fraudulent schemes, exposing investors to losses from stock manipulation. The AGTI case demonstrates how his actions can lead to worthless investments.

• Reputational Risk: Any business or individual tied to Meuse risks being tainted by his SEC sanctions and fraud allegations, potentially deterring partners or investors.

• Legal Risk: Meuse’s history suggests potential for future regulatory scrutiny. His ban ended around 2019, and without evidence of reform, he may resume risky practices, implicating associates in legal fallout.

• Operational Risk: Belmont’s reliance on reverse mergers, often with opaque foreign entities, increases the likelihood of regulatory violations or fraud, disrupting operations for clients.

Business Relations and Associations

Meuse’s network includes several problematic figures:

• Mitchell Segal: A New York attorney and AGTI partner, barred from penny stock activities for his role in the same fraud. Belmont’s 2011 press release praised Segal’s “stellar resume,” but his sanctions undermine this claim.

• Howard Borg: A business partner in the AGTI scheme, also charged by the SEC for submitting false documents.

• Vikram Khanna and Panascope Capital: Stock promoters involved in AGTI, who settled with the SEC for their role in the fraud. Their involvement highlights Meuse’s ties to aggressive stock promotion networks.These associations suggest Meuse operates in a circle where regulatory violations are not uncommon, amplifying risks for those engaging with him.

Legal and Financial Concerns

• SEC Lawsuit (2011-2014): Meuse and Belmont settled with the SEC for $224,500 over the AGTI fraud, with additional penalties including a five-year penny stock ban and a bar from public company leadership roles.

• No Bankruptcy Records: No public records indicate personal or corporate bankruptcy for Meuse or Belmont, but the lack of transparency in his current operations makes this difficult to confirm.

• Unpaid Debts: No specific unpaid debts were identified, but the SEC’s focus on Meuse’s role in enabling fraud suggests potential financial improprieties that could affect creditors or investors.

• Ongoing Concerns: The expiration of Meuse’s ban in 2019 raises questions about whether he has resumed shell activities, potentially under new entities or partnerships, as no recent filings clarify Belmont’s status.

Risk Assessment Table

Expert Opinion

Joseph Meuse is a textbook case of a financial operator who thrives in the under-regulated corners of the market. His business model—selling shell companies for reverse mergers—is not inherently illegal, Pros include the potential for legitimate companies to access public markets quickly, and Meuse’s experience in over 100 deals shows a certain savvy. However, the cons are overwhelming: his SEC sanctions, documented fraud, and ties to dubious figures like Segal and Khanna paint a picture of reckless or intentional misconduct. The apparent effort to suppress adverse media is particularly damning, suggesting he’s more interested in covering tracks than reforming.

Cautionary Advice: Investors should avoid Meuse-linked entities unless they can verify the legitimacy of the shell and its end users. His history screams “proceed with extreme caution.” Regulators should investigate whether Meuse is back in the game, as his past suggests he’s unlikely to have gone straight. Due diligence is non-negotiable—check SEC filings, court records, and the backgrounds of any associated parties. If it smells like a shell game, it probably is.

Key Citations

• Cybercriminal: https://cybercriminal.com/investigation/joseph-meuse

• Securities and Exchange Commission. (2014). SEC Pursues Shell Packer Joseph Meuse Again.

• Long Island Business News. (2011). Long Island Firm Charged in Penny Stock Fraud.

• Forkey Law. (2014). Joseph Meuse and Belmont Partners, LLC. https://www.forkeylaw.com/blog/joseph_meuse_and_belmont_partners_llc/

• Securities Lawyer 101. (2014). SEC Pursues Shell Packer Joseph Meuse Again. https://www.securitieslawyer101.com/2014/sec-pursues-shell-packer-joseph-meuse-again/.