U.S. Department
of Justice
United States v. Jonathan William Mikula, Christian Fernandez, Amit Raj Beri, and Adam Levin
Court Docket Numbers: 2:24-CR-63-SB and 2:24-cr-00754-SB (C.D. Cal.)
Court Assigned: These cases are assigned to United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who is located at the United States Courthouse, 350 W. 1st St., Courtroom 6C (sixth floor), Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Criminal Charges: On January 29, 2024, Jonathan William Mikula, Christian Fernandez and Amit Raj Beri were charged by information with a criminal conspiracy to tout securities for undisclosed compensation. Mikula was also charged with touting securities for undisclosed compensation. Mikula, Fernandez and Beri have pleaded guilty to these charges and await sentencing.
On December 18, 2024, Adam Levin was charged by information with a criminal conspiracy to tout securities for undisclosed compensation in case 2:24-cr-754-SB.
According to the allegations in the charges, knowing that placement within and promotion by an investor newsletter called “Palm Beach Venture” permitted securities issuers to reach additional investors and raise additional funds, and knowing that Palm Beach Venture would make the materially misleading representation that neither it “nor its affiliates receive compensation for bringing this deal to you,” defendant Mikula agreed with his codefendants and others to write and place articles and other promotional pieces regarding the securities of specific issuers on the understanding and agreement that such issuers and their associates would pay undisclosed direct and indirect compensation to him, defendants Fernandez and Beri, and others.
According to the allegations made against defendant Levin in the December 2024 case, defendant Levin participated in that same conspiracy by agreeing with Mikula, Fernandez, Beri and others that he would provide undisclosed compensation to those co-conspirators so that “Palm Beach Venture” would tout a Regulation-A securities offering by Hightimes Holding Corp., the publisher of High Times magazine and parent company for that media brand.
For more information about the two cases, please see:
Mikula, et al. Charging Document
If you believe you were directly and proximately harmed as a result of these crimes or otherwise wish to assert rights under the Crime Victim Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3771, including the right to confer with the government concerning this case, please email: USACAC.USvMikulaetal@usdoj.gov.
The information on this website will be updated as new developments arise in the case.
Upcoming Proceedings
- A sentencing hearing for defendant Jonathan William Mikula is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 8 a.m. PDT in Courtroom 6C (sixth floor) before United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., 350 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
- A sentencing hearing for defendant Christian Fernandez is scheduled on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 8 a.m. PDT in Courtroom 6C (sixth floor) before United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., 350 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
- A sentencing hearing for defendant Amit Raj Beri is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 8 a.m. PDT in Courtroom 6C (sixth floor) before United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., 350 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
- A sentencing hearing for Adam Levin is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 8 a.m. PDT in Courtroom 6C (sixth floor) before United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., 350 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.