In December, the SEC filed a complaint against Decision Diagnostics and its CEO, Keith Berman, for falsely claiming the company had developed a finger prick blood test that could instantaneously detect COVID-19.  As stated in its complaint, the SEC temporarily suspended trading of Decision Diagnostics’ securities on April 23, 2020.

Now, investors have brought suit as well.  Three institutional investors claim the company – which was already in financial distress as a result of alleged misappropriations by Berman – falsely disclosed it was developing an at-home COVID-19 test nearing regulatory authorization and then denied investors their right to convert their shares, which were worth millions at the time.  The complaint alleges Berman also falsely announced a distribution partnership with a company owned by members of the plaintiff companies.  Once the alleged fraud became known to the market, the company’s stock took a nosedive.  Through their lawsuit, the investor companies seek, among other things, to restrain defendants’ assets pending the appointment of a receiver, a complete accounting, and restitution to the investors.

Check back here for updates on this case, as well as others on securities claims relating to companies’ COVID-19 disclosures.

Photo of Erica T. Jones Erica T. Jones

Erica Jones is an associate in the firm’s Litigation Department, where her practice encompasses a range of business, regulatory, and corporate governance matters. She has worked extensively in defense of securities class actions, derivative suits, and white collar criminal matters involving investigations by…

Erica Jones is an associate in the firm’s Litigation Department, where her practice encompasses a range of business, regulatory, and corporate governance matters. She has worked extensively in defense of securities class actions, derivative suits, and white collar criminal matters involving investigations by the SEC, DOJ, and state attorneys’ offices. In addition, Erica has advised on antitrust matters involving allegations of price fixing, restraint of supply, monopolization, group boycott, bid rigging, and collusion across industries that include agriculture and health care. She is also a member of the litigation team representing the Financial Oversight and Management Board in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy proceedings.

Erica maintains an active, diverse pro bono practice, with a focus on immigration law, compassionate release and habeas corpus, and racial justice. She is an associate trustee with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and has been recognized by the District of Columbia Courts’ Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. Erica was also one of a few women selected to be a Protégée for Proskauer’s Women Sponsorship Program, an initiative for high performing midlevel lawyers that champions emerging leaders.

Erica strives to stay on the cutting edge of developing areas of law through her membership in Proskauer’s COVID-19 Task Force, ESG Working Group, and Private Credit Litigation Group.  Erica’s ability to advocate for her clients is further bolstered by her recent Master’s Degree in Accounting from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School with a concentration in Financial Reporting and Analysis.

Prior to joining Proskauer, Erica was an intern with the Department of Justice in the Constitutional and Specialized Tort Litigation Section. Outside of her career in the law, Erica has been featured on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, teaching ballroom dance to students at Lighthouse for the Blind.