Business briefs: Pinellas residents face federal fraud charges, and more

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged three Pinellas County residents with fraud.

David Dreslin, a CPA who lives in Seminole; Michael Toups, a former broker who lives in Belleair; and his wife, Leslie Toups, a journalist and marketing professional, are named in the SEC complaint filed Monday in federal court in Tampa.

According to the complaint, Dreslin and Michael Toups created a public shell company, Anglesea Enterprises, in 2011, and then filed false and misleading registration statements and periodic reports through the sale of the company in 2014. Leslie Toups served as Anglesea’s majority shareholder and signed filings that also contained materially false and misleading statements, the complaint said.

Without admitting or denying the allegations, Leslie Toups agreed to settle the SEC charges and pay a $25,000 penalty, a press release said. Litigation against Dreslin and Michael Toups is ongoing. The SEC is seeking injunctions and civil penalties against them, and is seeking disgorgement plus interest from Dreslin.

Boardroom changes

Robert Saltzman, an 11-year member of the board of directors at Raymond James Financial Inc., won’t seek re-election to another term on the board at the annual shareholders meeting in February.

Robert Saltzman

Saltzman, a retired CEO from Jackson National Life Insurance Co., joined the Raymond James board in 2007.

“From the period of volatility and uncertainty of 2009-2010 to the strategic and thoughtful growth we’ve experienced during the past decade, Bob has delivered expert leadership and counsel for which we are all grateful,” Paul Reilly, Raymond Jams chairman and CEO, said in a statement.

Jeffrey Trocin

Jeffrey Trocin, who has been co-president of global equities and investment banking, is stepping down from that role on Dec. 31 as part of a planned succession, and will be appointed vice chairman of the company, a regulatory filing said.

Raymond James, a financial services company based in St. Petersburg, is among the largest companies in the Tampa Bay area.

Getting social

SiteZeus, a Tampa company with technology to help businesses find their best locations, now has a data partnership with Spatial.ai.

Spatial is a Cincinnati-based company that uses conversations from social media networks to understand how people move and experience the world around them.

SiteZeus was the first place winner at the 2017 Florida Early Stage Capital Conference.

That data will help SiteZeus clients to know if people who live in a particular neighborhood are trendy or conservative, or are interested in wellness or art, for example.

SiteZeus was founded in 2014 by brothers Hannibal and Keenan Baldwin and last year won first place at the Florida Early Stage Capital Conference, winning a $75,000 prize from Florida Venture Forum and Space Florida.