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George Palikaras

@palikaras

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Deep Tech entrepreneur CxO. Passionate about sustainable science & innovation. Founder @Metamaterialtec $MMAT 🦋Democratizing #nanotechnology. Retail Champion

Halifax, Nova Scotia
Joined February 2010
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
3 months
⁉️A lot of people have asked me, I checked my notes, and here are some interesting #stockstats under both CUSIPs $MMAT and $MMTLP : In June 2023 and June 2022 (respectively), out of 60+ broker-dealers the largest BDs *by number of accounts* held in street name were: Fidelity (top at 23k+ and 17k+ accounts respectively), followed by TD Ameritrade (10k+ and 13k+), Schwab (15k+ and 6k+), E-trade (15k+ and 10k+) and APEX (10k+ and 3k+), Tradestation was only at 270+ and 175+. What is interesting is the existence of #fractionalshares... under #MMAT there were only 4 BDs who offered fractional shares: APEX and DRIVEWEALTH LLC (5 decimals!), TD Ameritrade (3 decimals), Schwab and Vanguard (1 decimal)... under #MMTLP there was just ONE who traded fractional shares: APEX (fractional to 5 decimal points!)... ⁉️ ...an interesting coincidence: DRIVEWEALTH transactions were registered under the SAME address (in Jersey City, NJ) as StockCross Financial Services, Inc. which merged into Muriel Siebert & Co in January 2020. This commercial address in NJ held over 1100 accounts with fractional shares and at the time they also set an interesting negative record... one of their StockCross/Siebert accounts (lets call him Mr White for now) held 1/50th of a share, i.e. they owned 0.00002 shares (yes this is the actual number reported to 5 decimal points). #Definition: A fractional share represents a portion of a full share of stock. For example, if you own one-fiftieth of a share, you possess 0.00002 shares. Looking back at the fillings you can find that per the terms of the TRCH-MMAT merger transaction stated: "In no event shall any fractional Torchlight Shares or Exchangeable Shares be issued under the Plan of Arrangement. Where the aggregate number of Torchlight Shares or Exchangeable Shares to be issued to a Shareholder as consideration under the Plan of Arrangement would result in a fraction of a Torchlight Share or Exchangeable Share being issuable, then the number of Torchlight Shares or Exchangeable Shares, as the case may be, to be issued to such Shareholder will be rounded down to the nearest whole number and no payment shall be made in lieu of the issuance of a fractional Torchlight Share or Exchangeable Share." Of course AST was well aware and fully complied with this formula so on DAY 1 post-merger, June 28 2021, there were ZERO fractional shares on either side. to be continued... #DecimalDramas #TradingTinyBits #StockFractionFiction
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
14 hours
PART 2 - Every lawyer I’ve asked has told me the same thing, there’s NO legal standing for retail investors to force the release of blue sheets. For over two years, investors in the community have been demanding accountability and transparency over what happened with $MMTLP. The problem? The entities that have the power to get the blue sheets (the critical trading records that could expose the truth) have done absolutely nothing. It is crystal clear to me: Retail shareholders filing individual lawsuits will NOT force the release of blue sheets. That’s just not how the system works. I am NO legal expert, but this is what I know (and if I’m wrong, I would be HAPPY to be corrected): 1. Blue sheets are confidential regulatory documents. They can only be accessed through specific legal channels such as regulators, Congress, or the courts. 2. Retail and other investors do NOT have legal standing to compel their release. Courts do NOT grant mass access to blue sheets because they contain private, trade-by-trade data, which is restricted to protect market integrity. 3. Class or individual actions will NOT magically unlock blue sheets. Even in securities fraud cases, plaintiffs have to clear major legal hurdles before a court would even consider ordering disclosure. Meanwhile, FINRA and the OTC act like everything is just fine... No problems here! Nothing to see, folks...[BTW, I would encourage people to CAREFULLY read (and read again) the issued FINRA FAQs, there are some interesting nuggets in them] What about Congress? We are beyond the point of just "demanding" fairness and transparency. Congress has a real opportunity to take the LEAD in reforming the system to enforce transparency and fairness in the financial markets. I already wrote in my previous post how the OTC is cancer. For over two years, retail investors have been asking the RIGHT questions, not just under MMAT/MMTLP but in many other stocks, however, they CANNOT get answers WITHOUT congressional oversight. Help is needed. Blue sheets hold the key to understanding what really happened with $MMTLP and other stocks. Yet, the OTC, FINRA and the SEC have not provided the transparency investors deserve. This is exactly why Congress has subpoena power and oversight responsibilities, to ensure that regulators are not selectively ignoring systemic market failures. Many of you have speculated about my December 2022 Trip to Washington, D.C. Here is a summary: Right after the U3 Halt in December 2022, I flew to Washington, D.C. to get answers. No one was returning calls, our counsel could not get through, and no one would explain what the so-called "extraordinary event" was that led to the halt. Complete secrecy! When I arrived at FINRA’s headquarters, I quickly discovered that all staff members weren’t even there that week. After persistent efforts with my counsel, I managed to get through to the Office of the Ombuds and spoke with Ms. Sarah Gill, FINRA’s Vice President and Ombuds. Her role, as described by FINRA, is to act as an independent, neutral, and confidential resource for addressing concerns about FINRA’s activities and employees. The Ombuds Office is supposed to advocate for fair processes while keeping matters confidential, except in cases where legal obligations or imminent harm require disclosure. The first two VERY surprising questions she asked me were: 1️⃣ Am I recording this conversation? 2️⃣ Am I broadcasting this conversation live on social media? I answered NO to both. But then I added: “However, please feel free to record EVERY word I will say today.” She was cordial and professional, but ultimately, she offered zero information, just a vague commitment to “look into it.” Before I left, I gave them a clear message: 👉 This situation will continue to ESCALATE. 👉 They need to FIX it asap. 👉 This is an opportunity to address whatever systemic failure occurred because if it is ignored, it risks eroding trust in the entire market, especially for retail investors. What do you think, did they take that message seriously? We all know how that turned out… First, an FAQ that took several months to produce. Then, a second FAQ many months later. And instead of providing clarity, they only created MORE confusion. I guess that’s what happens when you put an army of lawyers to work on FAQs, pages of words that say absolutely nothing. Makes you wonder... how much $$$ did these empty words cost in legal fees? Fast forward to 2025: With @DOGE and meme stocks and crypto back in the spotlight, financial market discussions have suddenly gained new URGENCY. Good! Imagine if $MMTLP had been treated with the same level of attention, maybe we’d already have the answers we need. But it’s not too late... Congress can still act by: ✅ Formally requesting blue sheet data from FINRA and/or the SEC to uncover potential market manipulation. ✅ Holding hearings on retail trading transparency to investigate the systemic issues that led to this situation, INCLUDING possible foreign influence. ✅ Ensuring regulatory accountability so that investors are not left in the dark. Congress has the tools and Retail Investors have done ALL the work. It’s time to bridge the gap and take meaningful action. What’s the best LEGAL Path Forward? If we assume that neither regulators nor Congress will step in to fix this (though I remain hopeful and seeing a lot of progress), then the MOST CREDIBLE path forward isn't retail lawsuits or shouting into the void: It can be through the $MMAT Bankruptcy Trustee! The Trustee has the AUTHORITY to investigate financial misconduct, subpoena records, and compel testimony. They can file lawsuits, recover assets, and challenge improper transactions, especially if they harmed the bankruptcy estate. As we all know, they have been actively investigating potential stock manipulation and fraudulent transactions for the past three months. That said, obtaining blue sheets is NOT automatic. Regulators would have to voluntarily provide them or be compelled by a court order. However, if securities fraud or stock manipulation is proven to have harmed the estate, the Trustee has the POWER to take legal action, subpoena relevant parties, and seek damages for the benefit of creditors and shareholders. Final Thought: The real fight is underway. This isn't speculation. This isn't wishful thinking. The Trustee has already publicly declared that a litigation team is on this, and I’m confident it can yield real results. For months, we've heard "Nothing can be done." But here’s the reality: Something is already being done. The Trustee has the legal authority to subpoena records, investigate misconduct, and take action, and they are already moving in that direction for not just one, but up to FOUR CUSIPs: $MMAT, $MMATF, $TRCH, and $MMTLP... and a lot more... This isn’t over. 🔥 #Transparency #MarketFairness P.S> GENSLER KNEW, COOK KNEW... which begs the question, is "investor protection" just an empty slogan?
@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 days
You raise some good points about small companies but let’s be real—the OTC @OTCMarkets is NOT an actual Exchange. It does NOT play by the same rules as the @Nasdaq or @NYSE , yet it constantly lobbies for more leniency while doing little to clean up the toxic financing and market manipulation that plague its platform. If the OTC wants a seat at the table in discussions about capital formation, it needs to start acting like a legitimate exchange. Otherwise, it’s time for the @SECGov to pull the plug. The OTC’s argument boils down to this: small public companies struggle to raise capital, so Mr Coulson, you wish to lower the barriers and let them sell shares into the market more easily. On paper, that sounds reasonable. In reality, it ignores the fact that the bulk of predatory financings, death spiral convertible notes, insider enrichment, etc. happens right on the OTC’s watch. On your watch. The very system that claims to support growth companies has, time and again, turned into a dumping ground for bad actors who exploit investors and leave companies in ruins. If the OTC really cared about fixing this, it would start by RAISING its standards instead of pushing for deregulation. Right now, it enjoys the flexibility of an alternative trading system (ATS) while pretending it should have the same credibility as the major exchanges. But unlike real exchanges, it: 1. Has no meaningful listing standards to keep out fraud-heavy issuers or HFTs who fabricate or manipulate the market. 2. Allows rampant dilution with barely any accountability. 3. Turns a blind eye to manipulative financing structures that no serious market should tolerate. The OTC Markets cannot continue to posture as a legitimate trading venue while over half of U.S. trading volume, 51.8% as of January 2025!! is now happening in dark pools, a system that thrives on opacity and circumvents the fundamental principles of fair and transparent price discovery. ( Dark pools were designed to minimize market impact, but in reality, they have become the OTC’s bread and butter, fostering an unregulated environment where retail investors are consistently disadvantaged while insiders, HFTs and market makers manipulate pricing without oversight under the guise of "liquidity". The OTC cannot have it both ways, if it wants to be recognized as a legitimate public marketplace, it must step up and ensure transparency, real price discovery, and accountability. Otherwise, it is simply an enabler of systemic market abuse, and regulators need to intervene to shut down this unchecked, backdoor trading system before it completely erodes investor trust. Meanwhile, companies on the NASDAQ and NYSE must adhere to strict governance rules, transparency requirements, and real-time oversight. They don’t get to flood the market with shares at will, and they certainly don’t get to operate in the shadows of opaque, predatory financing. NASDAQ and NYSE have their problems too but if the OTC wants to be treated as a serious market, it needs to start playing by the same rules. Instead, its leadership argues that “sunlight” will solve the problem. That’s wishful thinking. Investors don’t need more visibility into broken, exploitative financing models, they need those models eliminated entirely. The real solution isn’t “more transparency” around toxic deals; it’s BANNING them altogether. Moreover, the OTC serves as a backdoor for foreign entities to infiltrate U.S. markets without adhering to stringent regulatory standards. A notable example is China Medical Technologies, which was listed on the OTC markets. Between 2005 and 2010, the company raised approximately $677 million from U.S. investors through stock and bond sales. However, in early 2012, China Medical ceased operations, leaving investors unpaid on $426 million worth of bond debt. Subsequent investigations revealed that the company's executives had misappropriated funds, leading to significant investor losses. I suppose "sunlight" didn’t quite disinfect that one. And let’s not forget in 2021 how the $MMATF turned onto $MMTLP fiasco, where the OTC proved it wasn’t just a passive bystander to market CHAOS, it was actively rewriting the rules on the fly. The OTC allowed $MMATF to trade pre-merger without management notification or consent, which also traded post-merger for over 24 hours (June 28-29, 2021) despite it NOT being DTC eligible, only to cancel it without a corporate action when they realized their screw-up. If you have no idea what I am talking about, let's have a call... Then, as if that wasn’t shady enough, $MMTLP was born and allowed to trade for over a year without management’s consent before the OTC and @FINRA decided to pull a U3 halt, while simultaneously altering the corporate action at the last minute and not communicating the details to anyone, including the issuer $MMAT. It then took weeks to get even the simplest answers. I am sure there are dozens of other "unique" cases... So, we’re supposed to believe the OTC is here to improve capital formation and market efficiency? Or is it just a free-for-all where certain entities get to manipulate stocks at will? Maybe @DOGE should look into this because at this point, a meme coin has more regulatory credibility than the entire OTC market. Here’s the choice: step up, raise the bar, and enforce real, exchange-level standards, or shut it down and disband FINRA (or/merge with the SEC) while you are at it. The OTC and its members have spent far too long profiting from the very dysfunctions it now claims to want to fix. Either it evolves into a legitimate exchange, or the @SECGov should consider shutting the whole thing down and stop pretending it's anything but a playground for bad actors.
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
21 hours
@kshaughnessy2 Can anyone name the investment banks involved? I find it interesting that their names are missing, unless they cut a deal…
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
1 day
@BasileEsq @OTCMarkets @Nasdaq @NYSE @cromwellc Great idea, Mark. The reality is that if there were the will, there would be many strong proposals and solutions like yours. Your message further underscores the urgent need for action from someone driven by impact rather than profit.
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
15 days
💯 6. Perseverance. Because it fuels innovation. The greatest breakthroughs come from those who refuse to quit when others give up.
@StartupArchive_
Startup Archive
15 days
Marc Andreessen on the 5 personality traits of an innovator “When you’re talking about real innovators—people who actually do really creative, breakthrough work—I think you’re talking about a couple things:” 1. Very high in trait openness. “Just flat-out open to new ideas… And the nature of trait openness means you’re not just open to new ideas in one category—you’re open to many different kinds of new ideas… But of course, just being open is not sufficient because if you’re just open, you could just be curious and explore and spend your entire life reading, talking to people, but never actually create something.” 2. High level of conscientiousness. “You need somebody who’s really willing to apply themselves—typically over a period of many years to accomplish something great… For most of these people, it’s years and years of applied effort. You need somebody with an extreme willingness to basically defer gratification… Of course, this is why there aren’t many of these people—there aren’t many people who are high in openness and high in conscientiousness because to a certain extent, they’re opposed traits.” 3. High in disagreeableness. “If they’re not ornery, they’ll be talked out of their ideas… Because the reaction most people have to new ideas is ‘Oh, that’s dumb.’ So, somebody who’s too agreeable will be easily dissuaded to not pull on the thread anymore.” 4. High IQ. “They just need to be really smart because it’s hard to innovate in any category if you can’t synthesize large amounts of information quickly.” 5. Relatively low neuroticism. “If they’re too neurotic, they probably can’t handle the stress.” Video source: @hubermanlab (2023)
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
15 days
Obsessed with this poster. There is a lot of hype and scaremongering at the same time regarding the impact of artificial intelligence. AI is a tool, not a master.
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
23 days
Excited to see what the new 🇺🇸 golden age has in store! Here's to a future filled with economic success, groundbreaking innovation & discovery, and a world striving for stability and hope. My wish is that together, 🇺🇸 and 🇨🇦 can seize this moment and as natural allies lead the way forward. 🌟🌍 #Progress #Innovation #StrongerTogether
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
27 days
💡 Lesson in Accountability and Resilience 💡 I'm thrilled to share a significant win: The trustee has officially dropped the case in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. I want to extend my thanks to the U.S. trustee for their time and effort in thoroughly analyzing and understanding the facts of this case. Their decision to drop it entirely and not waste the court's time, granting a complete release to me and LamdaGuard confirms what we knew all along: this case was completely without merit. It also exposes a deeper issue: A trustee would never abandon any valuable asset owned by a company, whether it’s a patent, a physical property, or, in this case, a domain name, unless the asset didn’t belong to the company in the first place. @Metamaterialtec's management, backed by its Board and advisors, falsely claimed (under oath) during the Chapter 7 proceedings that the domain name was a "company asset", when the facts say otherwise. What else might they have misrepresented to shareholders⁉️ I sincerely hope the next phase involves a deeper investigation into how and why this happened, as well as uncovering any other potential falsehoods they may have told. This experience has been a tough but important reminder of why accountability and standing up for the truth are non-negotiable. Pushing back against misinformation and misrepresentation isn't just about protecting your own integrity; it's about setting a precedent that dishonesty will not go unchecked. We will not stop until all the facts are brought into the light. This fight is about more than just me, it’s about ensuring truth and accountability for everyone impacted. For anyone facing similar battles: keep pushing forward. Document everything. Demand accountability. The road may be challenging but wins like this show that truth has a way of prevailing. 🙏 Gratitude and Reflection 🙏 To everyone who has supported me throughout this process: thank you. I know some have doubted me and others continue to do so, but this win is a testament to the importance of integrity. Next up, I’m excited about filing the motion to dismiss today and am hopeful for a similar positive outcome. #TruthPrevails #Integrity #Accountability #MovingForward
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
1 month
@dlauer Not surprised. I bet most fractional shares combined with high frequency trading result in these and many more issues…🤮. “Millions of shares” of “short sales” the question is on WHAT SCALE/FREQUENCY… ⁉️
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
1 month
@SkellPilot @Trevor28980161 Lets just say that if/when the Trustee comes knocking... IMHO they will have no choice but to share details on EVERYTHING!
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
@741trey or about a penny per 42 million mistakes
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
RT @kshaughnessy2: I asked about $VIRT's 7B short book last month. Doug Cifu never answered the question. So here it is again: What pe…
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
Are you still deciding whether you will permit me to release the VIRTU soliciting emails with your ATM sales deck⁉️⁉️🤣😜🤪 let’s give the world a little taste behind the scenes of how the “liquidity fairy” works and how you get to be the cheapest service provider on the street. Let’s go Dougie!
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
@XsyLocke I am helping the Trustee access as many shareholders lists e.g NOBO etc produced in the last few years, this should allow them to send out notifications via a service provider. More to follow in the new year.
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
@ericbradshaw82 @johnbrda already done.
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
@kimkep4796 @b_kochkodin Exactly. But do forgive me, I might have answered Mr Cockkodin’s questions if I could spare a moment between perfecting my “chicken shit” routine and auditioning for the role as a “useful idiot” in your next masterpiece. Turns out I’m not as multi-talented as I thought.
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@palikaras
George Palikaras
2 months
Who exactly did you send your questions to, and when? Share the emails for all to see! Are you referring to the one where you gave the company just one day to respond to a completely moronic single question? Or perhaps back in April 2023, when we were in the middle of a CMPO process—and any real financial reporter would know that SEC “quiet time” rules were in effect? If this is the level of “journalism” you’re bringing to the table, plus comic book-level articles it’s honestly pitiful. Do better or you are just in the wrong trade. Politicians will throw companies under the bus easily if it helps them with their votes. To them it is not about business. So tell us, who in Washington keeps you on their payroll to fabricate stories and a narrative? I think we all know the answer to that.
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