Every person who commits any of the acts specified in this section is guilty of a public offense and punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(a) Knowingly authorizing, directing, aiding, causing, or assisting in causing the issuance, execution, or sale of, any security, in nonconformity with a permit of the commissioner then in effect and authorizing such issuance, or contrary to the provisions of this article.

(b) Knowingly making any false statement or representation in any application to the commissioner, or in any proceeding before him, or in any examination, audit, or investigation made by him, or by his authority.

(c) With knowledge of the falsity, causing to be filed in the office of the commissioner any false statement or representation concerning an insurer, the property which the insurer then holds or proposes to acquire, the insurer’s officers, the insurer’s financial condition or other affairs, or the insurer’s proposed plan of business.

(d) With knowledge of the falsity of any such statement or representation, causing any security to be issued, executed, or sold without first informing the commissioner of the falsity of such statement in writing.

(e) Directly or indirectly, knowingly causing or assisting in causing any part of the proceeds from the sale of any security to be applied to any purpose contrary to the provisions of the permit authorizing the issuance of such security, or to any purpose in excess of the amount specified in such permit for such purpose.

(f) Selling a security with knowledge that it has been issued or executed in violation of any of the provisions of this article.

(g) Causing a writing concerning a security to be issued, circulated, or published while having knowledge that such matter contains any statement that is false, misleading, or otherwise likely to deceive a reader thereof.

(h) In any respect, willfully violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of this article.

(i) In any other respect, willfully violating or neglecting to comply with any part of an order or permit of the commissioner under the provisions of this article.

(j) Conspiring with one or more other persons to violate any permit or order issued by the commissioner, or any of the provisions of this article.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 207. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)