If you’ve spent any time digging into the local history of the San Fernando Valley, specifically the Northridge area, you might have stumbled across the name Harvey Tabb. It’s one of those names that pops up in court records and SEC filings rather than on the side of a community center or a high school gym. Honestly, it's a story that serves as a cautionary tale for anyone looking to invest their hard-earned money in "the next big thing."
Harvey Paul Tabb was a figure who operated in the shadows of the California investment world for decades.
To some, he was just another businessman. To the federal government, he was a "recidivist securities law violator." That's a heavy label. Basically, it means he didn't just mess up once; he made a career out of skirting the rules. While he was associated with various ventures across Southern California, his name is frequently linked to Northridge, a hub of suburban life that occasionally attracts the wrong kind of financial "innovators."
The "Buy the Vine" Scheme and the Northridge Connection
One of the most notorious chapters in Tabb's history involves a venture called "Buy the Vine." On the surface, it sounded like a dream. Investors were told they could get in on the ground floor of the Temecula wine industry. Tabb raised roughly $2.3 million from about 50 people across the country.
He promised returns that were, frankly, ridiculous.
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We’re talking about charts showing 450% gains. He told people grape prices would skyrocket from $1,000 a ton to $3,600. The problem? He had zero experience in the wine industry. Professional farmers in Temecula were getting maybe $1,400 a ton if they were lucky. Tabb was just pulling numbers out of thin air to make the "general partnership" interests he was selling look like a gold mine.
Why this matters to Northridge locals
- The Proximity Factor: Northridge and the surrounding Valley areas were often the target for "cold-call" solicitation.
- The Appearance of Legitimacy: Tabb operated through entities like Cherry Avenue, Inc., which had offices in Irvine and Las Vegas, but the reach into the Northridge community was real.
- The Repetitive Nature: Tabb was already under a permanent injunction from 1995 when he started the wine grape scheme in 2001.
A History of Regulatory Run-ins
Harvey Tabb didn't just start with grapes. Back in the mid-90s, he was involved with American Ticketing Systems and something called Socal Ameritix Limited Partnership. The SEC went after him then for raising over $3 million from 225 investors through unregistered securities.
They accused him of lying about how the money was used.
He didn't admit or deny the charges—which is common in these settlements—but he did agree to an injunction. That injunction was supposed to stop him from ever violating securities laws again. It didn't work. By 1999, he was back at it with "Fortune on Wheels Investment Trust," which led to a "Desist and Refrain" order from the California Department of Corporations.
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The 2017 Wire Fraud Conviction
If you think a few SEC slap-on-the-wrists would be enough to make someone retire, you don't know the story of Harvey Tabb. In 2017, at the age of 74, Tabb pled guilty to wire fraud in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
The case (8:18-CR-00038-JLS) was the final straw.
He was sentenced to prison time and supervised release. The SEC followed up in 2019 by officially barring him from the securities industry for life. It took decades of litigation, multiple state and federal agencies, and countless lost dollars for investors to finally see the end of his career.
Red Flags to Watch For (The Harvey Tabb Playbook)
You've probably heard the saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Tabb's various schemes relied on a few specific tactics that you should still be wary of today.
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First, he loved "general partnerships." He used this structure because he claimed they weren't "securities," which he argued meant he didn't have to register them with the government. He was wrong. The courts have consistently ruled that if you're just a passive investor putting money into a scheme run by someone else, it's a security.
Second, the "unsolicited call." Many of the people Tabb targeted were reached through cold calls. If someone you don't know calls you with a "limited-time opportunity" to invest in vineyards, ticketing systems, or trusts, hang up.
Third, the lack of industry experience. Tabb was a salesman, not a viticulturist or a tech expert. He sold the idea of a business without ever having the infrastructure to back it up.
Actionable Steps for Protecting Your Wealth
If you are a resident of Northridge or anywhere in California and you're approached with a private investment opportunity, don't take the pitch at face value.
- Check BrokerCheck: Use the FINRA BrokerCheck tool. If you had searched for Harvey Paul Tabb (CRD# 1308782), you would have seen a long list of regulatory events and the fact that he wasn't even registered to sell securities during his biggest "ventures."
- Verify the SEC Registration: If a company is offering "partnership interests" or "units of trust," ask for their SEC CIK number. If they say they don't have one because they are "exempt," have a lawyer look at the offering memorandum.
- Search for "Desist and Refrain" Orders: The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) maintains a database of enforcement actions. Search the names of the principals involved, not just the company.
- Demand Financial Audits: Never invest in a private placement that doesn't provide audited financial statements from a reputable third-party accounting firm.
The legacy of Harvey Tabb in Northridge and beyond is a reminder that the most dangerous threats to your savings aren't usually masked robbers—they're often fast-talkers with professional-looking brochures and a "guaranteed" return. By the time the SEC or the FBI gets involved, the money is usually long gone, spent on "management fees" or other undisclosed expenses. Your best defense is a healthy dose of skepticism and a thorough background check before you sign a single document.