The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that U.S. regulators have won a victory in B.C. courts in their quest to collect damages from Frederick Sharp, a Vancouver lawyer accused of masterminding a stock-fraud scheme that generated more than $1-billion (all figures U.S.). The Globe's David Milstead writes that in a decision released Monday, Justice Amy Francis of the B.C. Supreme Court agreed to a request from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to freeze all of Mr. Sharp's assets in the province, ensuring he cannot dispose of them or move them overseas before the regulator can seize control. In May, 2022, the SEC won a civil judgment of $52.9-million -- a combination of penalties and the return of $29-million profits -- against Mr. Sharp. It was a default judgment, as he did not appear before the court to defend himself, allowing the court to say it "accepts as true the factual allegations of the complaint." The SEC began its pursuit of Mr. Sharp's assets in B.C. courts in June, 2022. While the B.C. Securities Commission had issued asset-preservation orders against him and other defendants in the case, who are also B.C. residents, they covered only about $2.2-million of his assets.