Nebraska § 8-1117 - Violations; penalty.

§ 8-1117. Violations; penalty.

(1) Any person who willfully violates any provision of the Securities Act of Nebraska except section 8-1113, or who willfully violates any rule and regulation or order under the act, or who willfully violates the provisions of section 8-1113 knowing the statement made to be false or misleading in any material respect is guilty of a Class IV felony. No indictment may be returned or information filed under the act more than five years after the alleged violation.

(2) The director may refer such evidence as may be available concerning violations of the act or any rule and regulation or order under the act to the Attorney General or the proper county attorney, who may in his or her discretion, with or without such a reference, institute the appropriate criminal proceedings under the act.

(3) Nothing in the act shall limit the power of the state to punish any person for any conduct which constitutes a crime by statute or at common law.

To sustain a conviction under either the fraud or registration provisions of the Uniform Securities Act, specific intent need not be proved, and "willful" may mean no more than that the actor was aware of what he or she was doing. State v. Irons, 254 Neb. 18, 574 N.W.2d 144 (1998).

Proof of a specific intent, evil motive, or knowledge that the law was being violated is not required to sustain conviction of willful violation of the securities act. State v. Fries, 214 Neb. 874, 337 N.W.2d 398 (1983).