Vinco Ventures, Inc. (OTC: BBIG), once a promising player in the digital media and content technology space, has been embroiled in controversy for years, with its shareholders locked in a relentless fight against what they allege is a corrupt and self-serving board of directors.
The latest development in this saga came on April 25, 2025, when Roderick Vanderbilt, the executive chairman of Vinco Ventures’ board, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud in a Florida federal court.
This admission marks a significant milestone for retail investors who have been battling for justice, transparency, and accountability from the company’s leadership.
However, for many BBIG shareholders, this is just one step in a broader struggle that has seen lawsuits, petitions, and advocacy efforts aimed at exposing systemic mismanagement and fraud within Vinco Ventures.
A Guilty Plea: Vanderbilt’s Role in the Fraud
According to a report by Law360, federal prosecutors in Florida charged Roderick Vanderbilt with conspiracy to commit securities fraud for making false statements to investors, artificially inflating Vinco Ventures’ stock price to benefit himself and other insiders.
The guilty plea, announced on April 25, 2025, confirms allegations that Vanderbilt engaged in deceptive practices, misleading shareholders about the company’s financial health and prospects.
This misconduct contributed to significant losses for retail investors who trusted the company’s leadership and invested in its vision of becoming a leader in digital media through ventures like Lomotif, a video-sharing platform, and AdRizer, an ad tech platform.
The plea has sparked a wave of reactions among BBIG investors, with some expressing cautious optimism about the prospect of justice.
On X, a user with the handle @Luckyjs37 posted, “Rod pleaded guilty today of conspiracy to commit fraud in Vinco Ventures!
More to come.
I believe RICO is imminent!
Justice for retail shareholders! $BBIG.”
This sentiment reflects the hope among investors that Vanderbilt’s plea could lead to further accountability, potentially implicating other board members or insiders in a broader Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) investigation.
A History of Shareholder Activism
The guilty plea is not an isolated event but rather the latest chapter in a years-long struggle by BBIG shareholders to hold Vinco Ventures’ leadership accountable.
Since 2021, when Vinco Ventures gained traction as a meme stock due to its ambitious plans in the digital media space, the company has been plagued by governance issues, regulatory missteps, and allegations of fraud.
Retail investors, organized through groups like the Retail United Advocacy Group and platforms like bbigfamily.com, have launched multiple campaigns to address these concerns, including lawsuits, petitions, and public advocacy.
2022: Thwarting a Hostile Takeover
In 2022, Vinco Ventures faced allegations of a hostile takeover attempt by the so-called “Farnsworth Group,” led by former co-CEO Theodore Farnsworth, who was also the former CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics and chairman of MoviePass.
The company claimed to have thwarted this takeover, but the fallout was severe. Executive terminations, missed SEC filings, and a stock trading halt eroded investor confidence.
Farnsworth himself was later arrested in 2023 for an alleged illegal fraud scheme and pleaded guilty in January 2025 to securities fraud charges related to both MoviePass and Vinco Ventures.
During this period, shareholders filed a petition targeting then-director John Colucci for alleged mismanagement, reflecting growing distrust in the company’s leadership.
The petition was one of the first major organized efforts by retail investors to demand accountability.
2023: Nasdaq Delisting and Litigation
By 2023, Vinco Ventures’ troubles deepened.
The company was delisted from Nasdaq due to non-compliance with listing requirements, forcing its stock to trade on the over-the-counter (OTC) market.
This delisting further eroded the stock’s value, leaving many retail investors with significant losses.
In response, a collective of over 2,800 shareholders, organized under bbigfamily.com, engaged securities litigation firm The Basile Law Firm P.C. to commence legal action against former and current board members, as well as certain dilution funders, for alleged violations of federal and state laws.
The lawsuit accused the defendants of self-dealing, asset diversion, and unlawful funding transactions.
Shareholder organizer Shadwrick Vick, a plaintiff in multiple lawsuits against Vinco Ventures, stated, “Basile and his team have proven themselves during this investigation by validating our allegations with a concrete correlation between the bad actors’ complicit actions, their shell entities, the paper trail of self-enrichment and the overwhelming statutes violated.”
This legal action marked a significant escalation in the fight against the company’s leadership.
Additionally, in April 2023, investors raised concerns about new board appointments, including a new COO and CFO, arguing that the company was jumping from project to project without delivering tangible results.
A lawsuit filed by shareholders, including Vick, Christopher Muntz, and Darryl Wayne Genis, targeted former co-CEOs Farnsworth and Lisa King, alleging fraud and mismanagement.
The plaintiffs, some of whom were elected by shareholders to join the board, sought to hold executives accountable for failing everyday shareholders.
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2024: Suing Toxic Lenders
In January 2024, Vinco Ventures itself filed a $250 million lawsuit against unregistered securities dealers accused of engaging in “death spiral” or “toxic” lending practices.
The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, was seen by some investors as a defensive move to protect shareholders.
Posts on X celebrated the action, with users like @BossBlunts1 and @Franks_Place_ highlighting the lawsuit as a step toward justice.
However, many shareholders remained skeptical, viewing the lawsuit as a distraction from the board’s own failures.
2025: The Fernane Takeover Controversy
The most recent flashpoint in the Vinco Ventures saga came in April 2025, when shareholders launched a petition on Change.org titled “Urgent Petition to Investigate and Halt Takeover of Vinco Ventures, Inc.”
The petition, addressed to the FBI, demanded an investigation into the company’s takeover by Mathew Jacob Fernane, who assumed control of Vinco Ventures.
Shareholders raised alarms about Fernane’s documented criminal history, including convictions for drug trafficking (specifically fentanyl) and securities fraud.
The petition, supported by the Retail United Advocacy Group, called for an immediate halt to the takeover pending a thorough investigation, citing risks to shareholder investments and the integrity of the financial markets.
The petition garnered significant attention, with signatures from shareholders like Tim Finley and Juan Arreguin, signaling a collective resolve to protect their investments.
I personally reported on the petition, noting that it was the third major shareholder action in three years, underscoring persistent governance issues.
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The Impact on BBIG Shareholders
For BBIG shareholders, the past few years have been a rollercoaster of hope and disillusionment.
The stock, which surged in 2021 as a meme stock, has since plummeted, with its delisting from Nasdaq and subsequent OTC trading wiping out significant value.
Investors have repeatedly accused the board of prioritizing self-enrichment over shareholder interests, pointing to missed SEC filings, executive resignations, and dilution proposals as evidence of mismanagement.
The guilty plea by Vanderbilt and the earlier conviction of Farnsworth have validated many of these concerns, but shareholders remain wary.
As user @RATElimiting_ posted on X, “$BBIG #BBIG HODL’ING DONATING… battling for shareholders scammed by VINCO VENTURES bod $OCTO,” reflecting the ongoing commitment of retail investors to fight for justice.
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What’s Next for Vinco Ventures and BBIG Investors?
Vanderbilt’s guilty plea is a significant victory for BBIG shareholders, but it is unlikely to be the end of their struggle.
The petition against Fernane’s takeover remains active, and shareholders are pushing for further investigations into the company’s governance.
The prospect of a Vinco Ventures lawsuit grows stronger as legal threats mount and investors rally.
For those holding BBIG stock, the coming weeks and months will be pivotal.
The Retail United Advocacy Group and other shareholder collectives are likely to continue their advocacy, leveraging platforms like X and Change.org to amplify their voices.
Meanwhile, the FBI’s response to the Fernane petition could have far-reaching implications for the company’s future.
As this story unfolds, BBIG investors remain united in their call for transparency, accountability, and justice.
The guilty plea by Vanderbilt is a step forward, but for many, it is just the beginning of a long road to recovery.
Stay tuned for the latest Vinco Ventures news as shareholders continue their fight against a board accused of betraying their trust.
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