Section 12(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933 – 15 U.S.C. Sec. 77— - Sale of an Unregistered Security in Violation of Sec. 5 is a federal law that prohibits the sale of securities that have not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It applies to all persons who offer or sell securities in interstate commerce, or through the use of the mails, which have not been registered with the SEC as required by Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933. Violations of Section 12(a)(1) are subject to civil and criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. There are two types of Section 12(a)(1) violations: (1) the sale of an unregistered security in violation of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933, and (2) the sale of a security in violation of Section 12(a)(2) of the Exchange Act. In the first type, it is a violation to offer or sell a security that has not been registered with the SEC as required by Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933. In the second type, it is a violation to offer or sell a security which is in violation of Section 12(a)(2) of the Exchange Act. The penalties for violations of Section 12(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933 – 15 U.S.C. Sec. 77— - Sale of an Unregistered Security in Violation of Sec. 5 can include civil and criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment. Additionally, the SEC may suspend or bar an individual from participating in the securities' industry.