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Tag Archives: Securities and Exchange Commission

Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

SEC Launches Self-Reporting Initiative for Investment Advisers

In line with Chairman Jay Clayton’s oft-stated priority of protecting the long-term interests of Main Street investors, on Feb. 12, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement announced the launch of a new self-reporting initiative for investment advisers. This new initiative — the Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative — aims to address undisclosed… Continue Reading
Anti-Money Laundering, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Securities and Commodities

SEC Opens Cease-and-Desist Order Proceeding against Broker-Dealer and Chief Compliance / AML Officer

As we have highlighted in prior posts, regulators of financial institutions, including FinCEN, FINRA and SEC, have increasingly brought actions to bring organizations – and individuals – into compliance with AML / BSA obligations.  This enforcement activity is consistent with FinCEN’s August 2014 Advisory, now nearly three years old, emphasizing the idea that U.S. financial institutions… Continue Reading
Compliance, Election and Political Law

Congress Votes to Disapprove SEC’s Resource Extraction Disclosure Rule

In previous posts, we discussed the potential impact of the SEC’s Resource Extraction Payment Disclosure (Rule 13q-1), including possible FCPA implications and the development of an appropriate compliance plan. After the election, much attention has been given by Congress to the so-called “midnight” agency rules that were adopted in the final months of the Obama… Continue Reading
Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Fraud, Deception and False Claims, Securities and Commodities

SEC Describes Recent Efforts to Combat Pyramid Schemes and Affinity Frauds

Over the past two years, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stepped up enforcement actions against pyramid schemes and related affinity frauds. Last week, in a speech at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Andrew Ceresney, director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, addressed his division’s most recent efforts to combat these frauds. In particular,… Continue Reading
Securities and Commodities

Variable Annuities Are Retirement Investment Product of Interest in SEC’s 2016 Examination Priorities

As we discussed yesterday, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) released its examination priorities for 2016 on January 11 (the “Examination Priorities”). Retirement investments continue to be an area of focus for OCIE as we march into the new year. Digging deeper into this area, OCIE identified variable… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation, Securities and Commodities

SEC Provides Guidance on 2016 Examination Areas of Focus

On Monday, January 11, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced its Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations’ (OCIE) areas of focus for 2016, which include: protecting retail investors and investors for retirement; assessing issues related to market-wide risks; and use of its ability to analyze data to identify and examine registrants that may… Continue Reading
Securities and Commodities

Just Admit It – SEC Requiring Admissions with Increased Frequency

As we previously reported, in 2012 and 2013 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) changed its longstanding policy of permitting defendants to settle enforcement actions without admitting or denying liability. Initially, the policy was changed only with regard to settlements involving parallel criminal actions. Subsequently, the policy was further revised to require admissions in certain… Continue Reading
Securities and Commodities

SEC Proposes to Amend Rules Governing Administrative Proceedings

On September 24, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a press release announcing proposed amendments to its Rules of Practice governing administrative proceedings. The announcement comes at a critical time, when the SEC’s use of administrative proceedings has come under increasing fire. The proposed rules attempt to address aspects of the administrative process… Continue Reading
Compliance, Securities and Commodities

SEC’s OCIE Issues a Second Cybersecurity Risk Alert

On Sept. 15, 2015, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) published its second cybersecurity risk alert (the “2015 Risk Alert”). The 2015 Risk Alert is a follow up to the OCIE’s April 2014 cybersecurity initiative risk alert (the “2014 Risk Alert”) announcing a series of examinations to identify cybersecurity… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering, Compliance

SEC and FinCEN Delivering One-Two Punch to Private Equity

Starting in January, it was widely reported that the SEC had upped its FCPA scrutiny of private equity funds required to register as investment advisers under Dodd-Frank, with requests for information being issued to a number of funds in connection with their courting of sovereign wealth funds. For many newly-regulated funds, this was likely viewed… Continue Reading
Compliance, Fraud, Deception and False Claims, Securities and Commodities

SEC’s Whistleblower Program Awards Over $3 million to Company Insider

On Friday, July 17, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that it will award more than $3 million to a company insider who helped the SEC “crack a complex fraud.” The SEC’s whistleblower program was adopted under the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010. It rewards high-quality, original information that results in enforcement actions exceeding $1… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance, Securities and Commodities

China’s Focus on Combatting Commercial Bribery Is a Wake-Up Call

Earlier this month, six former employees of Tencent Holdings (Tencent), including Liu Chunning, a now high-level executive of Alibaba Group, were detained by Chinese authorities as part of a bribery investigation relating to payments made by online video content providers to employees of Tencent, including Liu. In addition to showcasing the continued fight against graft… Continue Reading
Compliance, Securities and Commodities

SEC Division of Investment Management Issues Cybersecurity Guidance for Investment Funds and Advisers

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) Division of Investment Management (“Division”) recently released a Guidance Update (“Guidance”) highlighting the importance of cybersecurity for registered investment companies (“funds”) and registered investment advisers (“advisers”). In the Guidance, the Division identified a number of measures for funds and advisers to consider in addressing cybersecurity risk and rapid… Continue Reading
Securities and Commodities

SEC Charges Group of Unregistered Broker-Dealers Trading in Corporate Bond Market

Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged more than 20 individuals and companies with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) related to the buying and selling of investment-grade corporate bonds. The SEC charged the respondents with trading in corporate bonds without first registering as broker-dealers. Two respondents, Global… Continue Reading
Compliance, Fraud, Deception and False Claims, Securities and Commodities

Inadequate Internal Controls Cost Tech Firm $750,000

Without admitting or denying the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s findings, Polycom Inc. settled with the agency on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, over alleged insufficient internal controls and disclosure violations for personal perk expenses. Andrew Miller, Polycom’s former CEO, traveled to Indonesia and South Africa with his girlfriend, took limousine rides, and purchased dress shirts,… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation, Fraud, Deception and False Claims, Securities and Commodities

Biomet FCPA Announcement Highlights Distributor-Related Risks

Last week, Biomet Inc. announced in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that instead of its 2012 deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) expiring this week, the company would be monitored under it for an additional year.… Continue Reading

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