Our experts frequently write blog posts about the findings of the research we are conducting.
SEC Press Release: Structured Products
"issued a report identifying common weaknesses seen in sales of structured securities products and describing measures by broker-dealers to better protect retail investors from fraud and abusive sales practices."
SEC Press Release: Morgan Keegan fined in connection with CDOs
"Morgan Keegan & Company and Morgan Asset Management have agreed to pay $200 million to settle fraud charges related to subprime mortgage-backed securities. Two Morgan Keegan employees also agreed to pay penalties for their alleged misconduct, including one who is now barred from the...
Joint SEC and FINRA Press Release: Structured Products
SEC Press Release: Assigned Credit Ratings
for public comment on the feasibility of a system in which a public or private utility or a self-regulatory organization would assign a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) to determine credit ratings for structured finance products.
FINRA Press Release: Principal Protected Notes
"it has fined UBS Financial Services, Inc., $2.5 million, and required UBS to pay $8.25 million in restitution for omissions and statements made that effectively misled some investors...
FINRA Press Release: Reverse Convertibles
FINRA Press Release: Illicit Equities Trading Strategy
it has censured and fined New York-based Trillium Brokerage Services, LLC, $1 million for using an illicit high frequency trading strategy and related supervisory failures. Trillium, through nine proprietary traders,...
FINRA Press Release: FINRA Sanctions Citigroup
"it has imposed a monetary sanction of $1.5 million against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. for supervisory violations relating to its handling of trust funds belonging to cemeteries in Michigan and Tennessee....
FINRA Press Release: Auction Rate Securities
"it has fined Nuveen Investments, LLC, of Chicago, $3 million for creating misleading marketing materials used in sales of auction rate preferred securities (ARPS). The Nuveen Funds' ARPS were a form of auction rate securities, which are long-term securities with interest rates or...
FINRA Fines H&R Block Financial Advisors
[fined] H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc., (n/k/a Ameriprise Advisor Services, Inc.) $200,000 for failing to establish adequate supervisory systems and procedures for supervising sales of [reverse convertible...