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Our experts frequently write blog posts about the findings of the research we are conducting.

Displaying 141-150 out of 215 results for "Muni Arb".

SEC Litigation Releases: Week in Review - February 8th, 2013

(Feb 2013)

Steven Harrold Settles SEC Insider Trading Charges
February 6, 2013, (Litigation Release No. 22613)
Afinal judgment was entered against Steven Harrold, former executive at a Coca-Cola bottling company, for his alleged insider trading "based on confidential information he learned on the job" concerning Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.'s planned acquisition of The Coca-Cola Company's " bottling operations in Norway and Sweden. "The judgment permanently enjoins Harrold from future violations of various...

Call Options on Hedge Funds: Double Markups and Detrimental Mispricing

(Feb 2013)

A recently settled FINRA Arbitration case was brought by an investor who was sold a $2M call option on a basket of hedge funds by a large investment bank. The case was notable for two reasons. First, the investment bank charged a 25 percent markup on the fair value of the option. This large amount was charged even though the investment bank -- call it Investment Bank 1 -- simultaneously laid off all of its risk by buying an equivalent call option from another investment bank -- call it...

Oppenheimer to Pay US Airways $30 Million over Auction Rate Securities

(Feb 2013)

Oppenheimer & Co. has been ordered by a FINRA arbitration panel to pay US Airways $30 million in damages related to the purchase of several series of structured auction rate securities (ARS). The story is being covered by Caitlin Nish at the Wall Street Journal, Bill Singer at Forbes, and Keith Goldberg at Law360. You can find the US Airways v Oppenheimer award on our website.

ARS are debt instruments that paid interest rates that reflect the clearing prices of regular auctions. Oppenheimer...

SEC Litigation Releases: Week in Review -February 1st, 2013

(Feb 2013)

SEC Charges Five Former Executives of Cay Clubs Resorts and Marinas in $300 Million Real Estate Investment Fraud
January 30, 2013, (Litigation Release No. 22607)
According to the complaint (opens to PDF), Cay Clubs Resorts and Marinas' former executives, Fred Davis Clark, Jr., Cristal R. Coleman, David W. Schwarz, Barry J. Graham, and Ricky Lynn Stokes conducted "an offering fraud and Ponzi scheme that raised more than $300 million from nearly 1,400 investors nationwide." Allegedly, from 2004...

SEC Litigation Releases: Week in Review - January 25th, 2013

(Jan 2013)

Randy M. Cho Sentenced to Prison Term of 12 Years in Criminal Action
January 24, 2013, (Litigation Release No. 22601)
Randy M. Cho was sentenced in a criminal action to 12 years in federal prison on charges of "perpetrating an investment scheme between 2001 and October 2009, which resulted in almost $8 million in losses from 57 investors." In addition to the prison sentence, Cho has been ordered to pay restitution of almost $8 million. In 2009, the SEC permanently enjoined Cho from violating...

FINRA Dispute Resolution Statistics 2012

(Jan 2013)

Last week, we covered NERA's analysis of SEC settlements during FY2012. This week, we're taking a look at FINRA's recent release of their dispute resolution summary statistics. FINRA arbitration is a common way for investors to pursue restitution for damage caused by fraud, negligence, or other fiduciary breaches. FINRA provides a detailed summary of the arbitration process and claims can be filed either online or by mail.

Through December of this year, FINRA reports that the number of new...

SEC Litigation Releases: Week in Review - January 18th, 2013

(Jan 2013)

SEC Charges Georgia Resident with Insider Trading
January 17, 2013, (Litigation Release No. 22596)
According to the complaint (opens to PDF), John M. Darden III traded with non-public information regarding the merger between Southwest Airlines Company and AirTran Holdings, Inc. Darden, who gained over $150,000 in profits from the illicit trading, agreed to a final judgment that provides permanent injunctive relief and orders him to pay over $325,000 in disgorgement, pre-judgment interest, and...

SEC Litigation Releases: Week in Review - January 11th, 2013

(Jan 2013)

Court Orders New York-Based Hedge Fund Manager and Firm to Pay Nearly $5 Million in Disgorgement and Penalties
January 9, 2013, (Litigation Release No. 22588)
Final judgments were entered against hedge fund manager Chetan Kapur and his firm ThinkStrategy Capital Management for allegedly overstating the performance of their ThinkStrategy Capital Fund, "inflat[ing] the firm's assets, exaggerat[ing] the firm's longevity and performance history, and misrepresent[ing] the size and credentials of...

SEC Litigation Releases: Week in Review - December 28th, 2012

(Dec 2012)

SEC Charges Two Brokers with Insider Trading
December 26, 2012, (Litigation Release No. 22581)
This week the SEC filed an amended complaint (opens to PDF) charging research analyst Trent Martin with tipping brokers Thomas C. Conradt and David J. Weishaus with nonpublic information about IBM Corporation's acquisition of SPSS Inc. Martin learned of the impending IBM-SPSS transaction "from an attorney friend who was working on the deal." Martin, Conradt, and Weishaus allegedly traded on the...

Auction Rate Securities Responsible for $9.6 Billion Loss to Taxpayers

(Dec 2012)

In a complaint filed in Nevada against Goldman Sachs last year, the city of Reno states that it issued $73.45 million of Auction Rate Securities (ARS) in 2005 and $137.43 million ARS in 2006 on the advice of Goldman. Like many other municipalities, Reno subsequently saw the market crash in 2008 and yields skyrocket, leading to a $9.6 billion loss for issuers.

The ARS structure was promoted by Goldman as liquid, cash-equivalent investments that would allow Reno to borrow money for long term...

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