Michael J. Osnato, Jr., has been named chief of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Enforcement Division unit that conducts investigations into complex financial instruments. Osnato, who joined the SEC staff in 2008 and who has served as an assistant director in the New York Regional Office...
The Securities and Exchange Commission has just announced its examination priorities for 2014, which cover a wide range of issues at financial institutions, including investment advisers and investment companies, broker-dealers, clearing agencies, exchanges and other self-regulatory organizations, hedge...
The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged public accounting firm KPMG with violating rules that require auditors to remain independent from the public companies they are auditing to ensure they maintain their objectivity and impartiality. Additionally, the SEC issued a separate report about...
In a microcap fraud-fighting initiative that the Securities and Exchange Commission refers to as Operation Shell-Expel , the SEC has suspended trading in 255 dormant shell companies that it said were “ripe for abuse in the over-the-counter market.” According to the SEC, so-called “pump...
NEW YORK — (Mealey’s) Morgan Stanley will pay $1.25 billion to settle claims that it, certain of its subsidiaries and others misrepresented the investment quality in more than $10.58 billion in certificates in connection with 33 securitizations of residential mortgage-backed securities Morgan...
"On March 17, 2014, the U.S. District Court entered a consent judgment against defendants Anshoo R. Sethi, A Chicago Convention Center, LLC (ACCC) and Intercontinental Regional Center Trust of Chicago, LLC (IRCTC) for their roles in raising approximately $158 million dollars from close to 300 investors...
By Perrie Michael Weiner and Patrick Hunnius A recent Wall Street Journal article – “Activist Investors Often Leak Their Plans to a Favored Few” – focused attention on “activist” investors and stock analysts who (as part of their bullish or bearish campaigns for...
By Marsha Z. Gerber , Cristina K. Lunders and Christian Menefee On April 14, 2014, a divided panel of the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found unconstitutional one part of the disclosure requirements in the Securities and Exchange Commission's (the "SEC" or the "Commission"...
By Marsha Z. Gerber , Cristina K. Lunders and Christian Menefee On April 29, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC" or the "Commission") issued additional guidance (“April 29 Guidance”) on the Conflict Minerals 1 Rule (“The Rule”) 2 following...
By David Y. Bannard Not-for-profit health care providers that have borrowed on a tax-exempt basis within the last five years should be aware of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperation (“MCDC”) Initiative. The MCDC Initiative...
The SEC Speaks conference has traditionally been a forum in which the agency reviewed significant recent undertakings and indicated its future direction. This year was no different. Four of the five Commissioners addressed conference participants, discussing recent significant undertakings and sketching...
Law360, Los Angeles (July 6, 2015, 10:24 PM ET) -- "The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday accused a Bay Area oil and gas company and its CEO of running a $68 million "Ponzi-like" scheme that targeted the Chinese-American community and Chinese nationals hoping to get a green...
"The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or “SEC”) has become increasingly active in enforcing alleged violations of U.S. securities laws arising under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor visa program. EB-5 transactions — which are designed to result in the...
"]T]he U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a Cease and Desist Order ( the “Order” ) against two related companies for acting as unregistered broker-dealers in connection with the sale of securities under the “EB-5” Investor Program ( also sometimes referred...
USCIS Proposes Expansion of Provisional Waiver Program | On July 22, 2015, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a proposed rule that would expand eligibility for provisional unlawful presence waivers. Under the proposed rule, provisional waivers would be available for all immigrant...
SEC Commissioner Daniel Gallagher provided something of a score card for activities over the past five years he has served on the agency prior to his impending departure. To the surprise of few he panned the Dodd-Frank and the FSOC while giving the staff divisions mixed reviews. “Dodd-Frank at...
By Courtney Gilligan Saleski , Jonathan W. Haray , and Mark A. Kasten In Hill v. Securities Exchange Commission , the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, [subscribers can access an enhanced version of this opinion: lexis.com | Lexis Advance ], preliminarily enjoined...
Here is a link to a PDF combining the Complaint (pages 1-17) and the TRO (pages 18-27) issued Aug. 24, 2015 in SEC v. Path America, No. 2:15-cv-01350-JLR, W.D. Wa. Excerpts: "Since February 2012, defendants Lobsang Dargey; Path America, LLC; Path America SnoCo LLC; Path America Farmer’s...
By Peter S. Vogel In a recent speech SEC Chair Mary Jo White declared that while “cybersecurity attacks cannot be entirely eliminated, it is incumbent upon private fund advisers to employ robust, state-of-the-art plans to prevent, detect, and respond to such intrusions.” On October 16...
By Jessica Wentz Associate Director and Fellow On November 8, Peabody Energy Corporation, the world’s largest publicly-traded coal company, reached a settlement with the New York Attorney General’s Office (“NYAG”) in which it agreed to revise its financial disclosures to...
SEC, Dec. 7, 2015 - "The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced a series of enforcement actions against lawyers across the country charged with offering EB-5 investments while not registered to act as brokers."
USCIS Ombudsman Recommends Improvements to SIJ Adjudication Process| On December 11, 2015, the Ombudsman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a 12-page report containing recommendations for improving the process for adjudicating applications for Special Immigration Juvenile (SIJ) status...
SEC, Apr. 14, 2016 - "The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced fraud charges and an asset freeze against a Vermont-based ski resort and related businesses allegedly misusing millions of dollars raised through investments solicited under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. The SEC’s...
Colorado Repeals Employment Verification Requirement | On June 8, 2016, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill (House Bill 16-1114) repealing a state requirement that employers maintain a separate affirmation form and retain copies of documents presented when newly hired employees complete...
"Trouble at Jay Peak: SEC v. Ariel Quiros - The suit is perhaps the most high-profile case to date regarding the EB-5 visa program, which gives green cards to immigrants who invest $500,000 and create new jobs in the U.S. But the suit is far from the only controversy surrounding EB-5, as the SEC...