The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Marc P. Berger has been named Director of the New York Regional Office. He will join the agency in January 2018. Mr. Berger is presently global co-head of Ropes & Gray LLP’s Securities and Futures Enforcement Practice. Before joining Ropes & Gray, Mr. Berger spent 12 years…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Kenneth A. Johnson has been named the agency's Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr. Johnson has served as Acting COO since February 2017. In his role as COO, Mr. Johnson oversees the SEC's operational and administrative functions, including the agency's Office of Human Resources; Office of Acquisitions; Office…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that Gary Barnett, Deputy Director in the Division of Trading and Markets, will retire from the agency at the end of the year. Since January 2015, Mr. Barnett has overseen the division’s Office of Broker-Dealer Finances, Office of Derivatives Policy, Office of Trading Practices, its Volcker rule…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) informed that it has charged a registered representative in Pennsylvania with operating a long-running offering and investment advisory fraud. The SEC’s complaint, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, alleges that Paul W. Smith raised approximately $2.35 million from approximately 30 investors – many of whom were his brokerage customers…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Daniel Michael has been named chief of the Enforcement Division’s Complex Financial Instruments Unit. In his new role, Mr. Michael will lead a specialized unit of attorneys and industry experts who are located in offices across the country and investigate potential misconduct related to complex financial products…
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A California-based audit firm is being charged with conducting flawed audits and reviews of financial statements, which are critical sources of information for investors, SEC announced earlier today. The SEC’s Enforcement Division alleges that Anton & Chia LLP and its accountants ignored numerous indications of fraudulent financial reporting by three of the firm’s audit clients…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) informed that it has today charged a Seattle-area outdoor digital signage advertising company and two of its senior executives with stealing more than $2 million from retail investors. According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, Digi Outdoor Media Inc.’s former chief executive officer, Donald…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it obtained an emergency asset freeze to halt a fast-moving Initial Coin Offering (ICO) fraud that raised up to $15 million from thousands of investors since August by falsely promising a 13-fold profit in less than a month. The SEC filed charges against a recidivist Quebec securities law…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the formation and first members of its Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee. The committee, whose initial focus will be on the corporate bond and municipal securities markets, will provide advice to the Commission on the efficiency and resiliency of these markets and identify opportunities for regulatory improvements.…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that David Glockner, Director of the Chicago Regional Office, is planning to leave the agency later this month. Since late 2013, Mr. Glockner has led a staff of approximately 270 enforcement attorneys, accountants, investigators, and compliance examiners involved in the investigation and prosecution of enforcement actions and the…
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