The new Director of the Enforcement Division, Gurbir Grewal, assumed his position during the Third Quarter of 2021. Even if he hits the ground running it typically takes time to adjust to the environment. ...more
The Commission frequently increases the rate at enforcement actions are filed in advance of the September 30th fiscal year end. That fiscal year end is followed by Congressional budget hearings where statistics are at least...more
The first quarter of 2020 ended with the markets plummeting to new lows and much of the country shuttered in an effort to avoid transmitting COVID-19. SEC Enforcement finished the quarter by not filing any new cases in the...more
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought and resolved multiple enforcement actions alleging manipulation and attempted manipulation, coordinating such actions with parallel disciplinary proceedings by relevant...more
CFTC continues to bring high-profile, large-penalty enforcement cases; begins bringing cases to enforce Dodd-Frank Act implementing regulations; and embarks on post-Dodd-Frank Act regulatory initiatives. ...more
The SEC’s apparent preference for administrative proceedings as a venue for its enforcement actions continues to draw criticism. H.R. 3798 is now pending in the House of Representatives. The bill is tilted the “Due Process...more
The PCAOB filed a settled action involving an auditing firm in which the consent order of settlement was based on admissions of facts. The approach is similar to the one adopted by the SEC in which the Commission requires...more
September 30th Madness dominated this week. The drive for stats was evident as the Commission stacked up cases like cord wood at a pace seldom seen. Twenty-two municipal bond actions were filed in one swoop; an insider...more
The Commission responded to critics of its administrative proceedings this week, proposing changes to the Rules of Practice which govern them. If adopted the new rules would modify the time period within which the actions...more
The Yates Memo, refocusing DOJ criminal and civil corporate investigations, continues to be the critical topic of discussion this week. The Memo, discussed here, directs that individuals be the focus of the inquiry from the...more
The Commission brought two FCPA cases this week, one of which was in conjunction with the DOJ. Both centered on the payments for gifts and travel in China. In addition, the SEC filed three manipulation cases, an action...more
This week the SEC and the DOJ filed a settled FCPA action. The disgorgement paid by the issuer put the case at number ten on the list for the largest such amounts paid in an SEC FCPA case....more