The SEC’s Latest Exam and Request List Trends WHAT HAPPENED? With new SEC leadership in place, including Chairman Gary Gensler and Director of Enforcement Gurbir Grewal, the Commission’s examination trends continue to evolve. Some focus areas, like cybersecurity and business continuity, are more relevant than ever with the changes [...]
2021 SEC Examination Priorities: What You Should Know WHAT HAPPENED? On March 3, 2021, the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the Division) released its list of 2021 Examination Priorities. The annual list outlines the regulator’s most pertinent exam initiatives and highlights important areas of [...]
Investment Company Liquidity Risk Management Programs FAQs WHAT HAPPENED? The SEC’s Division of Investment Management has prepared a series of frequently asked questions to address the investment company liquidity risk management (“LRM”) program requirements implemented in October 2016. The responses reflect the views of the staff of the Division [...]
SEC Charges Stock Trader with Insider Trading WHAT HAPPENED? On December 11, 2017, the SEC charged a stock trader (“Defendant”) with generating over $1 million in illegal insider trading profits. Defendant collaborated with four former colleagues, posing as portfolio managers, to persuade investment bankers to share nonpublic information regarding [...]
SEC Modifies Final Rule for Form N-PORT WHAT HAPPENED? The SEC has adopted a temporary final rule that will delay the compliance dates for filing a Form N-PORT. The SEC made this modification in order to evaluate their data security practices for material, nonpublic information and uplift the EDGAR system [...]
Adviser Charged with Defrauding Clients WHAT HAPPENED? On December 11, 2017, the SEC charged a dually registered investment adviser and broker-dealer, and its principal (collectively, the “Defendant”), with defrauding its clients and receiving $780,000 in ill-gotten gains. Over the course of several years, Defendant repeatedly purchased securities from underwriters [...]
Division of Enforcement Releases Annual Report WHAT HAPPENED? On November 15, 2017, the SEC’s Division of Enforcement released its annual report for Fiscal Year 2017 (“FY 2017”). The report explains how the Division of Enforcement’s decision making throughout FY 2017 was guided by the following five principles: Focus on [...]
SEC Grants Relief to Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers WHAT HAPPENED? On October 26, 2017, the SEC released three no-action letters that will provide 30 months relief under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 for US broker-dealers under the second Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (“MiFID II”). MiFID II is [...]
Reminder that the New Form ADV Rules Took Effect on October 1, 2017 WHAT HAPPENED? On October 1, 2017, the amendments to Part 1A of Form ADV and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) took effect. The amendments, which are described in a previous Flash Report, [...]
SEC Creates Cyber Unit and Retail Strategy Task Force WHAT HAPPENED? On September 25, 2017, the SEC announced the creation of the Enforcement Division’s Cyber Unit and Retail Strategy Task Force. These new initiatives will support the SEC in identifying cyber-related misconduct and risks directly impacting retail investors, respectively. [...]