Compliance Watch

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  U.S. Charges SAC Capital Unit in $276 Million Insider Trading Scheme

  By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne  |  November 20, 2012

  The SEC, in its largest insider trading case ever, and the Department of Justice charged hedge fund advisory firm CR Intrinsic Investors, which is a unit of SAC Capital, its former portfolio manager and a medical consultant with insider trading.

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  Schwab Launches Compliance Solutions Program

  By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne  |  November 20, 2012

  The program combines capabilities of Schwab Designated Brokerage Services and Compliance 11 to help untangle and monitor regulatory and trading issues.

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  SEC’s Aguilar Calls for Harsher Penalties Against Repeat Fraudsters

  By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne  |  October 19, 2012

  The SEC must re-evaluate the strength of its initial settlements and “specifically design” a program to combat repeat fraudsters, SEC Commissioner Luis Aguilar said.

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  Hedge Fund Managers Charged With Ripping Off Investors, Including a Retired Teacher

  By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne  |  October 3, 2012

  The SEC charged one manager with stealing more than $500,000 from a retired schoolteacher who thought she was investing her retirement savings in a hedge fund.

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  Merrill Overcharged Clients $32M in Fees, FINRA Says

  By Janet Levaux, AdvisorOne  |  June 21, 2012

  The overcharges in fees affected 95,000 accounts over an eight-year period, making it a significant supervisory issue, experts say.

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  FINRA, SEC Fine Goldman $22M for ‘Trading Huddles’

  By James J. Green, AdvisorOne  |  April 12, 2012

  The firm settled over failure to supervise research analysts who met with traders and clients, and to monitor possible subsequent firm and client trading, said FINRA's head of enforcement, Brad Bennett.

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  SEC Forms New Investor Advisory Committee

  By Marlene Y. Satter, AdvisorOne  |  April 12, 2012

  The SEC announced the makeup of its new Investor Advisory Committee, a Dodd-Frank requirement. Among its members: Mellody Hobson of Ariel, Steven Wallman of Foliofn, and Barbara Roper of the CFA.

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  Top Compliance Concerns From RCA: Pay-to-Play, Form PF, Social Media

  By Marlene Y. Satter, AdvisorOne  |  March 29, 2012

  Fresh off starting their new positions at Regulatory Compliance Associates, Craig Moreshead and Lori Weston have zeroed in on three issues that should be on advisors’ radar screens.

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  FINRA’s 5 Key Enforcement Trends to Watch in 2012

  By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne  |  March 16, 2012

  The significant jump in fines issued by FINRA in 2011 provides a look into the top areas that the regulator will be focusing on in 2012, according to the law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan.

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  SEC Adds 130 Examiners for ‘Priority’ Areas: Exam Chief di Florio

  By Melanie Waddell, AdvisorOne  |  March 15, 2012

  Carlo di Florio, director of OCIE, told CCOs that the SEC has hired 130 new examiners over the last 18 months and that the agency is focusing on three 'priority' areas when it comes to advisory firms.