Bernard Madoff

• Christie’s Path

  By Kenneth Silber, Research  |  April 25, 2012

  New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie is a rising star in Republican national politics.

• Picard Hits Homer vs. Mets

  By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com  |  April 25, 2012

  How many All-Star free agents could $162 million have bought the New York Mets?

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  Fraudulent Families Pt. 1: SEC Settles Father and Son Hedge Fund Fraud Case

  By James J. Green, AdvisorOne  |  April 23, 2012

  Gabriel and Marco Bitran to pay $4.8 million penalty, barred from industry, for claiming a nonexistent track record for their quant hedge funds. There’s a Bernie Madoff connection as well.

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  Allen Stanford Found Guilty of $7 Billion Ponzi Scheme

  By John Sullivan, AdvisorOne  |  March 6, 2012

  Former billionaire Allen Stanford was convicted Tuesday of running a $7 billion Ponzi scheme. He was found guilty on 13 counts of a 14-count criminal indictment, including fraud and conspiracy.

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  Mets’ Owners Ordered to Trial Over Madoff Gains

  By John Sullivan, AdvisorOne  |  March 5, 2012

  Bad news for the New York Mets that goes way beyond their perennial bullpen issues: A judge ruled owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz will have to forfeit as much as $83 million in allegedly ill-gotten gains and will go to trial over another $303 million. Both findings are related...

• ‘Triumphs’ of the Regulators

  By Ronald Delegge, ETFguide.com  |  February 24, 2012

  The magnificent and multiple failures of financial regulators over the past few years have been rather alarming.

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  Independent BDs Back SIPC Over Stanford Suit

  By Marlene Y. Satter, AdvisorOne  |  February 23, 2012

  Fallout from the Allen Stanford case is still growing. In the latest clash over whether shareholders should be protected from losses á la Bernard Madoff, the National Association of Independent Broker-Dealers has sent a letter to the SEC, that says the SIPC should not have to cover those losses.

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  Books and Records Rule

  By Les Abromovitz  |  January 1, 2012

  Thorough and complete books and records enable RIAs to demonstrate that they have fulfilled their fiduciary obligations to clients and complied with applicable rules and regulations.

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  Conducting Due Diligence of Sub-Advisors and Third-Party Advisors

  By Les Abromovitz  |  January 1, 2012

  Engaging in due-diligence of sub-advisors isn’t just a recommended best practice— it is part of the fiduciary obligation to a client. An RIA should be extremely reluctant to enter a relationship with a sub-advisor who claims the firm’s strategy is proprietary.

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  The Custody Rule and its Ramifications

  By Les Abromovitz  |  January 1, 2012

  When an RIA takes custody of a client’s funds or securities, risk to that individual increases dramatically. Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment Advisers Act (better known as the Custody Rule), was passed to protect clients from unscrupulous investors.