London hedge fund sued for late trading

Headstart Advisers and its chief investment adviser, Najy N. Nasser, reaped $198 million in illicit profits, the SEC alleges.
APR 11, 2008
Headstart Advisers Ltd. said today that a lawsuit against it is “utterly misguided,” and the hedge fund plans to fight the charges, Reuters reported. London-based Headstart and its chief investment adviser, Najy N. Nasser, reaped $198 million in illicit profits through improper late trading and deceptive market timing of U.S. mutual funds from 1998 to 2003, according to the suit filed yesterday by the Securities and Exchange Commission in a New York U.S. District Court. Headstart officials today said that the trading actions brought up in the suit have already been reviewed and deemed satisfactory by the United Kingdom’s Financial Services Authority, according to Reuters. The litigation against Headstart comes a week after the SEC filed a suit against another London-based hedge fund, Pentagon Capital Management PLC, and the firm’s chief executive, Lewis Chester, over improper mutual fund trading practices.

Latest News

Merrill lands four advisor teams as May recruiting data shows firm's two-way churn
Merrill lands four advisor teams as May recruiting data shows firm's two-way churn

Merrill's latest hires span Colorado to Louisiana, even as industry-wide recruiting data suggests the firm is losing almost as many advisors as it gains.

Fund manager sues Kandeo, alleges $100 million FinSocial loss
Fund manager sues Kandeo, alleges $100 million FinSocial loss

The $36 million buy allegedly hid inflated books and a $50 million diversion.

Advisor gets $200,000 from Ameriprise in 'emotional distress' lawsuit
Advisor gets $200,000 from Ameriprise in 'emotional distress' lawsuit

“An award citing emotional distress is very unusual,” an industry executive said.

Workplace financial education linked to stronger financial habits, but participation remains low
Workplace financial education linked to stronger financial habits, but participation remains low

New EBRI research found workers who participated in employer financial education reported higher confidence, literacy and financial satisfaction.

The rise of the super advisor: How AI is redefining competitive advantage in wealth management
The rise of the super advisor: How AI is redefining competitive advantage in wealth management

Beyond operational excellence, the winning advisors of the future are the ones who can reach across multiple disciplines without discarding specialist skills.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income