SEC settles with 14 firms on trading charges

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday settled a charge that 14 trading firms cheated customers out of millions of dollars.
MAR 05, 2009
The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday settled a charge that 14 trading firms cheated customers out of millions of dollars. The firms agreed to pay nearly $70 million combined in penalties tied to the case. The SEC charged the firms with violating their obligation to serve public customer orders ahead of their own proprietary interests by trading ahead of customer orders placed or positioning the firms' own accounts between customer orders. The firms are supposed to match customer orders with each other before being matched with proprietary orders. The complaints were tied to trading between 1999 and 2005, the SEC said in a statement. By completing proprietary trades ahead of the customer trades, the customers' trades were then completed at inferior prices, costing them millions of dollars, the SEC alleged. Knight Financial Products LLC, Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing LP, E-Trade Capital Markets LLC and TradeLink LLC were among those that settled the complaint. The improper trades were executed on the American Stock Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Chicago Stock Exchange and Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

Latest News

Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Nine-month electronic trading freeze and share lending program at the center of dismissed claim.

RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone
RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone

Meanwhile, Rossby Financial's leadership buildout rolls on with a new COO appointment as Balefire Wealth welcomes a distinguished retirement specialist to its national network.

Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500
Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500

With a smaller group of companies driving stock market performance, advisors must work more intentionally to manage concentration risks within client portfolios.

Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker
Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker

Professional athletes are often targets of scam artists and are particularly vulnerable to fraud.

Schwab touts AI as its biggest growth lever at investor day
Schwab touts AI as its biggest growth lever at investor day

The brokerage giant tells Wall Street it will use artificial intelligence to reach clients it has never been able to serve — and turn the technology's perceived threat into a competitive edge.

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management

SPONSORED Durability over scale: What actually defines a great advisory firm

Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline