The plaintiffs in a class action case against Bank of America Corp. (BAC) are asking a court to intervene in the securities settlement reached between the investment bank and 20 state attorneys generals over the alleged manipulation of municipal derivatives bids. As part of the global settlement, BofA agreed to…
Bank of America has agreed to pay $137 million to settle charges that it was involved in a financial scheme that allowed it to pay cities, states, and school districts low interest rates on their investments. The financial firm allegedly conspired with rivals to share municipalities’ investment business without having…
According to Bloomberg.com, taxpayers have had to pay over $4 billion because of insurance companies and banks’ failed promise to nonprofits and governments that financial engineering would bring down interests on bonds sold for public projects. Since 2008, hundreds of borrowers throughout the US have had to pay Wall Street…
According to US Securities and Exchange Commissioner Elisse Walter, municipal securities market investors with securities fraud cases are entitled to clear information about the bonds they are purchasing. Walters spoke at an SEC-sponsored hearing last month. Other panelists also echoed the need for accuracy, transparency, and timeliness of disclosure for…
The state of New Jersey has settled Securities and Exchange Commission charges involving the alleged fraudulent marketing of municipal bonds. This is the first time that the SEC has filed charges against a US state for allegedly violating federal securities law. The charges, brought by the SEC’s Municipal Securities and…
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has approved the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s proposal to expand publicly available information about auction rate securities and municipal variable rate demand obligations. The SEC also approved letting the MSRB require that municipal securities dealers provide more information about these securities while allowing them…