Three Long Years!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Behavioral and Social Issues Related to Accounting, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Fraud Accounting, Income Taxes, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized.

According to The New York Times, the Securities and Exchange Commission ended its investigation into former Senator Richard Burr, three years after he sold more than $1.6 million in stocks following Covid-19 briefings. Questions: Source: Kelly, K. S.E.C. Inquiry Into Former Senator’s Stock Sales Is Closed Without Charges. The New York Times, Jan. 6 (Retrievable… Read more »

Insider Trading

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Income Taxes, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized.

According to the Washington Post, Stephen Buyer, ex-GOP Congressman from Indiana, is accused of exploiting nonpublic information in his role as a corporate consultant to reap hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits. Questions: Which arm of the government charges individuals with insider trading? During what period did Buyer act on insider trading information? What… Read more »

SEC Looks at Unusual Transactions

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The Securities and Exchange Commission launched a probe of circumstances surrounding Eastman Kodak (KODK) and a $765 million government loan it received last week to make pharmaceutical ingredients at its U.S. facilities. Questions: What happened to Kodak stock between the announcement of its government loan to make pharmaceutical ingredients and the announcement of the SEC probe? Which… Read more »

Navient – Student Loan Corp. Look Out!

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The call has gone out for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate possible insider trading of shares of student loan company Navient Corporation. Questions: 1. Who has asked the SEC to do this? 2. Why do the Senators suspect this? 3. What are the implications of the details surrounding the trades? Source: Nasiripour,… Read more »

Not a good defense when your conversations are being recorded!

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A Manhattan federal jury rejected claims by a former high-flying Wall Street executive that he was in the dark about his dad’s illegal trading of several health care mergers the banker son was privy to. Questions: 1. What is the maximum sentence that Sean Stewart faces? What is the likely sentence? 2. What amount of… Read more »

Say it ain’t so, Phil.

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

Professional golfer Phil Mickelson was recently named in an SEC complaint regarding insider trading information that he received from William Walters, a sports gambler. Questions: 1. During what period did the insider trading take place? 2. Phil has been named as a “relief defendant.” What does that mean? 3. What shares did Phil buy and… Read more »

Congressional Insider Trading?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Financial Accounting, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

Nineteen months ago, with only 20 minutes remaining in the trading day, a Washington-based broker-dealer, Height Securities, blasted out a “flash report” to nearly 200 clients, including hedge funds on Wall Street that predicted a raise in Medicare reimbursement rates. This sent many health insurance companies’ stocks soaring. Regulators are now trying to investigate insider… Read more »

Access to Material Confidential Government Information?

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According to The Washington Post, the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued subpoenas to Height Securities, a Washington-based stock brokerage firm, and individuals in connection with the leak last month about a federal funding decision that appeared to cause a surge in stock trading of several major health companies. Questions: 1. What healthcare stock surged… Read more »

Just helping a friend

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, IFRS, Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

On Thursday, April 4, federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission filed criminal and civil charges against fired KPMG accounting partner Scott London for conspiracy to commit securities fraud through insider trading. The accountant provided confidential information about KPMG audit clients Herbalife Ltd., Skechers USA Inc., Uggs maker Deckers Outdoor Corp., RSC Holdings and… Read more »

Who spilled the ketchup? Unknown Traders, Of Course!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting.

UPDATE 2/22/13: After the traders failed to appear at a hearing today in Manhattan, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff agreed to freeze the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. account until the case is resolved. The SEC on Feb. 15 sued the “unknown” traders over suspicious purchases of Heinz options through the account. Judge Rakoff was quoted… Read more »