International bank and head trader settle with SEC for CMBS fraud

Securities SEC Mortgages Settlement Fraud

On February 12, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that it reached an agreement with an international bank and its former head trader for allegedly selling commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) to customers by using false and misleading statements. The bank has agreed to repay more than $3.7 million to the affected customers According to the order, the bank misled customers about the original purchase price of the CMBS and failed to institute proper compliance and surveillance procedures in order to detect and prevent the misconduct. Additionally, the order states that the bank’s former head trader failed to properly supervise the traders making the allegedly false statements and failed to take appropriate action when he became aware of the statements.

In addition to the customer repayment, the bank has agreed to pay a $750,000 civil money penalty to the SEC, while the former head trader has agreed to a $165,000 civil money penalty and a 12-month suspension from the securities industry. According to the SEC, the settlement amounts reflect substantial cooperation by both parties during the investigation and remedial efforts taken by the bank to improve surveillance and compliance controls. Both parties consented to the order without admitting or denying the findings.