securities

Blotics Ltd., a UK publisher, has agreed a settlement with US regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission arising from the publication of articles about initial coin offerings. The articles were "accessible in the United States." But there's more and the case raises more questions than it answers.

From an SEC press notice, 13th July 2021 (slightly edited)

"The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced [proceedings] against special purpose acquisition corporation Stable Road Acquisition Company, its sponsor SRC-NI, its CEO Brian Kabot, the SPAC’s proposed merger target Momentus Inc., and Momentus’ founder and former CEO Mikhail Kokorich [alleging] misleading claims about Momentus’ technology and about national security risks associated with Kokorich. "

Changing language means that the word "dope" when referring to drugs has moved on from marijuana, usually to heroin where it has effectively reversed into that use from the term "doped up," meaning in a highly drugged state. But it's also mutated from the equivalent of "it's the dope" meaning "it's the best" to "it's dope" meaning, approximately, very good. But all of these uses are relatively new: originally "a dope" was a stupid person. So, now you understand the headline, read the article which refers to a disturbing form of spam.

Maybe Floyd Mayweather has been hit in the head too many times. The USA's Securities and Exchange Commission describes him as "a well-known professional boxer." The "well-known" bit is perhaps an understatement: his social media "reach" in 2017 was huge: 21 million "followers" on Instagram, 7.8m on Twitter and 13.4 m on Facebook. So when he said "hey, this is a good idea," it carried far more weight than his slight frame. When people talk about "fame" and "fortune," they might have been talking about Mayweather's return to the ring for one fight only but he used that fame to be paid for boosting crypto-currency ICOs.

If the UK leaves the European Union, it will have a choice as to whether to revoke, modify or retain laws that are imposed by reason of EU Directives. The Financial Sector is one of the areas most affected by EU-imposed laws. Here are three examples of relevant laws and the likely effect on the UK financial sector if the UK left the EU.

The Securities and Exchange Commission today sued AMMB Consultant Sendirian Berhad (AMC), a Malaysian investment adviser, alleging that for more than a decade, AMC charged a U.S. registered fund for advisory services that it did not request and that AMC did not provide. The total cost to the company in the USA? USD3,125,000.

When Malaysia's Securities Commission imposed conditions on the activities of SJ Asset Management an unrelated company, SJ Securities, began to get calls from worried clients.

The USA's Securities and Exchange Commission has unanimously voted to approve new rules to significantly curtail "pay to play" practices by investment advisers. Why not call it what it is - corruption?

New Zealand's Securities Commission is to issue civil proceedings against Nuplex Industries Limited and several present and former directors in the SC's first "continuous disclosure" case and papers are being filed at The High Court in Wellington this morning. The company is dual-listed in NZ and Australia.

David B. Stocker, a lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty on11 March 11, 2009, in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia., for his participation in a stock manipulation conspiracy known as a "pump-and-dump" scheme. On 12 March 2010 (yes, a year later) Stocker has been sentenced.