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HomeCitiMortgage, Further Evidence of Wall Street Racket
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 17th, 2012 11:35 AM |
The story of rampant abuse within CitiMortgage is garnering enormous attention throughout the blogosphere today.
Do you find it ironic that an institution such as Citi, which was saved by Uncle Sam in 2008, would be abusing the old man a full three years later? No surprise here.
In a financial system in which regulators are ill equipped and overwhelmed by industry practices, rampant abuse and fraud seems to have become endemic. I tip my hat to Sherry Hunt, a whistleblower within CitiMortgage, for exposing the fraud within the mortgage underwriting business at Citi for which taxpayers foot the bill. Ms. Hunt gains immediate induction into the Sense on Cents Hall of Fame in the process. (more…)
Profiting from Political Intelligence
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 16th, 2012 9:54 AM |
Gaining sensitive, market moving information is NOT by its very nature illegal or unethical. In point of fact, those who are ingenious and industrious enough to outwork and outsmart the competition are fully deserving of the benefits and rewards that come their way.
That ingenuity and industriousness are cornerstones of capitalism. I love it and commend those who ethically pursue these paths to success.
That said, how are these pursuits regulated? Who is monitoring the exchange of what might be exceptionally sensitive and insider information? Great questions. (more…)
Mortgage Settlement Pisses Into the Wind
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 12th, 2012 5:34 PM |
In a nation now all too familiar with a “too big to fail” banking system, a heavily manipulated and high frequency dominated equity market, and an incestuous financial regulatory system, we should not be surprised with a mortgage settlement that does little more than ‘piss into the wind’.
Pardon my cynicism, but one does not need to look too deeply into the recently announced mortgage settlement to understand there is little in the way of meaningful justice embedded in this contrivance. (more…)
Will Whistleblower Protections Suffer at Hands of Rep. Michael Grimm “Reaper” (R-NY)?
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 7th, 2012 11:14 AM |
Representative Michael Grimm (R-NY) was ceremoniously inducted into the Sense on Cents Hall of Shame in May 2011. Not that I ever believed there was reason to doubt his induction, but recently I witnessed further reason to cement his status in the elevated ranks of shame.
As regular readers are fully aware, I write passionately about pursuing the truth while promoting investor education and investor protection. The history of the last few years has shown that the financial services industry has not exactly shared our passion.
Who has shared the passion and took very real professional risk in the process? Numerous and sundry whistleblowers. (more…)
We Need an MF Global Grand Jury
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 30th, 2012 9:53 AM |
I still very much have the “sense on cents” that many on Wall Street and in Washington desperately wish that l’affaire MF Global would just fade away.
Let’s work hard to make sure that does not happen and that the MF Global customers who may NEVER see THEIR money again at least receive some justice in return.
NEVER see THEIR money again? Is that right? (more…)
Jon Corzine v Edith O’ Brien: Let’s Rumble
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 18th, 2012 11:41 AM |
Some of the largest financial debacles of our lifetime revolved around individuals who were able to effectively arbitrage, that is knowingly manipulate, their back office operations.
I refer specifically to the financial follies surrounding Joe Jett and Kidder Peabody in the early 1990s, Nick Leeson and Barings in 1995, and Yasuo Hamanaka and Sumitomo in the copper scandal of the mid 1990s.
I would maintain that due to a shortage of quality collateral in our financial system, it is highly likely that over the course of the last few years many of our large financial firms have knowingly manipulated their back offices and accounting operations. (more…)
Can Whistleblowers ‘Cross-Examine’ the SEC? Part II
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 10th, 2012 6:37 PM |
My commentary the other day entitled Can Whistleblowers ‘Cross-Examine’ the SEC? received a fair bit of attention and some rather interesting comments. In light of the very fluid developments within the realm of financial regulation, I strongly recommend that post.
The primary concern I raised within that commentary – and hence the title – was that a key panel at the upcoming 39th Annual Securities Regulation Institute consists solely of industry insiders. Why might that be such a concern?
Well, one of the main critiques of our financial regulatory system made by many, including Harry Markopolos, has been the revolving door between our regulators and the industry.
Why is a revolving door such a concern? Stick with me here. (more…)
Did Mary Schapiro Engage in a Fraud?
Posted by Larry Doyle on January 3rd, 2012 10:22 AM |
Will we learn in 2012 if Mary Schapiro, current chair of the SEC, and other then senior executives at the Wall Street self-regulatory organization, FINRA, engaged in a fraud?
The case addressing this question, Standard Chartered v FINRA, has been appealed to the highest court in our land.
As such, one might think that most Americans would care to learn if our nation’s top financial regulator did, in fact, engage in a fraud which had a monetary value of between $175-$350 MILLION plus. That’s right, $175-350 million plus!! Not exactly chicken feed.
Why hasn’t this case received more attention? (more…)
Is Jon Corzine “Too Big to Be Indicted”? Part III
Posted by Larry Doyle on November 22nd, 2011 4:29 PM |
This commentary runs a little long, but I exhort you to read it in its entirety as it captures the sentiments of readers who are extremely close to or actually “in the MF arena.” Their messages are filled with real pain and anguish which is not found in the media. This is reality. I hope you will want to share this post with your friends. LD
As if $600 million in missing customer funds were not enough, recent news emanating from the debacle that defines the bankruptcy of MF Global puts the estimated misappropriation of customer funds at a cool $1.2 billion. Yes, billion with a B!
Those involved in the markets would easily ascertain that those manning the MF Global ship redirected these customer funds in an attempt to save the ship as it was going down. The customers themselves remain in a state of shock and bewilderment as to how this reality might ever have come to pass.
Meanwhile, the outrage in America burns while the lack of trust and confidence in the markets, the market makers, and those charged with protecting investors grows stronger by the day.
You don’t believe me? Read on and chew on these messages I recently received from people “in the arena”: (more…)
Wall Street-Washington Incest and Insider Trading
Posted by Larry Doyle on November 13th, 2011 9:39 PM |
I have written about the incestuous nature of the relationship between those on Wall Street and their cronies in Washington for the last three years.
The stench of this incest is overpowering but is hopefully now becoming more public.
How uncanny that a few days ago I received the following message from a regular reader asking my opinion on the following:
Larry,
Think back to 2008/2009, with market moving events unfolding due to government action, some times over a weekend. (more…)
