SEC Charges Four Underwriters to Enforce Municipal Bond Disclosure Law

Posted on September 28th, 2022 at 1:33 PM
SEC Charges Four Underwriters to Enforce Municipal Bond Disclosure Law

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed suit against Oppenheimer & Co. and additionally announced settlements with BNY Mellon Capital Markets, TD Securities, and Jefferies for failing to comply with municipal bond offering disclosure requirements.

These are the first SEC actions pertaining to underwriters who fail to meet the legal requirements exempting them from obtaining disclosures for investors in some offerings of municipal bonds. During different periods since 2017, the four firms sold new issue municipal bonds without collecting required disclosures for investors, according to the SEC. The four firms attempted to rely on an exemption to the typical disclosure requirements, known as the limited offering exemption. However, each of the firms failed to fulfill the required steps to meet the exemption’s criteria.

Without admitting or denying any of the SEC’s investigatory findings, BNY, TD, and Jefferies have each agreed to pay $656,833 in disgorgement and a $300,000 penalty, $52,955 in disgorgement and a $100,000 penalty, and $43,215 in disgorgement and a $100,000 penalty, respectively. Additionally, the SEC’s complaint against Oppenheimer alleges the same violations in connection with nearly 354 offerings. Oppenheimer further made deceptive statements to issuers, according to the SEC’s complaint.

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, advisors, sec

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

If the regulators are after you, and are trying to make a case against you, and you are going to contest their allegations against you, make sure you have the best securities industry defense lawyers, Eccleston Law Firm. My case was spun into a combination of penalties including fines, cash settlements, CE courses and suspension. They were the best I have seen in action. When all was said and done, they had done their magic, my situation was negotiated and settled with a simple "letter of caution" and a case closed without action. It is the most important legal business decision you will ever make, make it Eccleston Law.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 29, 2026
OFAC Targets Individual Trustee, Sending a Clear Warning to Fiduciaries and Family Offices

In a rare move, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) penalized a former U.S. government official, underscoring that professional gatekeepers can face personal liability for sanctions violations tied to trust administration.

January 28, 2026
FINRA Advances Overhaul of Outside Business Activity Rules to the SEC

FINRA formally has advanced its proposed overhaul of outside business activity (OBA) regulations to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

January 27, 2026
FINRA Sanctions, Criminal Cases, and Industry Bars in 2025

AdvisorHub has compiled a year-end review of enforcement actions and criminal proceedings.