I recently had lunch with a senior executive from a big accounting firm who complained about the criticism his firm was facing over audits it conducted at big companies that later were found to have big problems. In all these cases, the executive said, there was a “well established body of accounting practice” that permitted […]
As reported today, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has introduced guidance for financial firms related to reporting of their European debt exposure. The SEC issued its recommendations to address the inconsistent approach firms have used to disclose their risk to sovereign and private borrowers: “In response to our comments on their disclosure documents, registrants […]
Years after its collapse, Refco continues to make news. Yesterday, an appeals court overturned the conviction of an attorney, Joseph P. Collins, who had been the chief outside counsel for the futures brokerage and was found guilty of aiding the company’s scheme to hide millions in debt and mask its true financial condition. When the […]
Were it not for the missing customer funds, the collapse of MF Global would be hailed as an example of how well the financial system worked. That’s a very big “if,” of course, and the loss of customer funds is a scandal all its own. But the market worked – and that’s an important lesson. […]
It’s impossible to read about the demise of MF Global and not think about Refco, the futures brokerage that collapsed in scandal in 2005 and whose remains were later bought by MF Global. Like Marley’s ghost, the weaknesses that played a part in Refco’s downfall returned to haunt MF Global. Refco’s problems came to light […]
The crisis at Olympus shows no sign of easing after the resignation of Chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa. Japanese regulators have joined investors in calling for a full explanation of payments Olympus made in connection with acquisitions it made in recent years. His resignation will not remove Kikukawa from the company, however. He remains a director on […]
The hole is getting deeper for Olympus and its chairman, Tsuyoshi Kikukawa. And his outside auditor, Ernst & Young, might find itself alongside him. A day after denying allegations by its former CEO, Michael Woodford, that it paid advisory fees of $687 million on a $2 billion acquisition, the company reversed itself and acknowledged that […]