In the summer the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its advice and opinion on the proposal to extend the marketing passport to non-EU alternative investment fund managers (AIFM) and non-EU funds. The passport would enable non-EU AIFMs to market their funds across the EU under the single AIFMD…
Articles Posted in Advisory
Warning to Fund Counsel – When It Comes to Conflicts, Leave Nothing Undisclosed
The SEC, again, makes it clear: all aspects of fee, expense and other arrangements must be disclosed accurately and in detail before commitments are accepted. The SEC recently announced a settlement with three investment advisor affiliates of The Blackstone Group (the Advisors) that were accused of breaching their fiduciary duty…
Filing Deadline for Form BE-180 Is November 1, 2015
U.S. Investment advisers, other financial services providers, and pooled investment vehicles – private and public funds – involved in certain cross-border transactions must file. Background The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (“BEA”) is conducting its next five-year “Benchmark Survey of U.S. Financial Services Providers and Foreign Persons”…
FinCEN Proposes to Regulate Investment Advisers under the Bank Secrecy Act
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on August 25, 2015 which, among other things, would add SEC-registered investment advisers to the “financial institutions” regulated under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). This represents another step by the U.S. government to expand the…
FinCEN Proposes New AML Regulations for Investment Advisers
In a release issued today, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has proposed anti-money laundering (AML) regulations for investment advisers. The proposed rule requires investment advisers registered or required to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish AML programs and report suspicious activity to FinCEN pursuant…
Advisers Get Ready – New AML Requirements May Be on the Way
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network will soon propose new rules that may require investment advisers to establish and implement written anti-money laundering programs designed to prevent advisory clients from using advisers to launder funds or perpetrate other criminal activities. The rules also may require advisers to report…
Treasury Imposes Toll Charge on Some Transfers of Assets by U.S. Taxpayers to Partnerships with Their Foreign Affiliates
On August 6, 2015, the Treasury and the IRS issued Notice 2015-54, which implements a Clinton-era tax provision intended to prevent U.S. taxpayers from using the partnership provisions of the Code to shift built-in gain on property contributed to a partnership to non-U.S. affiliates of the transferor that are partners…
SEC Establishes a Registration Framework for Dealers and Major Participants in the Security-Based-Swap Market
Chair Mary Jo White’s remarks on August 5, 2015 highlighted the SEC’s continuing implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act requires the SEC and CFTC to establish a regulatory framework for the over-the-counter swap market. The SEC is specifically tasked with regulating security-based swap (“SBS”) dealers…
SEC Proposes Rules to Modernize Reporting by Investment Advisers and Investment Companies
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today proposed rules, forms and amendments to modernize and enhance the reporting and disclosure of information by investment advisers and investment companies. Investment advisers. The investment adviser proposed rules would amend the investment adviser registration and reporting form (Form ADV), and Investment Advisers Act…
HEDGE FUND TITANS FALL AT HELM OF SEC CHARGES FOR IMPROPER EXPENSE ALLOCATIONS
The expense provisions of many private fund governing documents are becoming longer and more detailed for good reason – increased Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) scrutiny and prosecution relating to expense allocation and disclosure. On April 29th, the SEC announced charges against Alpha Titans LLC, a hedge fund advisory firm,…