This is a complete list of Wall Street CEOs prosecuted for their role in the financia

[velik_m]

So, yeah. Zero Wall Street CEOs are in jail. But we did promise you a list:

1. No one.

2. LOL.

3. Wall Street's lawyers are amazing.

4. Etc. Etc.

It's not that federal government tried to prosecute a bunch of them but lost the cases. There were no serious efforts at criminal prosecutions at all.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/12/this-is-a-complete-list-of-wall-street-ceos-prosecuted-for-their-role-in-the-financial-crisis/

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

lol Eric "To big to prosecute" Holder

[boutons_deux]

lol Eric "To big to prosecute" Holder

America is fucked by the financial sector and unfuckable by any reachable means.

[vy65]

Not saying there aren't possible criminal charges, but when I see threads and articles like this, I always ask: which specific crimes and/or statutes were violated? What's the legal basis for the prosecution?

[angrydude]

Fraud comes to mind. Being aware of the risks of their financial instruments and purposely concealing them from consumers.

There are cases like this underway but they usually settle for fines that amount to less than a single day's trading profits.

BTW, HSBC launders money for drug dealers, funds terrorism.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2012/07/16/hsbc-helped-terrorists-iran-mexican-drug-cartels-launder-money-senate-report-says/

[vy65]

You don't go to jail for vanilla fraud nor for fraudulent concealment.

[boutons_deux]

there was Ms of cases of mortgage fraud, esp the lender accepting borrower lies.

Is Government's Renewed Push On Mortgage Fraud Too Late?

http://www.npr.org/2013/08/22/214540986/is-governments-renewed-push-on-mortgage-fraud-too-late (http://www.npr.org/2013/08/22/214540986/is-governments-renewed-push-on-mortgage-fraud-too-late)

[boutons_deux]

JP Morgan trader wanted by U.S. on massive fraud charges arrested in Spainhttp://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/27/jp-morgan-trader-wanted-by-u-s-on-massive-fraud-charges-arrested-in-spain/

[vy65]

vanilla fraud isn't a crime. It's a tort. Do you understand the difference?

[boutons_deux]

Inside the End of the U.S. Bid to Punish Lehman Executiveshttp://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/inside-the-end-of-the-u-s-bid-to-punish-lehman-executives/?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

[boutons_deux]

MERS of course is systematic property fraud since the chain of title is violated.

[angrydude]

vanilla fraud isn't a crime. It's a tort. Do you understand the difference?

tell that to bernie madoff

[angrydude]

You don't go to jail for vanilla fraud nor for fraudulent concealment.

Whenever you have fraudulent activities you inevitably have people ending up breaking a bunch of things. Whether that is falsifying records, lying to investigators, mail/wire fraud, securities fraud, the list goes on and on.

[boutons_deux]

twitter has announced an IPO under the Repugs' fraud-enabling filing regulations. :)

[angrydude]

The point is we don't even know what really is going on because the SEC is bought and paid for by the firms it is supposed to investigate and/or completely incompetent. Too busy looking at porn.

[Parker2112]

America is fucked by the Dems who are supposed to look out for the working class, but wind up appeased with political power, lobbyist dollars, and hope and change promises. Dems at the feet of wealthy rich conservative white men. Holla if ya hear meh, BD!

[vy65]

Madoff pled guilty to acts specifically criminalized by the securities exchange act. While they involved fraud, there was something more. When people say "throw the bankers in jail," I wanna know a) what specific acts they committed and b) how those acts broke a specific law -- you know -- the basics of criminal justice. Saying they lied or committed fraud isn't enough

[Parker2112]

FRAUD. fraud. And fraud. Bribery. Theft. Fraud.

[vy65]

Whenever you have fraudulent activities you inevitably have people ending up breaking a bunch of things. Whether that is falsifying records, lying to investigators, mail/wire fraud, securities fraud, the list goes on and on.

That might be true and lying to investigators can be crime. Got a link backing this up?

[angrydude]

http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/federal-fraud.htm

[vy65]

http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/federal-fraud.htm

That didn't answer my question. Who lied to prosecutors, what lies/omissions were made, etc ...

[Parker2112]

This list looks a lot like the list of dems who actually lobby for prosecutions. Throw in all the dems protesting our racist/imperialist foriegn policies. Add the dems who protest lies made by our elected officials in washington. Yup. Same fucking list....

[angrydude]

The federal government makes it a crime to use the mail or any wire communications technology, including the Internet, as part of a scheme to defraud. Because of the broad nature of these laws, mail and wire fraud are commonly charged in a wide range of cases. For example, people who pay a bribe or kickback to government officials typically use the phone or mail a letter at some point in the process. Because of this, federal prosecutors can charge the person with wire fraud or mail fraud in addition to bribery, corruption, or any other charges that may apply.


Securities and commodities markets are regulated by the federal government. There are a wide range of fraudulent activities that fall under the category of securities fraud, such as Ponzi or pyramid schemes, investment schemes, broker embezzlement, and foreign currency fraud. These types of frauds typically occur when a brokerage company, investment bank, or individual stockbroker deceives clients or investors by providing false or misrepresented information. It also occurs when people trade stock or other securities using information that is not available to the public, a practice known as insider trading.

[angrydude]

That didn't answer my question. Who lied to prosecutors, what lies/omissions were made, etc ...

If I knew that, I'd be a psychic.

That's why people are outraged.

[vy65]

If I knew that, I'd be a psychic.

That's why people are outraged.

So you have no basis for saying that the bankers should be jailed?

[angrydude]

So you have no basis for saying that the bankers should be jailed?

So you find it easier to assume that since the SEC isn't the enforcing the law that no law was broken. Got it.

[vy65]

So you find it easier to assume that since the SEC isn't the enforcing the law that no law was broken. Got it.

Never said that and you didn't answer my question: are you calling for criminal prosecutions based on a "hunch?"

[angrydude]

So you find it easier to assume that since the SEC isn't the enforcing the law that no law was broken. Got it.

And when big institutions do get sued for fraud (like I mentioned before), they just settle and pay fines. No criminal charges get brought.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2013/08/06/us-accuses-bank-america-mortgage-backed-securities-fraud/


The lawsuits are the latest legal headache for the second-largest U.S. bank, which has already agreed to pay in excess of $45 billion to settle disputes stemming from the 2008 financial crisis.

So who went to jail for those? Money means nothing to banks.

[angrydude]

Whenever I read about some banker getting busted its always some lowly desk trader who has nothing to do with management.

[vy65]

If a monetary settlement is possible under the violated statutes, then I'd suggest the problem isn't with the "bad acts" of the bank, but the law's lack of teeth. You're focused on the wrong problem.

[angrydude]

If a monetary settlement is possible under the violated statutes, then I'd suggest the problem isn't with the "bad acts" of the bank, but the law's lack of teeth. You're focused on the wrong problem.

That's the point. The justice department has discretion of what charges to file. It only brings up civil cases to look like its doing something. Now I get that criminal cases are harder to prove, but shouldn't the government have the resources to try? And I know they aren't trying because of the lack of even attempted prosecutions.

It's like the goldman's successfully suing OJ civilly for murdering their son and the DA deciding not to bring criminal charges.

[vy65]

It's not just a matter of resources. Sure that's part of it. But I think a lot of what happened isn't technically a "crime" as the law is currently written.

[angrydude]

It's not just a matter of resources. Sure that's part of it. But I think a lot of what happened isn't technically a "crime" as the law is currently written.

Well, we'll never know because the big boys club isn't going to eat their own. But where there's smoke there's fire.

[boutons_deux]

weak laws, weak and/or non-existent enforcement. it how America rolls for the 1%, and it's not accidental, but explicit, relentless policy changes purchased by the 1% and corps since the 1960s.

[angrydude]

It's not just a matter of resources. Sure that's part of it. But I think a lot of what happened isn't technically a "crime" as the law is currently written.

And the revolving door between goldman sachs and Treasury tells me all I need to know.

[angrydude]

Honestly, its all a matter of motivation. When the government wants to it can get pretty damn creative in making a charge fit the facts.