SEC News Digest, July 28, 2000
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SEC NEWS DIGEST Issue 2000-144 July 28 2000 COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENTS MARY TOKAR SENIOR ASSOCIATE CHIEF ACCOUNTANT IN THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ACCOUNTANT TO LEAVE SEC Mary Tokar Senior Associate Chief Accountant International in the Securities and Exchange Commissions Office of the Chief Accountant announced today that she is leaving the Commission to become partner in the accounting firm of KPMG Ms Tokar will join KPMGs national office in New York before transferring to the firms international accounting and reporting practice in London next year successor has not been named SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt said Mary has played an important role in the Commissions efforts to foster international accounting standards and forge significant regulatory and accounting agreements with our international counterparts Marys wise counsel ambassadorial skills unflappable demeanor and wonderful spirit have served continued success me the Commission and investors well wish her great SEC Chief Accountant Lynn Turner said Mary has been one of the most significant players contributing to the improvement of financial reporting on worldwide basis during her tenure at the SEC will miss her wise and excellent counsel In she Ms Tokar joined the SEC in 1994 as Professional Accounting Fellow 1996 Senior Associate was appointed an Associate Chief Accountant she was promoted to Chief Accountant in September 1991 Since 1999 she has served as the chair of the International Organization of Securities Commissions IOSCO Working Party No on Multinational Disclosures and Accounting Ms Tokar also has been an observer member of the Board of the International Accounting Standards Committee and of several of its steering committees and As chair of the IOSCO Working Party Ms Tokar oversaw IOSCOs assessment standards which IOSCOs report on the IASC core project was approved by in number of membership at its annual conference in May 2000 She was active international initiatives both within the Commission and with other U.S government Trans Atlantic Business She also assisted Chairman agencies including the Dialogue Arthur Levitt in his role as chair of the IASC Nominating Committee to address Ms Tokar said Working at the SEC offered me unparalleled opportunities the resources of the incredibly talented and important issues while drawing on who make the Commission and its staff For most of my committed group of people up markets and the last career ive worked with cross-border issuers coming to U.S capital to shape the future of international four years have been unique opportunity help environment Its been honor to have accounting and reporting in that particular critical time and to have been part of leadership role within IOSCO at very satisfying in this IOSCOs significant accomplishments area and earned an MBA from NYUs Stern Ms Tokar 41 graduated from Williams College School of Business Press Rel 2000-104 RULES AND RELATED MATTERS DESIGNATION OF NASD REGULATION INC TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAiN THE INVESTMENT ADVISER REGISTRATION DEPOSITORY APPROVAL OF lARD FEES to establish and notice and order has been issued designating NASD Regulation Inc for investment advisers called the maintain new electronic filing and disclosure system and lARD fees Investment Adviser Registration Depository lARD approving filing Rel IA-1888 ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS IN THE MATTER OF DAVID BARR civil on David An administrative law judge has censured and imposed $50000 penalty Act of 1933 in Barr for violations of Sections 5a and 5c of the Securities Trade Commerce connection with the sale of unregistered shares of International the Division Corp Administrative Law Judge Brenda Murray rejected allegations by of the of Enforcement that Mr Barr violated Section 7a an antifraud provision releases that contained false information about ITC to Securities Act by sending press found two individuals who called and asked Mr Barr for information Judge Murray defraud and that he acted based on that Mr Barr did not intend to deceive manipulate or Barr had known Mrs Erdman and false information given to him by Phebe Erdman Mr that Mrs Erdman and the three Erdman children for many years Mr Barr was unaware and ITC her husband the late Ellis Erdman were engaged in scheme to pump dump he could assist Mrs shares Judge Murray found that Mr Barr mistakenly thought NEWS DIGEST July 28 2000 sale and having buyers sign letter Erdman by doing the paper work on negotiated stock acknowledging that he did not solicit their purchases District Court in Florida in an action brought In related action in 1999 United States Mrs Erdman and Commission on the same facts enjoined by the Securities Exchange of the statutes and ordered them and Hans Erdman from violating the provisions security The same court ordered Rebecca to disgorge $139010 and $55240 respectively Erdman Cherkin to $27110 Initial Erdman to disgorge $20211 and Leslie disgorge Decision No 170 File No 3-9585 IBM/LOTUS INSIDER COMMISSION BARS THIRD BROKERAGE EMPLOYEE IN TRADING CASE Far issued an order consent barring Jonah Rosenblatt of On July 27 the Commission by with broker or dealer for three years based Rockaway New York from associating any June entered him for committing insider trading on on permanent injunction against Business Machines takeover of Lotus 1995 in advance of International Corporations had to the entry of the Development Corporation Rosenblatt previously agreed and interest of $692401 which the injunction as well as disgorgement pre-judgment File No 3- Commission waived based on his financial inability to pay Rel 34-43076 10259 SEC FILES AND SETTLES INSIDER TRADING CASE civil action alleging The Commission announced that on July 10 it filed injunctive that Roanoke Electric before November 1998 announcement illegal insider trading 10 for the shares of Steel of West Steel Corp would make tender offer outstanding November of share The complaint alleges that on Virginia Inc at price $10.75 per of Hasbrouck New Jersey learned of the 1998 defendant Roger Bernhammer Heights of his at SWVAs transfer agent then proposed tender offer in the course employment owed to his he purchased and that in breach of duty of trust and confidence employer of $2220 500 shares of SWVA common stock thereby obtaining illegal profits of the and consented to the entry of Bernhammer admitted the allegations complaint him from future violations of antifraud final judgment which permanently enjoins the federal securities laws orders him to disgorge $2220 plus prejudgment provision of of interest and orders him to pay civil penalty $2220 in this matter The Commission acknowledges the assistance of NASD Regulation Civil Action No 00-333 LR-16637 Roger Bernhammer USDC D.N.J NEWS DIGEST July 28 2000 INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT BILL GROSS IDEALAB issued under Section of An order has been 3b2 the Investment Company Act granting Bill Gross idealab idealab temporary exemption from all provisions of the Act Idealab filed an application on January 28 2000 for an order under Section 3b2 declaring that it is not an investment company The temporary order further extends the automatic Section the of sixty day exemption provided by 3b2 upon filing an application in good faith until September 25 2000 Prior to the issuance of permanent order to idealab if any the Commission will issue notice giving interested persons an opportunity to request hearing Rel IC-24567 July 26 ORDERS OF DEREGISTRATION UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT Orders have been issued under Section 8f of the Investment Company Act declaring that each of the following has ceased to be an investment company Oppenheimer Core Equity Fund No 811-8807 Rel IC-24568 July 26 2000 Oppenheimer Large Cap Value Fund No 811-8810 Rel IC- 24569 July 26 2000 Corefunds Inc No 811-4107 Rel IC-24570 July 26 2000 Shepmyers Investment Company No 811-2798 Re IC-24571 July 26 2000 Congress Street Associates L.P No 811-8801 Re IC-24572 July 26 2000 Merrill Lynch Fund for Tomorrow Inc No 811-3871 Rel IC-24573 July 26 2000 Templeton Global Real Estate Fund No 811-5844 Rel IC-24574 July 26 2000 Investment Services for Education Associations Trust No 811-7967 Re IC-24575 July 26 2000 1NVESCO Industrial Income Fund Inc No 811-893 Rel IC-24576 July 26 2000 INVESCO Emerging Opportunity Funds Inc No 811-6234 Rel IC-24577 July 26 2000 INVESCO Growth Funds Inc No 811-352 Re IC-24578 July 26 2000 INVESCO Tax-Free Income Funds Inc No 811-3177 Rel IC-24579 July 26 2000 INVESCO Value Trust No 811-4595 Rel IC-24580 July 26 2000 NEWS DIGEST July 28 2000 INVESCO Diversified Funds Inc No 811-7984 Rel IC- 24581 July 26 2000 THE PIONEER FAMILY OF FUNDS AND PIONEER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC until to notice has been issued giving interested persons August 21 2000 request The Pioneer of Funds and Pioneer hearing on an application filed by Family of the Investment Investment Management Inc for an order under Section 17d certain investment company Act and Rule 17d-1 under the Act to permit registered cash balances and their cash collateral in one or companies to deposit their uninvested investments IC-24583 more joint accounts to be used to enter into short-term Rel July 27 SELF-REGULATORY ORGANIZATIONS PROPOSED RULE CHANGES filed the American Stock proposed rule change SR-Amex-00-22 was by Exchange Securities Act of 1934 The rule change pursuant to Section 19b1 of the Exchange Enforcement the to decision of gives the Exchanges Department right appeal counsel and Amex Board of Disciplinary Panel and gives the Amex Adjudicatory Panel Publication Governors authority to increase