Broker to pay nearly $4 million to settle ADR mishandling claims

Securities American Depository Receipts SEC Enforcement Settlement

On December 9, the SEC announced a settlement with a broker to resolve allegations concerning the improper handling of pre-released American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), or “U.S. securities that represent foreign shares of a foreign company.” The SEC noted in its press release that ADRs can be pre-released without the deposit of foreign shares only if: (i) the brokers receiving the ADRs have an agreement with a depository bank; and (ii) the broker or the broker's customer owns the number of foreign shares that corresponds to the number of shares the ADR represents. According to the SEC’s order, the broker improperly borrowed pre-released ADRs from other brokers that it should have known did not own the foreign shares necessary to support the ADRs. The SEC also found that the broker failed to implement policies and procedures to reasonably detect whether its securities lending desk personnel were engaging in such transactions. The broker neither admitted nor denied the SEC’s allegations, but agreed to pay more than $2.2 million in disgorgement, roughly $468,000 in prejudgment interest, and a $1.25 million penalty. The SEC’s order acknowledged the broker’s cooperation in the investigation and that the broker had entered into tolling agreements.