CITE

    15 USC Sec. 80a-9                                           01/05/2009

EXPCITE

    TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
    CHAPTER 2D - INVESTMENT COMPANIES AND ADVISERS
    SUBCHAPTER I - INVESTMENT COMPANIES

HEAD

    Sec. 80a-9. Ineligibility of certain affiliated persons and
      underwriters

STATUTE

    (a) Persons deemed ineligible for service with investment
      companies, etc.; investment adviser
      It shall be unlawful for any of the following persons to serve or
    act in the capacity of employee, officer, director, member of an
    advisory board, investment adviser, or depositor of any registered
    investment company, or principal underwriter for any registered
    open-end company, registered unit investment trust, or registered
    face-amount certificate company:
        (1) any person who within 10 years has been convicted of any
      felony or misdemeanor involving the purchase or sale of any
      security or arising out of such person's conduct as an
      underwriter, broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal
      securities dealer, government securities broker, government
      securities dealer, bank, transfer agent, credit rating agency, or
      entity or person required to be registered under the Commodity
      Exchange Act [7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.], or as an affiliated person,
      salesman, or employee of any investment company, bank, insurance
      company, or entity or person required to be registered under the
      Commodity Exchange Act;
        (2) any person who, by reason of any misconduct, is permanently
      or temporarily enjoined by order, judgment, or decree of any
      court of competent jurisdiction from acting as an underwriter,
      broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer,
      government securities broker, government securities dealer, bank,
      transfer agent, credit rating agency, or entity or person
      required to be registered under the Commodity Exchange Act [7
      U.S.C. 1 et seq.], or as an affiliated person, salesman, or
      employee of any investment company, bank, insurance company, or
      entity or person required to be registered under the Commodity
      Exchange Act, or from engaging in or continuing any conduct or
      practice in connection with any such activity or in connection
      with the purchase or sale of any security; or
        (3) a company any affiliated person of which is ineligible, by
      reason of paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection, to serve or
      act in the foregoing capacities.
    For the purposes of paragraphs (1) to (3) of this subsection, the
    term "investment adviser" shall include an investment adviser as
    defined in subchapter II of this chapter.
    (b) Certain persons serving investment companies; administrative
      action of Commission
      The Commission may, after notice and opportunity for hearing, by
    order prohibit, conditionally or unconditionally, either
    permanently or for such period of time as it in its discretion
    shall deem appropriate in the public interest, any person from
    serving or acting as an employee, officer, director, member of an
    advisory board, investment adviser or depositor of, or principal
    underwriter for, a registered investment company or affiliated
    person of such investment adviser, depositor, or principal
    underwriter, if such person -
        (1) has willfully made or caused to be made in any registration
      statement, application or report filed with the Commission under
      this subchapter any statement which was at the time and in the
      light of the circumstances under which it was made false or
      misleading with respect to any material fact, or has omitted to
      state in any such registration statement, application, or report
      any material fact which was required to be stated therein;
        (2) has willfully violated any provision of the Securities Act
      of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.], or of the Securities Exchange
      Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.], or of subchapter II of this
      chapter, or of this subchapter, or of the Commodity Exchange Act
      [7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.], or of any rule or regulation under any of
      such statutes;
        (3) has willfully aided, abetted, counseled, commanded,
      induced, or procured the violation by any other person of the
      Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.], or of the
      Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.], or of
      subchapter II of this chapter, or of this subchapter, or of the
      Commodity Exchange Act [7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.], or of any rule or
      regulation under any of such statutes;
        (4) has been found by a foreign financial regulatory authority
      to have -
          (A) made or caused to be made in any application for
        registration or report required to be filed with a foreign
        securities authority, or in any proceeding before a foreign
        securities authority with respect to registration, any
        statement that was at the time and in light of the
        circumstances under which it was made false or misleading with
        respect to any material fact, or has omitted to state in any
        application or report to a foreign securities authority any
        material fact that is required to be stated therein;
          (B) violated any foreign statute or regulation regarding
        transactions in securities or contracts of sale of a commodity
        for future delivery traded on or subject to the rules of a
        contract market or any board of trade;
          (C) aided, abetted, counseled, commanded, induced, or
        procured the violation by any other person of any foreign
        statute or regulation regarding transactions in securities or
        contracts of sale of a commodity for future delivery traded on
        or subject to the rules of a contract market or any board of
        trade;
        (5) within 10 years has been convicted by a foreign court of
      competent jurisdiction of a crime, however denominated by the
      laws of the relevant foreign government, that is substantially
      equivalent to an offense set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection
      (a) of this section; or
        (6) by reason of any misconduct, is temporarily or permanently
      enjoined by any foreign court of competent jurisdiction from
      acting in any of the capacities, set forth in paragraph (2) of
      subsection (a) of this section, or a substantially equivalent
      foreign capacity, or from engaging in or continuing any conduct
      or practice in connection with any such activity or in connection
      with the purchase or sale of any security.
    (c) Application of ineligible person for exemption
      Any person who is ineligible, by reason of subsection (a) of this
    section, to serve or act in the capacities enumerated in such
    subsection, may file with the Commission an application for an
    exemption from the provisions of such subsection. The Commission
    shall by order grant such application, either unconditionally or on
    an appropriate temporary or other conditional basis, if it is
    established that the prohibitions of such subsection (a) as applied
    to such person, are unduly or disproportionately severe or that the
    conduct of such person has been such as not to make it against the
    public interest or protection of investors to grant such
    application.
    (d) Money penalties in administrative proceedings
      (1) Authority of Commission
        In any proceeding instituted pursuant to subsection (b) of this
      section against any person, the Commission may impose a civil
      penalty if it finds, on the record after notice and opportunity
      for hearing, that such person -
          (A) has willfully violated any provision of the Securities
        Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.], the Securities Exchange
        Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.], subchapter II of this
        chapter, or this subchapter, or the rules or regulations
        thereunder;
          (B) has willfully aided, abetted, counseled, commanded,
        induced, or procured such a violation by any other person; or
          (C) has willfully made or caused to be made in any
        registration statement, application, or report required to be
        filed with the Commission under this subchapter, any statement
        which was, at the time and in the light of the circumstances
        under which it was made, false or misleading with respect to
        any material fact, or has omitted to state in any such
        registration statement, application, or report any material
        fact which was required to be stated therein;
      and that such penalty is in the public interest.
      (2) Maximum amount of penalty
        (A) First tier
          The maximum amount of penalty for each act or omission
        described in paragraph (1) shall be $5,000 for a natural person
        or $50,000 for any other person.
        (B) Second tier
          Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the maximum amount of
        penalty for each such act or omission shall be $50,000 for a
        natural person or $250,000 for any other person if the act or
        omission described in paragraph (1) involved fraud, deceit,
        manipulation, or deliberate or reckless disregard of a
        regulatory requirement.
        (C) Third tier
          Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), the maximum amount
        of penalty for each such act or omission shall be $100,000 for
        a natural person or $500,000 for any other person if -
            (i) the act or omission described in paragraph (1) involved
          fraud, deceit, manipulation, or deliberate or reckless
          disregard of a regulatory requirement; and
            (ii) such act or omission directly or indirectly resulted
          in substantial losses or created a significant risk of
          substantial losses to other persons or resulted in
          substantial pecuniary gain to the person who committed the
          act or omission.
      (3) Determination of public interest
        In considering under this section whether a penalty is in the
      public interest, the Commission may consider -
          (A) whether the act or omission for which such penalty is
        assessed involved fraud, deceit, manipulation, or deliberate or
        reckless disregard of a regulatory requirement;
          (B) the harm to other persons resulting either directly or
        indirectly from such act or omission;
          (C) the extent to which any person was unjustly enriched,
        taking into account any restitution made to persons injured by
        such behavior;
          (D) whether such person previously has been found by the
        Commission, another appropriate regulatory agency, or a self-
        regulatory organization to have violated the Federal
        securities laws, State securities laws, or the rules of a self-
        regulatory organization, has been enjoined by a court of
        competent jurisdiction from violations of such laws or rules,
        or has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of
        violations of such laws or of any felony or misdemeanor
        described in section 80b-3(e)(2) of this title;
          (E) the need to deter such person and other persons from
        committing such acts or omissions; and
          (F) such other matters as justice may require.
      (4) Evidence concerning ability to pay
        In any proceeding in which the Commission may impose a penalty
      under this section, a respondent may present evidence of the
      respondent's ability to pay such penalty. The Commission may, in
      its discretion, consider such evidence in determining whether
      such penalty is in the public interest. Such evidence may relate
      to the extent of such person's ability to continue in business
      and the collectability of a penalty, taking into account any
      other claims of the United States or third parties upon such
      person's assets and the amount of such person's assets.
    (e) Authority to enter order requiring accounting and disgorgement
      In any proceeding in which the Commission may impose a penalty
    under this section, the Commission may enter an order requiring
    accounting and disgorgement, including reasonable interest. The
    Commission is authorized to adopt rules, regulations, and orders
    concerning payments to investors, rates of interest, periods of
    accrual, and such other matters as it deems appropriate to
    implement this subsection.
    (f) Cease-and-desist proceedings
      (1) Authority of Commission
        If the Commission finds, after notice and opportunity for
      hearing, that any person is violating, has violated, or is about
      to violate any provision of this subchapter, or any rule or
      regulation thereunder, the Commission may publish its findings
      and enter an order requiring such person, and any other person
      that is, was, or would be a cause of the violation, due to an act
      or omission the person knew or should have known would contribute
      to such violation, to cease and desist from committing or causing
      such violation and any future violation of the same provision,
      rule, or regulation. Such order may, in addition to requiring a
      person to cease and desist from committing or causing a
      violation, require such person to comply, or to take steps to
      effect compliance, with such provision, rule, or regulation, upon
      such terms and conditions and within such time as the Commission
      may specify in such order. Any such order may, as the Commission
      deems appropriate, require future compliance or steps to effect
      future compliance, either permanently or for such period of time
      as the Commission may specify, with such provision, rule, or
      regulation with respect to any security, any issuer, or any other
      person.
      (2) Hearing
        The notice instituting proceedings pursuant to paragraph (1)
      shall fix a hearing date not earlier than 30 days nor later than
      60 days after service of the notice unless an earlier or a later
      date is set by the Commission with the consent of any respondent
      so served.
      (3) Temporary order
        (A) In general
          Whenever the Commission determines that the alleged violation
        or threatened violation specified in the notice instituting
        proceedings pursuant to paragraph (1), or the continuation
        thereof, is likely to result in significant dissipation or
        conversion of assets, significant harm to investors, or
        substantial harm to the public interest, including, but not
        limited to, losses to the Securities Investor Protection
        Corporation, prior to the completion of the proceeding, the
        Commission may enter a temporary order requiring the respondent
        to cease and desist from the violation or threatened violation
        and to take such action to prevent the violation or threatened
        violation and to prevent dissipation or conversion of assets,
        significant harm to investors, or substantial harm to the
        public interest as the Commission deems appropriate pending
        completion of such proceedings. Such an order shall be entered
        only after notice and opportunity for a hearing, unless the
        Commission, notwithstanding section 80a-39(a) of this title,
        determines that notice and hearing prior to entry would be
        impracticable or contrary to the public interest. A temporary
        order shall become effective upon service upon the respondent
        and, unless set aside, limited, or suspended by the Commission
        or a court of competent jurisdiction, shall remain effective
        and enforceable pending the completion of the proceedings.
        (B) Applicability
          This paragraph shall apply only to a respondent that acts,
        or, at the time of the alleged misconduct acted, as a broker,
        dealer, investment adviser, investment company, municipal
        securities dealer, government securities broker, government
        securities dealer, or transfer agent, or is, or was at the time
        of the alleged misconduct, an associated person of, or a person
        seeking to become associated with, any of the foregoing.
      (4) Review of temporary orders
        (A) Commission review
          At any time after the respondent has been served with a
        temporary cease-and-desist order pursuant to paragraph (3), the
        respondent may apply to the Commission to have the order set
        aside, limited, or suspended. If the respondent has been served
        with a temporary cease-and-desist order entered without a prior
        Commission hearing, the respondent may, within 10 days after
        the date on which the order was served, request a hearing on
        such application and the Commission shall hold a hearing and
        render a decision on such application at the earliest possible
        time.
        (B) Judicial review
          Within -
            (i) 10 days after the date the respondent was served with a
          temporary cease-and-desist order entered with a prior
          Commission hearing, or
            (ii) 10 days after the Commission renders a decision on an
          application and hearing under subparagraph (A), with respect
          to any temporary cease-and-desist order entered without a
          prior Commission hearing,
        the respondent may apply to the United States district court
        for the district in which the respondent resides or has its
        principal place of business, or for the District of Columbia,
        for an order setting aside, limiting, or suspending the
        effectiveness or enforcement of the order, and the court shall
        have jurisdiction to enter such an order. A respondent served
        with a temporary cease-and-desist order entered without a prior
        Commission hearing may not apply to the court except after
        hearing and decision by the Commission on the respondent's
        application under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
        (C) No automatic stay of temporary order
          The commencement of proceedings under subparagraph (B) of
        this paragraph shall not, unless specifically ordered by the
        court, operate as a stay of the Commission's order.
        (D) Exclusive review
          Section 80a-42 of this title shall not apply to a temporary
        order entered pursuant to this section.
      (5) Authority to enter order requiring accounting and
        disgorgement
        In any cease-and-desist proceeding under subsection (f)(1) of
      this section, the Commission may enter an order requiring
      accounting and disgorgement, including reasonable interest. The
      Commission is authorized to adopt rules, regulations, and orders
      concerning payments to investors, rates of interest, periods of
      accrual, and such other matters as it deems appropriate to
      implement this subsection.
    (g) Corporate or other trustees performing functions of investment
      advisers
      For the purposes of this section, the term "investment adviser"
    includes a corporate or other trustee performing the functions of
    an investment adviser.

SOURCE

    (Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686, title I, Sec. 9, 54 Stat. 805; Pub. L. 91-
    547, Sec. 4, Dec. 14, 1970, 84 Stat. 1415; Pub. L. 94-29, Sec.
    28(6), June 4, 1975, 89 Stat. 166; Pub. L. 99-571, title I, Sec.
    102(l), Oct. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 3220; Pub. L. 100-181, title VI,
    Sec. 609, Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1261; Pub. L. 101-429, title III,
    Sec. 301, Oct. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 941; Pub. L. 101-550, title II,
    Sec. 205(a), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2718; Pub. L. 106-102, title
    II, Sec. 222, Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1401; Pub. L. 109-291, Sec.
    4(b)(2)(B), Sept. 29, 2006, 120 Stat. 1337.)

REFERENCES IN TEXT

      The Commodity Exchange Act, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1), (2)
    and (b)(2), (3), is act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 369, 42 Stat. 998, as
    amended, which is classified generally to chapter 1 (Sec. 1 et
    seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this
    Act to the Code, see section 1 of Title 7 and Tables.
      The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in subsecs. (b)(2), (3)
    and (d)(1)(A), is act May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title I, 48 Stat. 74,
    as amended, which is classified generally to subchapter I (Sec. 77a
    et seq.) of chapter 2A of this title. For complete classification
    of this Act to the Code, see section 77a of this title and Tables.
      The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, referred to in subsecs.
    (b)(2), (3) and (d)(1)(A), is act June 6, 1934, ch. 404, 48 Stat.
    881, as amended, which is classified generally to 2B (Sec. 78a et
    seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the
    Code, see section 78a of this title and Tables.

AMENDMENTS

      2006 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109-291 inserted "credit rating
    agency," after "transfer agent," in pars. (1) and (2).
      1999 - Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 106-102 substituted
    "securities dealer, bank, transfer agent," for "securities dealer,
    transfer agent,".
      1990 - Subsec. (b)(4) to (6). Pub. L. 101-550 added pars. (4) to
    (6).
      Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 101-429, Sec. 301(1), (2), added
    subsecs. (d) to (f) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (g).
      Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101-429, Sec. 301(3), which directed the
    striking out of "subsections (a) through (c) of" after "the
    purposes of", was executed by striking out "subsection (a) through
    (c) of" as the probable intent of Congress.
      Pub. L. 101-429, Sec. 301(1), redesignated subsec. (d) as (g).
      1987 - Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 100-181 amended pars. (1) and
    (2) generally. Prior to amendment, pars. (1) and (2) read as
    follows:
      "(1) any person who within 10 years has been convicted of any
    felony or misdemeanor involving the purchase or sale of any
    security or arising out of such person's conduct as an underwriter,
    broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer,
    government securities broker, government securities dealer, or
    entity or person required to be registered under the Commodity
    Exchange Act, or as an affiliated person, salesman, or employee of
    any investment company, bank, insurance company, or entity or
    person required to be registered under the Commodity Exchange Act;
      "(2) any person who, by reason of any misconduct, is permanently
    or temporarily enjoined by order, judgment, or decree of any court
    of competent jurisdiction from acting as an underwriter, broker,
    dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, government
    securities broker, government securities dealer, or entity or
    person required to be registered under the Commodity Exchange Act,
    or as an affiliated person, salesman, or employee of any investment
    company, bank, insurance company, or entity or person required to
    be registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, or from engaging in
    or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with any such
    activity or in connection with the purchase or sale of any
    security; or".
      1986 - Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(l)(1),
    inserted pars. (1) and (2) and struck out former pars. (1) and (2)
    which read as follows:
      "(1) any person who within ten years has been convicted of any
    felony or misdemeanor involving the purchase or sale of any
    security or arising out of such person's conduct as an underwriter,
    broker, dealer, or investment adviser, or as an affiliated person,
    salesman, or employee of any investment company, bank, or insurance
    company;
      "(2) any person who, by reason of any misconduct, is permanently
    or temporarily enjoined by order, judgment, or decree of any court
    of competent jurisdiction from acting as an underwriter, broker,
    dealer, or investment adviser, or as an affiliated person,
    salesman, or employee of any investment company, bank, or insurance
    company, or from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice
    in connection with any such activity or in connection with the
    purchase or sale of any security; or".
      Subsec. (b)(2), (3). Pub. L. 99-571, Sec. 102(l)(2), (3),
    inserted reference to Commodity Exchange Act.
      1975 - Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94-29 added subsec. (d).
      1970 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 4(a), inserted
    "employee," before "officer" in introductory text.
      Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 91-547, Sec. 4(b), added subsec. (b)
    and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 106-102 effective 18 months after Nov. 12,
    1999, see section 225 of Pub. L. 106-102, set out as a note under
    section 77c of this title.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1990 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 101-429 effective Oct. 15, 1990, with
    provisions relating to civil penalties and accounting and
    disgorgement, see section 1(c)(1), (2) of Pub. L. 101-429, set out
    in a note under section 77g of this title.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1986 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 99-571 effective 270 days after Oct. 28,
    1986, see section 401 of Pub. L. 99-571, set out as an Effective
    Date note under section 78o-5 of this title.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1975 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 94-29 effective June 4, 1975, see section
    31(a) of Pub. L. 94-29, set out as a note under section 78b of this
    title.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 91-547 effective Dec. 14, 1970, see section
    30 of Pub. L. 91-547, set out as a note under section 80a-52 of
    this title.

TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS

      For transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission,
    with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg.
    Plan No. 10 of 1950, Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175,
    64 Stat. 1265, set out under section 78d of this title.
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