SEC Charges Goldman Sachs in CDO Fraud

In a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, the SEC has filed civil charges against Goldman Sachs, alleging that it structured and marketed a synthetic collateralized debt obligation (CDO) that hinged on the performance of subprime residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS). The Commission alleges that Goldman Sachs failed to disclose to investors vital information about the CDO, in particular the role that a major hedge fund played in the portfolio selection process and the fact that the hedge fund had taken a short position against the CDO. The SEC Press Release contains more details and a copy of the complaint.