Politically connected placement agents get subpoenas in NY pay-to-play pension probe

October 6th, 2009 Former NY power broker guilty in pension probeNEW YORK — A political power broker and an investment executive who advised government officials in several states have pleaded guilty to securities fraud in connection with a "pay-to-play" scandal at New York's public pension fund. Raymond Harding, the one-time head of New York's now-defunct Liberal Party, entered his guilty plea Tuesday in Manhattan.

September 30th, 2009 Marshal who served Nixon with subpoenas dead at 81TARZANA, Calif. — A U.S. marshal who served former President Richard Nixon with two Watergate-related subpoenas at his California home has died.

September 17th, 2009 4 firms settle NY pension fund probeNEW YORK — Four more private equity firms involved in a corruption scandal at New York's public pension fund have agreed to pay restitution and implement reforms, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday. The companies settling with the state include HM Capital Partners, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, Access Capital Partners and Falconhead Capital LLC.

September 11th, 2009 KOLKATA - India's pension regulator has called for attractive incentives for collection agents in a bid to popularise the new social security scheme as they are the main point of contact between the subscriber and the pension fund. "Incentives are needed as there is no provision for commission under the recently launched NPS (New Pension Scheme)," said Praveen Kumar, executive director of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority executive director here Friday.

July 1st, 2009 Pension adviser settles NY kickback probe for $2MNEW YORK — The Pacific Corporate Group, a company that helps big government pension funds decide how to invest their money, has agreed to pay $2 million to extract itself from a corruption investigation in New York. The settlement, announced Wednesday, will spare the firm from criminal or civil charges in a sprawling pension investigation led by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

June 11th, 2009 Firm settles over its role in NY pension probeNEW YORK — The private equity firm Riverstone Holdings has agreed to pay $30 million and abide by a new code of conduct to resolve its role in a corruption scandal at New York's giant government pension fund. Riverstone, which invests in energy and power companies, was among several investment firms that embraced improper "pay-to-play" tactics while trying to persuade state officials to let them manage hundreds of millions of dollars in retirement system assets, according to an investigation led by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

May 14th, 2009 Carlyle Group to pay $20M in NY pension probeNEW YORK — The Carlyle Group, one of the nation's largest private equity funds, has agreed to pay $20 million and make other reforms to resolve its role in an influence-peddling scandal at New York's public pension fund. The settlement will bring an end to the possibility that the company, its executives or employees would face charges in the case, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said.

May 12th, 2009 Businessman pleads guilty in NY pension probeNEW YORK — A California businessman has pleaded guilty to securities fraud in connection with an investigation of alleged corruption at New York's public pension fund. The attorney general's office said Tuesday Julio (HOO'-lee-oh) Ramirez entered into a corrupt agreement with a top political aide to former New York Comptroller Alan Hevesi (HE'-vuh-see) to ensure that his company's clients got a slice of pension fund investments.

May 1st, 2009 NY atty general expands pension pay-to-play probeALBANY, N.Y. — New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is trying to develop a nationwide investigation with his counterparts in 35 other states to root out what he calls corruption and abuse of public workers' pension funds nationwide, a state official said.

April 30th, 2009 Investment executive charged in NY pension probeNEW YORK — An influence-peddling scandal that began in New York, but is now expanding to other states, broadened Thursday as authorities brought criminal charges against a Dallas executive whose firm advises some of the country's biggest public pension funds. Saul Meyer, the 38-year-old managing partner of Aldus Equity Partners, was arraigned in Manhattan on charges that he violated state business law.

April 30th, 2009 NM firing financial adviser mentioned in NY probeSANTA FE, N.M. — A state investment office is firing a financial adviser caught up in a pay-to-play investigation involving a New York state pension fund.

April 24th, 2009 FBI questions NM investment funds about adviserSANTA FE, N.M. — Federal agents have questioned New Mexico investment fund officials about a financial adviser entangled in a pay-to-play investigation involving a New York state pension fund.

April 22nd, 2009 NY comptroller bans agents in pension investmentsNEW YORK — Amid a growing corruption scandal, New York's comptroller on Wednesday barred investment firms soliciting business from the state pension fund from employing lobbyists known as placement agents. The move comes about a month after state and federal investigators accused two top aides to former comptroller Alan Hevesi of using their positions to pressure investment firms into paying millions of dollars to politically connected placement agents.

April 22nd, 2009 NY state, city crack down on pension investmentsNEW YORK — Amid an expanding corruption investigation, top officials in Albany and New York City said Wednesday that they would bar lobbyists known as placement agents from soliciting investment business from the state's two biggest public pension systems. The move comes about a month after state and federal investigators accused two top aides to former state comptroller Alan Hevesi of using their positions to pressure investment firms into paying millions of dollars to politically connected placement agents.

April 22nd, 2009 NYC comptroller bans agents in pension investmentsNEW YORK — New York City's comptroller has joined state officials in saying he wants to ban lobbyists known as placement agents from soliciting business from government pension funds. Wednesday's prohibition responds to a scandal in which two aides to a former state comptroller have been charged with collecting millions of dollars in kickbacks through payments to placement agents.