![]() |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1
.
SEC ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING
|
EXTRACTED KEY WORDS
GAITO EXCHANGE ACT SECURITIES ACCOUNTING FIRM ALLEGES PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER EXCHANGE COMMISSION MOORE STEPHENS PURSUANT TRUSTEE VIOLATIONS AUDITING ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING DENNIS AUDIT REPORTS DIRECTORS REMEDIES LICENSED ATTORNEY PROVIDED LEGAL SERVICES REGULATION S-X IMPROPER CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDER SANCTIONS PURSUANT ORDER REQUIRING GAITO DISGORGE AUDIT FEES ALLEGATIONS REMEDIAL ACTIONS |
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Release No. 41426 / May 19, 1999
ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING ENFORCEMENT
Release No. 1136 / May 19, 1999
Administrative Proceeding File No. 3-9904
In the Matter of Dennis M. Gaito, CPA,
The Securities and Exchange Commission today instituted
administrative proceedings against Dennis M. Gaito, a
principal in the public accounting firm of Moore Stephens,
P.C., pursuant to Section 21C of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 and Rule 102(e) of the Commission's Rules of
Practice. In that Order the SEC's Division of Enforcement
and Office of the Chief Accountant allege that Gaito
fraudulently engineered a scheme pursuant to which he and
his firm issued false audit reports on the financial
statements of seven public companies for varying periods
from 1992 through 1998. Each of the audit reports is
alleged to be materially false in misrepresenting that the
firm was independent and that it conducted audits in
accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. The
Order alleges that Moore Stephens' and Gaito's independence
was impaired by a variety of relationships that existed with
Moore Stephens' audit clients, including that:
* Gaito, as trustee, directly or indirectly owned
securities issued by audit clients;
* Gaito had investment relationships with directors and
principal shareholders of several of the audit clients,
including Robert E. Brennan, a director and controlling
shareholder/partner of two of the audit clients;
* Gaito, as trustee, loaned millions of dollars to a
director and principal shareholder of two audit clients,
in the director and principal shareholder's capacity as
trustee of another trust;
* Charles Falk, a principal of the firm and licensed
attorney, provided legal services to one of the audit
clients and its principal shareholder.
The Order alleges that Gaito willfully violated Exchange Act
Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5, willfully aided and abetted
SNIPPETS:
|
| | | |