Over 100 Investment Firms and Agents Subpoenaed in Widening Pension Fund Probe

May 1, 2009— -- A national network of investment firms and their middlemen are conspiring in fraudulent practices and kickback schemes to receive lucrative business opportunities with state and local pension funds, according to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. A probe that began two years ago focusing on the New York State and City pension funds is now looking at possible firms and agents in other states, including Texas, California, Oklahoma, and New Mexico that may be involved. Cuomo described the scam as "ongoing" and "the worst of both worlds."

"This is the nexus of private sector fraudulent operators meeting government and political fraudulent operators," said Cuomo, who on Friday issued over 100 subpoenas to investment firms and their agents.

Under federal and NY state law, any agent that brokers deals between the private investment firms seeking pension fund money and the government or political officials doling out the money, must be a registered securities broker, with the occasional exception allowed. Cuomo's investigation, however, found that 40-50% of so-called 'placement agents' seeking investments from the NY State and City pension funds are unregistered.

"The troubling pattern of unlicensed agents highlights yet another systemic weakness in New York's pension fund," said Cuomo, "creating a situation which is fraught with peril and prone to abuse. This investigation will continue until public trust has been restored and reform has been achieved."

Valued at $122 billion, the NY State pension fund is the biggest pool of public money in the state. Cuomo alleges that a "network of middlemen", many of whom are not registered, have been selling access to state comptrollers' offices in what has blossomed into a national network.

"It's the wild west of government relations and financial brokers," said Cuomo. The NY Attorney General held a conference call Friday with 36 Attorneys General offices later today to formalize an information sharing process as his probe expands across state lines.

"We decided to create a multi-state task force to explore pension fund abuse so states can share vital information to prosecute wrongdoing and facilitate nationwide reform. The task force will allow us to have a unified, efficient method for gathering information as we fight to combat corruption and restore transparency and integrity to public pension funds," said Cuomo.