Ferguson – Financial Treason & Crime

05/29/2021

Article: Even in the face of surging grocery prices, retail beef and pork prices cause sticker shock

Even in the face of surging grocery prices, retail beef and pork prices cause sticker shock

Laura Reiley, 29 May 2021

As food prices continue to rise, beef and pork have surged out front.

Overall food prices rose 0.4 percent from March, and are up 1 percent from a year ago, according to data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on Friday. The price of pork soared 2.6 percent in the month of April and 4.8 percent from a year ago, adjusting for seasonality. And while beef and veal prices stayed fairly flat for the month, they are up 3.3 percent from a year ago.

In a season that routinely sees increased demand for beef and pork, this goes far beyond people excited to get back outside to barbecue. Continue reading “Article: Even in the face of surging grocery prices, retail beef and pork prices cause sticker shock”

04/29/202105/01/2021

Article: Opinion: Wirecard fraud shows it’s time to regulate the regulators

Article - Media, Publications

Opinion: Wirecard fraud shows it’s time to regulate the regulators

Kate Ferguson, 29 April 2021

What would you do if you were confident you could get away with it? Perhaps you’d rob a bank, or have a wild affair. Or maybe you’d subsist on nothing but candy floss for the rest of your life.

The chances are you won’t, though. The risk of being arrested, destroying your marriage or becoming a diabetic are simply too high. For most of us, the question is destined to remain hypothetical. After all, life has taught us that bad behavior does not generally go unpunished.

Generally doesn’t mean always
There are notable exceptions to the rule, though. In recent years, three major scandals in Germany have provided pleasingly concrete answers to the question. Continue reading “Article: Opinion: Wirecard fraud shows it’s time to regulate the regulators”

12/07/202002/10/2021

Article: Caught in a bear trap: How ‘short and distort’ attacks are costing Australian investors billions

Article - Media

Caught in a bear trap: How ‘short and distort’ attacks are costing Australian investors billions

Adele Ferguson

Sydney Morning Herald, December 7, 2020

Australia has become a paradise for a new, aggressive form of short selling. And regulators’ failure to act is costing investors billions.

Dubbed the “short and distort” gang, a group of largely foreign-based research houses issue highly damaging reports, designed to cause maximum damage to the companies they target.

Read full article.

05/20/201203/13/2021

Article: Heist of the century: Wall Street’s role in the financial crisis

Article - Media, Publications

Heist of the century: Wall Street’s role in the financial crisis

Charles Ferguson, 20 May 2012

Bernard L Madoff ran the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, operating it for 30 years and causing cash losses of $19.5bn. Shortly after the scheme collapsed and Madoff confessed in 2008, evidence began to surface that for years, major banks had suspected he was a fraud. None of them reported their suspicions to the authorities, and several banks decided to make money from him without, of course, risking any of their own funds. Theories about his fraud varied. Some thought he might have access to insider information. But quite a few thought he was running a Ponzi scheme. Goldman Sachs executives paid a visit to Madoff to see if they should recommend him to clients. A partner later recalled: “Madoff refused to let them do any due diligence on the funds and when asked about the firm’s investment strategy they couldn’t understand it. Goldman not only blacklisted Madoff in the asset management division but banned its brokerage from trading with the firm too.” Continue reading “Article: Heist of the century: Wall Street’s role in the financial crisis”