Lowly investors get nothing from deals

I note that another large bank, in this case UBS (following Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, etc.) has settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $49.8 million. These settlements allow the banks to avoid prosecution for questionable and/or fraudulent activities. In essence, they buy their way out. The government collects the fines (millions of dollars) gets fat and happy, and gets to put out press releases about what a great job it is doing “protecting” its citizens. But what do the pension funds, mutual funds and the lowly individual investor get out of this wonderful deal? What they got before — empty pockets! Another way to redistribute the wealth I guess.

Greg Larson

Arlington Heights