The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement launched the Interagency Securities Council (ISC), which invites federal, state, and local regulatory and law enforcement professionals to meet quarterly to discuss the latest in scams, trends, frauds, and mitigation strategies.
The ISC’s objective is to strengthen the cohesion between federal, state, and local agencies, enhance opportunities to collaborate on cases to protect investors, provide insight and guidance across the ecosystem to those who may not frequently operate in this space, and create a forum for unified efforts in combatting financial fraud.
The ISC launched with representatives from more than 100 departments and agencies, including federal agencies, state offices of attorneys general and state police, and local police departments and sheriff’s offices. The SEC’s efforts on the council will be led by Adam Anicich, special advisor to the director and Investor Engagement Manager, and Manuel Vazquez, senior counsel in the Enforcement Division.
“The Interagency Securities Council will help front line investigators stay abreast of emerging threats and fact patterns to protect their communities from securities fraud, while supporting the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the country,” said Gurbir Grewal, chair of the ISC and Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, in a statement.
“As financial frauds become more complex, investors benefit from the government – at all levels – working together and sharing information to protect and inform the public,” said Cristina Martin Firvida, the SEC’s Investor Advocate, in a statement.
The ISC is open to law enforcement and regulatory agencies, and members participate in discussions with experts on emerging threats, hear from investigators conducting and supervising investigations, and explore case study examples of agencies employing innovative approaches to combat financial fraud. The ISC also serves as an opportunity to connect and share information with the larger law enforcement community that less frequently deals with securities law violations, such as police/sheriff departments and tribal- and military-community law enforcement.