News Centre

CFTC: Federal Court Orders Alpha Trade Group S.A. And Its Employees And Agents To Pay Combined Restitution And Penalties Of $5.779 Million For Defrauding Pool Participants

Date 25/06/2013

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that on June 3, 2013, Judge Gregory A. Presnell of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida entered an Amended Order entering final judgment (Order) against Defendants Alpha Trade Group, S.A. (ATG), Jose Cecilio Martinez Beltran (Martinez), Welinton Bautista Castillo (Bautista), Yehodiz Padua Valentin (Padua), Maria Alvarez Gutierrez (Gutierrez), and Maria Asela Rodriguez (Rodriguez), all of Orlando, Florida, for their involvement in a fraudulent off-exchange foreign currency (forex) and commodity futures scheme involving two pools, Orsa Investment Group, L.L.C. and Online Marketing Solutions. The Order finds that certain Defendants solicited customers, accepted their funds into the two pools and then failed to return more than $1,461,000, primarily from residents in Florida, California, and Puerto Rico. Moreover, the Order finds that all of the Defendants misappropriated customer funds.

Testimony Of CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler Before The U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee On Financial Services And General Government, Washington, DC

Date 25/06/2013

Good afternoon Chairman Udall, Ranking Member Johanns and members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to today’s hearing on the President’s request for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget. I’m pleased to testify along with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Mary Jo White.

Changes In The Composition Of The Athex Indices

Date 25/06/2013

Following the completion of the recent share capital increase of the company «ALPHA BANK S.A.» the investability weight of the company's shares to all ATHEX indices, changes to 16% from 15%.

CME Group Announces NYMEX Brent (BZ) Trading Volume Surpasses 65,000

Date 25/06/2013

CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced it reached a trading volume record for its NYMEX Brent (BZ) crude oil futures contract yesterday, June 24, 2013. Trading volume for NYMEX Brent reached 65,065, compared to June 19, 2013, the last record day, when volume reached 54,647 contracts. 

CFTC: Federal Court Orders Chicago Resident Christopher Varlesi To Pay Over $1.3 Million To Settle Ponzi Scheme Fraud And Misappropriation Action - Varlesi Used Misappropriated Investor Funds For Business And Personal Expenses, Such As Entertainment, Travel, Restaurants, His Children’s Tuition, And Spa Treatments

Date 25/06/2013

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that it obtained a federal court Order against Defendant Christopher Varlesi of Chicago, Illinois, individually and doing business as Gold Coast Futures and Forex, requiring him to pay restitution of more than $638,000 to defrauded investors and a $700,000 civil monetary penalty. The consent Order of permanent injunction, entered June 12, 2013, by Judge James B. Zagel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, also imposes permanent trading and registration bans against Varlesi and prohibits him from violating the anti-fraud provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), as charged.

Speech By Commissioner Mark P. Wetjen Before The Futures Industry Association (“FIA”) And Futures & Options Association (“FOA”) International Derivatives Expo

Date 25/06/2013

In 2009, G20 leaders gathered in Pittsburgh and agreed to fundamentally reform the structure and operation of the global derivatives markets. The U.S. followed through on that commitment with the adoption of the Dodd-Frank Act. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), for its part, will nearly finalize its implementation of that legislation over the coming weeks.

Moscow Exchange: Results Of The Annual General Meeting Of Shareholders

Date 25/06/2013

The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Moscow Exchange was held in Moscow on June 25, 2013.

CFTC Charges North Carolina Resident C. David Wright With Commodity Pool Fraud

Date 25/06/2013

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that on June 24, 2013, it filed a civil enforcement action charging C. David Wright of Iron Station, North Carolina, with operating a $1 million commodity pool Ponzi scheme and misappropriating participants’ funds. Wright has never been registered with the CFTC.

Interactive Brokers Group Goes Live With ISO 20022 Corporate Actions Announcement Messages

Date 25/06/2013

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) today announced that Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., a leading automated global electronic broker, has gone live with ISO 20022 corporate actions announcement messages.

Leading Market Participants Join To Form New Canadian Stock Exchange - Aequitas Seeks Broad Support To Build Innovative And Cost-Efficient Exchange That Levels The Playing Field For All Market Participants

Date 25/06/2013

• A marketplace that protects investors against predatory and opportunistic trading strategies, and where all Canadian-listed securities can be traded.
• A senior listing service for companies ready for public listing.
• Technological solutions and fee structures to reduce the financial burden on investors, issuers and dealers.
• An exempt market centralized capital-raising platform to provide early and mid-stage companies with access to capital and liquidity.