SAC资本面临民事欺诈指控

SAC Capital faces civil fraud charges in the biggest ever case of insider trading as the US government closes its net over the $14bn hedge fund.

目前，SAC资本(SAC Capital)因涉嫌参与史上最大的内幕交易案而面临民事欺诈指控。美国政府对这家140亿美元对冲基金的调查已接近尾声。

The development threatens to undermine confidence in one of the most successful hedge funds of all time. Steven Cohen, the firm’s founder, has dazzled Wall Street for two decades with the strength of his investment returns, his lavish modern art collection and the size of the commissions he has paid to banks and brokers.

这一局面可能损害市场对于史上最成功对冲基金之一的信心。20年来，SAC资本创始人史蒂文·科恩(Steven Cohen)因惊人的投资回报、大手笔的现代艺术品收藏以及向银行与经纪商支付的巨额佣金，而令华尔街赞叹不已。

SAC held a 20-minute phone call with investors on Wednesday saying it was informed last week that the Securities and Exchange Commission was planning to bring civil fraud charges against it – a procedure known as a Wells Notice.

在周三20分钟的投资者电话会议中，SAC资本表示上周收到“韦尔斯通知(Wells Notice)，美国证交会(SEC)打算对其发起民事欺诈指控。

It is the latest step in an investigation by the US authorities into insider trading on Wall Street that has used wire taps, co-operating witnesses, emails and instant messages to secure convictions against 73 traders, lawyers and consultants.

在这起针对华尔街内幕交易案的调查中，美国监管当局使用了电话窃听、合作证人、电子邮件和短信息等手段，以获取73名交易员、律师和咨询顾问的罪证。上述通知则是调查的最后一步。

Mr Cohen spoke briefly on the call, and said he was confident that he and the firm had acted appropriately, according to people who listened to it. The call was then led by Tom Conheeney, SAC president, who said that the firm would re-examine its compliance procedures and bear all legal costs. He did not take questions.

参加了电话会议的人士透露，科恩在会上做简短发言时表示，他相信他本人和公司都不存在不当行为。接着，SAC资本总裁汤姆·康希尼(Tom Conheeney)主持了会议。他表示，公司将重新审视其合规程序并承担全部诉讼费用。他没有回答问题。

SAC received the notice on the same day that Mathew Martoma, a former SAC portfolio manager, was arrested on insider trading charges last week.

就在SAC资本上周收到通知的同一天，该公司前投资组合经理马修·马拓玛(Mathew Martoma)因内幕交易指控遭到逮捕。

US authorities say that SAC avoided losses of $194m and made a $83m profit betting against the share prices of pharmaceuticals companies Wyeth and Elan ahead of the results of an Alzheimer’s drug trial.

美国监管当局表示，在一种老年痴呆症药物试验的结果公布之前，SAC资本对惠氏(Wyeth)和Elan两家制药公司的股票进行买卖交易，从而避免了1.94亿美元损失，并因此获利8300万美元。

According to people familiar with the Wells Notice, it concerns securities fraud and a failure to have systems in place to prevent such violations.

了解此项韦尔斯通知的人士表示，SEC发出该通知的原因是SAC资本涉嫌证券欺诈，以及没有制定制度防止此类欺诈活动的发生。

SAC and Mr Cohen have not been accused of wrongdoing and the company has said it is co-operating with the inquiry. A lawyer for Mr Martoma has said that he will fight the charges and expects to be exonerated.

SAC资本和科恩尚未因不当行为被起诉，该公司表示其正在配合调查。马拓玛的一名律师表示，他将抗辩各项指控，并预期其当事人将被判无罪。