The SEC’s order finds that, in 2019, Egan, who at the time headed Egan-Jones’s ratings group, became involved in business and marketing activities concerning a client and was influenced by sales and marketing considerations while participating in determining a credit rating for that client, which created a prohibited conflict of interest. The order finds that by issuing and maintaining a rating for the client under those circumstances, Egan-Jones violated the SEC’s NRSRO conflict of interest rules and, further, that Egan caused the company’s violations.
The SEC’s order also finds that, in 2018, Egan-Jones violated another conflict of interest provision by continuing to issue and maintain ratings for another client even though that client had contributed ten percent or more of the company’s net revenues during the prior fiscal year. Finally, the order finds that Egan-Jones failed to establish, maintain, and enforce policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage such conflicts of interest.
Source: SEC.gov | SEC Charges Egan-Jones Ratings Co. and CEO with Conflict of Interest Violations
