See: 77 FR 30596 The CFTC and SEC have jointly adopted rules to further define the terms relating to certain entities, i.e., "swap dealer," "security-based swap dealer," "major swap participant," "major security-based swap participant," "security-based swap dealer," "major security-based swap participant," which were added to the CEA and the Exchange Act by the Dodd-Frank Act, and "eligible contract participant," which is currently defined in CEA Section 1a(18). The entity definitions constitute a significant component of the regulatory regime that Dodd-Frank imposes on the OTC derivatives

The SEC Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies is providing notice that it will hold a public meeting on Friday, June 8, 2012. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. (EDT) and will be open to the public, and will be webcast on the SEC’s website. The public is invited to submit written statements to the Committee. The agenda for the meeting includes discussions of provisions of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act and other matters relating to rules and regulations affecting small and emerging companies under the federal securities laws. Dates: Written statements should be

The CFTC obtained a federal court consent order of permanent injunction requiring defendant, Kent R.E. Whitney (Whitney), a former floor broker of Chicago, Ill., to pay a $600,000 civil monetary penalty for making false and misleading statements to Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) representatives, futures commission merchants (FCMs), and others in connection with an elaborate scheme to trade options without posting the required margin. View release in full here (links to CFTC website).

Testimony by SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, United States Senate. Chairman Shapiro addressed portions of Dodd-Frank Title VII which have been implemented to-date (particularly with regards to entity definitions rulemaking), SEC coordination with the CFTC and other regulators, and next steps for the implementation of Title VII. View testimony in full here.

Washington, D.C., May 22, 2012 — The SEC today charged two individuals who provided the biggest influx of investor funds into one of the largest-ever Ponzi schemes in South Florida. View press release in full here.View SEC Complaint.