http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAZVXLY6KD.htmlSpitzer Probe Reveals Dirty Secret of Mutual Funds
NEW YORK (Dow Jones/AP) - Some investment experts have always believed that illegal trades in mutual fund shares is a serious problem that hurts unsuspecting ordinary investors. And now, because of a probe led by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, it may receive well-deserved attention. snip
Catching many in the fund industry by surprise in particular is Spitzer's claim that four fund families - Bank of America Corp.'s Nations Funds, Bank One Corp., Janus Capital Group Inc. and Strong Funds - permitted favored companies and individuals to engage in illicit trading while stating in their fund prospectuses that they discourage or prohibit such practices. snip
If proven true, Spitzer's claim that some fund companies actively accommodated market-timing by certain investors in exchange for payments would deal a serious blow to the fund industry and hurt investors' trust in the industry.
Many mutual fund investors have assumed that everybody - whether a hedge fund or an individual - has been on a level playing field. Spitzer's announcement showed it may have been otherwise.
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