Open Meeting Agenda
Monday, July 20, 2009

Agenda as of July 17, 2009. Note that Open Meeting agendas are subject to last-minute changes.

Joseph John VanCook
Office:  Office of the General Counsel
Staff:  Joan L. Loizeaux, David J. Tess, Jodie Dalton Turcotte, Lisa N. Larkin

The Commission will hear oral argument in an appeal by Joseph John VanCook from the decision of an administrative law judge. The law judge found that VanCook, a registered representative formerly associated with Pritchard Capital Partners, LLC, willfully violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Exchange Act Rule 10b-5 by orchestrating a fraudulent scheme involving material misrepresentations to permit his clients to "late trade" shares of certain registered investment companies. The law judge also found that VanCook aided and abetted and willfully caused Pritchard Capital's clearing broker to violate Rule 22c-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. The law judge further found that VanCook aided and abetted and willfully caused Pritchard Capital to violate Exchange Act Section 17(a)(1) and Exchange Act Rule 17a-3(a)(6) for failing to make and keep current certain books and records. For these violations, the law judge barred VanCook from association with any broker or dealer or investment company, imposed a cease-and-desist order against him, ordered disgorgement of $538,565.70, plus prejudgment interest, and assessed a $100,000 third-tier civil money penalty.

Among the issues likely to be argued are whether VanCook's conduct was fraudulent, whether he aided and abetted and/or caused a violation of Rule 22c-1, whether he aided and abetted and/or caused his firm to fail to make and keep accurate books and records, and, if so, whether and to what extent sanctions should be imposed on him.

For further information, please contact the Office of the Secretary at (202) 551-5400.