March 14, 2022
As a US investor, I am shocked and appalled that every day the value of my investment is not a true representation of its worth, nor is it a true reflection of the 'free market'. Instead, the value of my stock is determined by white collar financial crime by way of Payment For Order Flow, Dark Pools, synthetic shares, illegal short-selling practices (naked shorting), and insider trading. This isn't just about a stock I own this is about the whole global financial, democratic and capitalist system. We need transparency in the markets. By allowing white collar financial crime to continue again and again and wreak chaos on a global scale with no proportional consequences (i.e. prison-time for the brazen and arrogant corruption/theft), you, the people who are supposed to police the system, are complicit in creating and managing a system rotten to its core. We need to see that the SEC is protecting investors instead of propagating a system that favors the 1%.
I am terrified that inaction will bring the financial system in the US to represent a criminal enterprise, rather than a system of growth and opportunity. I understand that you are understaffed, and underfunded. I will be contacting my state representation to address that issue. One thing that is within your power is to more strictly regulate trading off lit exchanges or eliminate them altogether. A failure to act will be devastating to US financial markets, and the global economy as we know it. Retail and institutional investors alike from around the world will exit the markets, because it will be abundantly clear that the system is truly rigged.
\"It is possible that we are in a completely fraudulent system.\"
I hope you can prove wrong.
Thanks you for your time,
AJS