THE SEC further found: Read and see the kinds of criminals we have as market makers:
"The investigation has determined that a number of Nasdaq
market makers have coordinated quotations, trades, and trade
reports with other Nasdaq market makers for the purpose of
advancing or protecting the market makers' proprietary trading
interests.-[58]- By engaging in such conduct, these market
makers may have acted contrary to the best interests of their
customers and created a false or misleading appearance of trading
activity in the Nasdaq market.
For example, the tapes reflect numerous occasions in which
market makers have asked other market makers to move their
displayed quotations in a particular direction to help the
requesting market maker trade (often with customers) at prices
more favorable to the requesting market maker. The requesting
market maker generally disclosed his or her intentions for future
price movements and transactions to the cooperating market
makers. Cooperating market makers acceded to these requests
because of an expectation that the requesting market maker would
reciprocate in the future. Such cooperative activity improperly
influenced prices, often at the expense of investors, while
creating an inaccurate picture of market conditions. The market
makers involved in such conduct may, depending upon the facts and
circumstances of each particular situation, be deemed to have
engaged in unlawful manipulation of the market or otherwise
violated applicable antifraud provisions of the federal
securities laws or NASD rules."
