Heels, Happy New Year to you, and to all the posters on here.
There is an erroneous concept held in the average lay person's mind that there actually exists a "Business Ethics" in Corporate America. Real Business Ethics would include that concept of building a viable plan of operation to run a profitable business for the betterment of the company, the customers, and the shareholders. The business plan in vogue today is charge whatever the traffic will bear, and if at all possible, get as much money as possible without providing anything in return. Just do it in such a way that you don't get caught. For proof just look at the CEO rewards packages just revealed in the banking group on Wall STreet.
The SEC is staffed with people that are recruited from those investment training grounds that give us the market makers, wall street investment bankers, and the hedge funds, and would be more likely to call a target up, warn them, and suggest ways to avoid further scrutiny, than to do what we, the victims of these scams, would expect of them. Probably for more than a little cash slipped under the table, of course. Thinking of ways to scam people IS the new business plan.
Don't hold your breath waiting for any justice from either the SEC, or DOJ courts, though. Too great a possibility of political pressure being applied either way, and influencing the outcome in a direction inconsistent with the facts. And then we have the old plea bargain vehicle to quick justice. But for whom?
GLTA & Happy New Year. LC
