The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that KPMG LLP has agreed to settle the SEC’s charges against it in connection with the audits of Xerox Corp. from 1997 through 2000.
As part of the settlement, KPMG consented to the entry of a final judgment in the SEC’s civil litigation against it pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The final judgment, which is subject to approval by the Honorable Denise L. Cote, orders KPMG to pay disgorgement of $9,800,000 (representing its audit fees for the 1997-2000 Xerox audits), prejudgment interest thereon in the amount of $2,675,000, and a $10,000,000 civil penalty, for a total payment of $22.475 million. The final judgment also orders KPMG to undertake a series of reforms designed to prevent future violations of the securities laws.
In addition, the SEC today entered an Order finding that KPMG caused and willfully aided and abetted Xerox’s violations of the anti-fraud, reporting, recordkeeping and internal controls provisions of the federal securities laws. The Order also finds that KPMG violated its obligations to disclose to Xerox illegal acts that came to its attention during the Xerox audits. The Order censures KPMG and orders it to cease and desist from committing or causing these violations. KPMG consented to the entry of the Order without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings.
Source : www.sec.gov
