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Could Crowdsourcing Help the SEC Detect Fraud?

Posted by Soulskill on from the sure-couldn't-hurt dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The SEC failed to catch Bernie Madoff largely because they are understaffed (a fact the SEC itself has admitted), under-funded, and simply lack the resources to adequately investigate his activities. Undoubtedly, there were other smaller incidents of fraud that have gone unpunished because of this deficiency. To solve this egregious issue, NERA Economic Consulting proposed crowdsourcing, the concept behind Wikipedia's existence. Proving financial fraud is essentially an exercise in finding numbers that do not match. Through crowdsourcing, regulators would make financial data publicly available to the masses, who would do the 'grunt work' of sifting through them to find discrepancies. But would it work?"

5 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. Wrong problem by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The SEC doesn't stop fraud because it doesn't want to stop it, not because it lacks the resources.

  2. Apparent Contradiction in the Article by CalcuttaWala · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How can the SEC hide behind the fig leaf of being understaffed when "As early as 2001, the media had quoted financial professionals who raised questions about Madoff's fund. In 2005, independent fraud investigator Harry Markopolos sent the SEC a memo raising 29 red flags -- he had complained about Madoff to regulatory officials for six years." It is very apparent that enough red flags were raised but they were ignored ... this smacks of connivance.
    So what if the "crowd" finds some anomalies in accounts .. question is will anybody take any action on the same ? Their track record speaks otherwise ..

    --
    Insight into much, Influence over nothing !
  3. Problem is LISTENING to the crowd... by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Not only did the SEC fail to notice Madoff, they failed to react to people who reported Madoff. So, it seems to me the real problem here isn't one that can be solved by crowdsourcing, unless vigilantism counts.

    --
    When information is power, privacy is freedom.
  4. F(tfs)FY by RingDev · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The SEC failed to catch Bernie Madoff largely because they actively ignored and hide numerous well formed and filed complaints and warnings about his fraudulent activities.

    So no, it probrably wouldn't work.

    -Rick

    --
    "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
  5. Re:Lies by roman_mir · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Any highly advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from corruption.

    --
    You can't handle the truth.