Defendant Name: BlackRock Advisors, LLC

Defendant Type: Subsidiary of Public Company
Public Company Parent: BlackRock, Inc.
SIC Code: 6282
CUSIP: 09247X10

Initial Case Details

Legal Case Name In the Matter of Blackrock Advisors, LLC and Bartholomew A. Battista
First Document Date 20-Apr-2015
Initial Filing Format Administrative Action
File Number 3-16501
Allegation Type Investment Advisers/Investment Companies

Violations Alleged

Other
• Sections 206(2), 206(4) Investment Advisers Act; Rule 206(4)-7 Investment Advisers Act

Related Violations Alleged

BlackRock Advisors, LLC is alleged to have caused an unidentified individual or entity's violation of Rule 38-1 Investment Company Act.
BlackRock Advisors, LLC is alleged to have caused Blackrock Fund Advisors's violation of Rule 38a-1(a) Investment Company Act.

Resolutions

First Resolution Date 20-Apr-2015
Headline Total Penalty and Disgorgement $12,000,000

Related Documents:

2015-71 20-Apr-2015 Press Release--Administrative Proceeding
SEC Charges BlackRock Advisors With Failing to Disclose Conflicts of Interest to Clients and Fund Boards
On April 20, 2015, the SEC announced that it "charged BlackRock Advisors LLC with breaching its fiduciary duty by failing to disclose a conflict of interest created by the outside business activity of a top-performing portfolio manager."
IA-4065 20-Apr-2015 Administrative Proceeding
Order Instituting Administrative and Cease-and-Desist Proceedings, Pursuant to Sections 203(e) and 203(k) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Sections 9(b) and 9(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, Making Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order
On April 20, 2015, the SEC instituted settled administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings against Blackrock Advisors, LLC and Bartholomew A. Battista. According to the SEC: "This matter concerns investment adviser BlackRock's failure to disclose a conflict of interest involving the outside business activity of one of its portfolio managers. Daniel J. Rice, III was a well-known, long-standing top-performing energy sector portfolio manager. Rice joined BlackRock in 2005 and managed BlackRock energy-focused registered funds, private funds, and separate accounts. In 2007, Rice founded Rice Energy, L.P. -- a Rice family-owned-and-operated oil and natural gas production company. Rice was the general partner of Rice Energy and personally invested approximately $50 million in the company. Rice's three sons were the CEO, CFO, and VP of Geology of Rice Energy. In February 2010, Rice Energy formed a joint venture with Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. ('ANR'), a publicly-traded coal company held in the BlackRock funds and accounts managed by Rice. By June 30, 2011, ANR stock was the largest holding (9.4%) in the Rice-managed $1.7 billion BlackRock Energy & Resources Portfolio, primarily as a result of ANR acquiring two other public companies held in that portfolio. BlackRock knew of Rice's involvement with and investment in Rice Energy as well as the joint venture with ANR, but failed to disclose Rice's conflict of interest to the BlackRock funds' boards of directors or to BlackRock advisory clients."

Other Defendants in Action:

Bartholomew A. Battista