MF Global bankruptcy agreement announced

Between $500 million and $600 million will be returned to the MF Global Inc. estate under an agreement announced by James Giddens, trustee for the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) liquidation of MFGI, and Richard Heis, a joint administrator of MF Global UK Ltd. 

Separately, Giddens and the Chapter 11 Trustee for MF Global Holdings Ltd. (MFGH), Louis Freeh, announced that they will resolve all claims between their respective estates.

Once certain conditions are satisfied to make the agreements effective and if approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Giddens anticipates the agreement between MFGI and MFGUK will result in 100 percent satisfaction of allowed securities customers' claims and significant additional distributions to commodities customers who traded on U.S. and non-U.S. exchanges.

SIPC President Stephen Harbeck said: “These agreements are a major accomplishment that will benefit customers and creditors worldwide. Not only will the agreements with MFGH and MFGUK likely allow for the return of 100 percent of allowed securities customers claims, it will also result in significant distributions to be made to commodities customers. SIPC commends the efforts of Trustee Giddens, Mr. Heis and Mr. Freeh, whose work has yielded agreements in the best interests of all creditors that will minimize legal costs and allow for an expeditious resolution of all open matters.”

Harbeck added, “SIPC looks forward to continuing to work with the trustee and other parties to make sure all conditions are met and the agreements are approved by the court, so that the distributions of funds to customers can occur.”

Full details on the agreements can be found at mfglobaltrustee.com.

As an explanation of SIPC’s involvement, in the U.S., it is the investor's first line of defense in the event of the failure of a brokerage firm owing customers cash and securities that are missing from customer accounts. SIPC either acts as trustee or works with an independent court-appointed trustee in a brokerage insolvency case to recover funds.

Comments (2) Leave a comment 

This will not be over until all futures clients are made whole and the people who took
the monies from their accounts are held liable for the losses. They also should be
barred for life from dealing as any investment adviser. This was a crime against not
only the clients but also the general public. It should be made clear it will not be
tolerated and punishment delivered to the full extent allowed by the laws.

Don't you just love the financialeze & legaleze used to explain that Banks & Corp. holders will be made 100% "whole", and all the little guys can suck eggs? And they're so extra cheery about it too! And Mr. Hiller, it could only be "over" if Corzine and his top lackeys go to jail. Theft by Fraud is apparently only a crime if you're not an ex-Dem Senator, Governor and campaign funnding Bag Man for Obama, eh? Nice to see the lawyers and courts were able to keep this going until after the election, before announcing the severe screwing all the farmers and other little guys would be getting. Huzzah!, back-slaps, cigars and expensive scotch for everyone on the bankruptcy team. Great Job.