Rule 13b2-2
 
Representations and Conduct in Connection with
the Preparation of Required Reports and Documents
a.
No director or officer
of an issuer shall, directly or indirectly:
1. Make
or cause to be made a materially false or misleading statement to an accountant
in connection with; or
2.
Omit to state,
or cause another person to omit to state, any material fact necessary
in order to make statements made, in light of the circumstances under
which such statements were made, not misleading, to an accountant in connection
with:
i. Any
audit, review or examination of the financial statements of the issuer
required to be made pursuant to this subpart; or
ii. The
preparation or filing of any document or report required to be filed with
the Commission pursuant to this subpart or otherwise.
b.
1. No
officer or director of an issuer, or any other person acting under the
direction thereof, shall directly or indirectly take any action to coerce,
manipulate, mislead, or fraudulently influence any independent public
or certified public accountant engaged in the performance of an audit
or review of the financial statements of that issuer that are required
to be filed with the Commission pursuant to this subpart or otherwise
if that person knew or should have known that such action, if successful,
could result in rendering the issuer's financial statements materially
misleading.
2.
For purposes of
paragraphs (b)(1) and
(c)(2)
of this section, actions that, "if successful, could result in rendering
the issuer's financial statements materially misleading" include,
but are not limited to, actions taken at any time with respect to the
professional engagement period to coerce, manipulate, mislead, or fraudulently
influence an auditor:
i. To
issue or reissue a report on an issuer's financial statements that is
not warranted in the circumstances (due to material violations of generally
accepted accounting principles, generally accepted auditing standards,
or other professional or regulatory standards);
ii. Not
to perform audit, review or other procedures required by generally accepted
auditing standards or other professional standards;
iii. Not
to withdraw an issued report; or
iv. Not
to communicate matters to an issuer's audit committee.
c.
In addition, in the case
of an investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, or a business development company as defined in section
2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, no officer or director
of the company's investment adviser, sponsor, depositor, trustee, or administrator
(or, in the case of paragraph (c)(2) of this
section, any other person acting under the direction thereof) shall, directly
or indirectly:
1.
i. Make
or cause to be made a materially false or misleading statement to an accountant
in connection with; or
ii.
Omit to
state, or cause another person to omit to state, any material fact necessary
in order to make statements made, in light of the circumstances under
which such statements were made, not misleading to an accountant in connection
with:
A. Any
audit, review, or examination of the financial statements of the investment
company required to be made pursuant to this subpart; or
B. The
preparation or filing of any document or report required to be filed with
the Commission pursuant to this subpart or otherwise; or
2. Take
any action to coerce, manipulate, mislead, or fraudulently influence any
independent public or certified public accountant engaged in the performance
of an audit or review of the financial statements of that investment company
that are required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to this subpart
or otherwise if that person knew or should have known that such action,
if successful, could result in rendering the investment company's financial
statements materially misleading.
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