UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Before the SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940 Release No. 1544 / December 28, 1995 ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING File No. 3-8904 --------------------------- : : ORDER INSTITUTING PUBLIC In the Matter of : ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING : PURSUANT TO SECTION 203(f) OF STEEN RONLOV : THE ADVISERS ACT OF 1940, : MAKING FINDINGS AND IMPOSING : SANCTIONS --------------------------- I. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") deems it appropriate and in the public interest to institute proceedings against Steen Ronlov ("Ronlov" or "Respondent") pursuant to Section 203(f) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Advisers Act"). Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that said proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted. II. Simultaneously with the institution of this proceeding, Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement ("Offer") solely for the purposes of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission, or in which the Commission is a party. Under the terms of the Offer, which the Commission has determined to accept, Respondent, without admitting or denying the matters set forth herein (except that Respondent admits the jurisdiction of the Commission over him and over the subject matter of this proceeding and the entry of the order of permanent injunction) consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Public Administrative Proceedings Pursuant to Section 203(f) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Making Findings and Imposing Sanctions ("Order"). -------------------- BEGINNING OF PAGE #2 ------------------- III. On the basis of this Order and Respondent's Offer, the Commission finds that: A. From 1987 through 1991, Ronlov was a salesman for Steven D. Wymer ("Wymer"), the owner of two former California- based registered investment advisory firms, Denman & Company ("Denman") (File No. 801-27314) and its successor, Institutional Treasury Management ("ITM") (File No. 801-38214). While in control of Denman and ITM, Wymer defrauded his advisory clients out of approximately $209 million, including prejudgment interest. Ronlov managed Wymer's Colorado operations through a former registered investment adviser, Denman & Company of Colorado (File No. 801-34295), which he co-owned with Wymer. B. On November 3, 1995, the Respondent was permanently enjoined in the United States District Court for the Central District of California from future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act") and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and aiding and abetting violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. SEC v. James A. Pearce and Steen Ronlov, Civil Action No. CV 95-6533 (RJR) (C.D. Cal.). C. The Commission's Complaint filed in the above action alleged, among other things, that between 1987 and 1991, the Respondent: (1) solicited potential investment advisory clients for Wymer knowing that Wymer would immediately misappropriate their investments; (2) directly misappropriated an advisory client's investment; (3) participated in fabricating and reporting fictitious trades to Wymer's clients to cover up the misappropriation; and (4) participated in Wymer's fraudulent scheme of trading options in the name of ITM clients without the knowledge or consent of the clients. IV. Based upon the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to impose the sanctions specified by Respondent in his Offer of Settlement. - 2 - -------------------- BEGINNING OF PAGE #3 ------------------- Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, effective immediately, that Respondent be, and hereby is barred from association with any broker, dealer, investment company, investment adviser or municipal securities dealer. By the Commission. Jonathan G. Katz Secretary - 3 -