In re CSG ADVISORS

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
Before the 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
 
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
Release No. 101044 / September 17, 2024 
 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING 
File No. 3-22124 
 
 
 
In the Matter of 
 
CSG ADVISORS, INC.,  
 
Respondent. 
 
ORDER INSTITUTING 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-
AND-DESIST PROCEEDINGS 
PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 15B AND 
21C OF THE SECURITIES 
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, MAKING 
FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING 
REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A 
CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDER  
 
I. 
 
 The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate and in 
the public interest that public administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby 
are, instituted pursuant to Sections 15B and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(“Exchange Act”) against CSG Advisors, Inc. (“CSG” or “Respondent”).  
 
II. 
 
 In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer 
of Settlement (“Offer”) which the Commission has determined to accept.  Respondent admits the 
facts set forth in Section III below, acknowledges that its conduct violated the federal securities 
laws, admits the Commission’s jurisdiction over it and the subject matter of these proceedings, 
and consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Administrative and Cease-and-Desist 
Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 15B and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making 
Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth 
below. 
 
III. 
 
 On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds
1
 that: 
 
                                           
1
 The findings herein are made pursuant to Respondent’s Offer of Settlement and are not 
binding on any other person or entity in this or any other proceeding. 

 2 
Summary 
 
1. The federal securities laws impose recordkeeping requirements on municipal 
advisors, which are intended to facilitate the Commission’s inspections and examinations of 
municipal advisors and assist the Commission in evaluating a municipal advisor’s compliance with 
the applicable federal securities laws, including the rules of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking 
Board (“MSRB”).  These recordkeeping requirements require, among other things, that municipal 
advisors maintain and preserve all written communications relating to municipal advisory activities 
for at least five years.  
 
2. These proceedings arise out of the failure of CSG employees throughout the firm, 
including at senior levels, to adhere to these recordkeeping requirements and the firm’s own 
policies.  Using unapproved electronic communication methods, these employees communicated 
with regard to municipal advisory activities both internally and externally by text messages and 
email (“off-channel communications”).   
 
3. From at least July 2020 to August 2023 (the “relevant period”), multiple CSG 
employees sent and received off-channel communications relating to municipal advisory activities.  
CSG did not maintain or preserve these written communications.  CSG’s failure involved 
employees at various levels of authority, including both municipal advisor representatives and 
municipal advisor principals.
2
  As a result, CSG violated Section 17(a) of the Exchange Act and 
Rule 15Ba1-8 thereunder, and MSRB Rules G-8 and G-9.   
 
4. Some of CSG’s supervisors, who were responsible for preventing this misconduct, 
themselves failed to comply with these recordkeeping requirements, as well as the firm’s own 
policies by sending and receiving off-channel communications relating to municipal advisory 
activities.  CSG failed to implement and maintain a system to supervise the municipal advisory 
activities of the municipal advisor and its associated persons that is reasonably designed to achieve 
compliance with applicable recordkeeping requirements.  As a result, CSG violated MSRB Rule G-
44.  By violating MSRB Rules G-8, G-9 and G-44, CSG violated Section 15B(c)(1) of the 
Exchange Act.    
 
Respondent 
 
 5. CSG Advisors Inc. (“CSG”) is a Delaware corporation with its principal office 
and place of business in San Francisco, California.  CSG has been registered with the 
Commission and the MSRB as a municipal advisor since July 2014 and was registered during the 
relevant time period. 
 
                                           
2
  MSRB Rule G-3(d)(i)(A) defines a “municipal advisor representative” to mean a natural person 
associated with a municipal advisor who engages in municipal advisory activities on the municipal 
advisor’s behalf, other than a person performing only clerical, administrative, support or similar 
functions.  MSRB Rule G-3(e)(i) defines a “municipal advisor principal” to mean a natural person 
associated with a municipal advisor who is directly engaged in the management, direction or supervision 
of the municipal advisory activities of the municipal advisor and its associated persons. 

 3 
 
                         Recordkeeping Requirements for Municipal Advisors 
 
 6. Section 17(a)(1) of the Exchange Act requires municipal advisors to make and 
keep for prescribed periods such records, furnish such copies thereof, and make and disseminate 
such reports as the Commission, by rule, prescribes as necessary or appropriate in the public 
interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the Exchange Act.  
Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-8 requires that municipal advisors make and keep true, accurate, and 
current originals or copies of all written communications received, and originals or copies of all 
written communications sent, by such municipal advisor relating to municipal advisory activities, 
regardless of the format of such communications, and for such records to be maintained and 
preserved for a period of not less than five years, the first two years in easily accessible places.   
 
 7. MSRB Rule G-8(h)(i) requires municipal advisors to make and keep current all 
books and records described in Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-8(a)(1)-(8), which includes all written 
communications relating to municipal advisory activities.  MSRB Rule G-9(h)(i) requires the 
municipal advisor to preserve these records for a period of not less than five years.   
 
 8. Section 15B(c)(1) of the Exchange Act prohibits municipal advisors from 
engaging in any act, practice, or course of business that is in contravention of any rule of the 
MSRB. 
 
Policies and Procedures 
 
 9. During the relevant period, CSG maintained certain policies and procedures 
designed to ensure the maintenance and retention of municipal advisory-related records, 
including electronic communications, in compliance with the relevant recordkeeping provisions.   
 
 10. CSG’s employees were advised that the use of unapproved electronic 
communications methods to conduct CSG-related business was generally not permitted unless 
such messages were retained in accordance with CSG’s document retention policies.   
 
 11. Messages sent through firm-approved communications methods were monitored, 
subject to review and archived.  Messages sent through unapproved communications methods 
were not monitored, subject to review or archived. 
 
 12. CSG had procedures for all employees, including supervisors, requiring their 
written acknowledgment that they had read and understood CSG’s electronic communications 
policies and were responsible for abiding by their provisions.  In addition, CSG conducted 
annual training and sent periodic reminders to its employees regarding the requirements of its 
electronic communication policies.  However, CSG did not have processes in place to review, 
test or modify its reliance on employees’ written acknowledgments.   
 
 13. All of CSG’s employees that sent or received off-channel communications, 
including supervisors, acknowledged in writing that they understood the electronic 

 4 
communications policies and were responsible for abiding with them, yet did not follow these 
policies.  CSG’s reliance on employees’ acknowledgment was not reasonably designed to 
achieve compliance with the recordkeeping requirements because it was not reliable absent 
appropriate follow-up measures.  Accordingly, CSG’s supervisory system was not reasonably 
designed to achieve compliance with recordkeeping requirements.  
 
 
Recordkeeping Failures 
 
 14. In July 2023, the Commission staff commenced a risk-based initiative to 
investigate whether municipal advisors were properly retaining messages related to municipal 
advisory activities that were sent and/or received by employees using unapproved electronic 
communication methods.  CSG cooperated with the investigation by voluntarily gathering, 
reviewing and producing messages found on employees’ electronic devices.    
 
 15. The Commission staff’s investigation uncovered off-channel communications at 
all seniority levels of CSG.  The investigation determined that during the relevant period, 
multiple CSG personnel had engaged in off-channel communications relating to municipal 
advisory activities involving both other employees of CSG and external contacts that were not 
preserved.   
 
 16.   For example, a Principal at CSG exchanged text messages with a General 
Manager at a municipal issuer client discussing the pricing of a negotiated bond offering, 
including the demand for the different maturities, the investor pool and the impact on the amount 
of bond proceeds.  For another example, an Associate at CSG and a CSG Executive exchanged 
text messages regarding the construction budget for an affordable housing project and the 
allocation of bond proceeds to pay post-construction interest and other fees to bond indenture 
accounts. 
 
Violations 
   
17. As a result of the conduct described above, during the relevant period, CSG 
willfully
3
 violated Section 17(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 15Ba1-8 thereunder and MSRB 
Rules G-8 and G-9, which require municipal advisors to make and preserve for at least five years 
                                           
3
  “Willfully,” for purposes of imposing relief under Section 15B of the Exchange Act, “‘means no 
more than that the person charged with the duty knows what he is doing.’”  Wonsover v. SEC, 205 F.3d 
408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (quoting Hughes v. SEC, 174 F.2d 969, 977 (D.C. Cir. 1949)).  There is no 
requirement that the actor “also be aware that he is violating one of the Rules or Acts.”  Tager v. SEC, 
344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).  The decision in The Robare Group, Ltd. v. SEC, which construed the term 
“willfully” for purposes of a differently structured statutory provision, does not alter that standard.  922 
F.3d 468, 478-79 (D.C. Cir. 2019) (setting forth the showing required to establish that a person has 
“willfully omit[ted]” material information from a required disclosure in violation of Section 207 of the 
Advisers Act). 
 

 5 
originals or copies of all written communications received or sent relating to municipal advisory 
activities.   
 
18.  As a result of the conduct described above, during the relevant period, CSG 
willfully violated MSRB Rule G-44, which requires municipal advisors to, among other things, 
implement, and maintain a system to supervise the municipal advisory activities of the municipal 
advisor and its associated persons that is reasonably designed to achieve compliance with 
applicable securities laws and regulations, including applicable MSRB rules.   
 
19. As a result of CSG’s willful violations of MSRB Rules G-8, G-9 and G-44, CSG 
willfully violated Section 15B(c)(1) of the Exchange Act, which prohibits municipal advisors 
from making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce to provide 
advice to or on behalf of a municipal entity or obligated person with respect to municipal 
financial products, the issuance of municipal securities, or to undertake a solicitation of a 
municipal entity or obligated person, in contravention of any rule of the MSRB.   
 
Remedial Efforts 
 
 20. In determining to accept the Offer, the Commission considered remedial steps 
undertaken by CSG and the cooperation afforded the Commission staff.  Prior to this action, CSG 
enhanced its policies and procedures concerning the use of approved communications methods. 
 
Undertakings 
 
 21. In addition, CSG has undertaken to: 
 
a. Within 180 days of the entry of this Order: (i) establish reasonably designed 
written policies and procedures regarding the preservation of electronic communications;  
(ii) conduct a training of all associated persons who engage in municipal advisory 
activities regarding the preservation of electronic communications, to be provided by a 
person or entity with relevant expertise in the preservation of electronic communications 
and recordkeeping requirements under the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations 
thereunder, and under MSRB Rules; and (iii) establish a program of periodic training of all 
associated persons who engage in municipal advisory activities regarding the preservation 
of electronic communications.  The written policies and procedures should include the 
designation of a municipal advisor principal at Respondent responsible for ensuring 
compliance by Respondent with such policies and procedures and responsible for 
implementing and maintaining a record (including attendance) of the initial training and the 
periodic training program.  
 
b. Certify, in writing, compliance with the undertakings set forth above.  The 
certification shall: (i) identify the undertakings; (ii) provide written evidence of compliance 
with the undertakings in the form of a narrative; and (iii) be supported by exhibits sufficient 
to demonstrate compliance with the undertakings.  The Commission staff may make 
reasonable requests for further evidence of compliance with the undertakings, and 

 6 
Respondent agrees to provide such evidence at the time and in the manner specified by 
Commission staff or advise the Commission staff of any request for further evidence that 
Respondent considers unreasonable.  The certification, written evidence of compliance and 
supporting exhibits shall be submitted to LeeAnn Ghazil Gaunt, Chief, Public Finance 
Abuse Unit, Securities and Exchange Commission, 33 Arch Street, 24
th
 Floor, Boston, MA 
02110, with a copy to the Office of Chief Counsel of the Enforcement Division, no later 
than the one-year anniversary of the date of this order.  
c. Deadlines. For good cause shown, the Commission staff may extend any of the 
procedural dates relating to the undertakings. Deadlines for procedural dates shall be 
counted in calendar days, except that if the last day falls on a weekend or federal holiday, 
the next business day shall be considered to be the last day. 
IV. 
 
 In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to 
impose the sanctions agreed to in Respondent CSG’s Offer. 
 
 Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 15B and 21C of the Exchange Act, it is hereby 
ORDERED that: 
 
  A. Respondent CSG cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and 
any future violations of Section 17(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 15Ba1-8 thereunder and 
Section 15B(c)(1) of the Exchange Act and MSRB Rules G-8, G-9 and G-44.   
 
 B. Respondent CSG is censured. 
 
 C. Respondent CSG shall comply with the undertakings enumerated in paragraph 
21 above. 
 
D. Respondent CSG shall, within 10 days of the entry of this Order, pay a civil money 
penalty in the amount of $40,000.00 to the Securities and Exchange Commission, of which 
$10,000.00 shall be transferred to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board in accordance with 
Section 15B(c)(9)(A) of the Exchange Act, and of which the remaining $30,000.00 shall be 
transferred to the general fund of the United States Treasury, subject to Exchange Act Section 
21F(g)(3).  If timely payment is not made, additional interest shall accrue pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 
§3717.  Payment must be made in one of the following ways: 
 
(1) Respondent may transmit payment electronically to the Commission, which 
will provide detailed ACH transfer/Fedwire instructions upon request;  
 
(2) Respondent may make direct payment from a bank account via Pay.gov 
through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm; or  
 

 7 
(3) Respondent may pay by certified check, bank cashier’s check, or United 
States postal money order, made payable to the Securities and Exchange 
Commission and hand-delivered or mailed to:  
 
Enterprise Services Center 
Accounts Receivable Branch 
HQ Bldg., Room 181, AMZ-341 
6500 South MacArthur Boulevard 
Oklahoma City, OK 73169 
 
 Payments by check or money order must be accompanied by a cover letter identifying 
CSG as the Respondent in these proceedings, and the file number of these proceedings; a copy of 
the cover letter and check or money order must be sent to LeeAnn Ghazil Gaunt, Chief, Public 
Finance Abuse Unit, Securities and Exchange Commission, Boston Regional Office, 33 Arch 
Street, 24th Floor, Boston, MA 02110. 
 
E. Amounts ordered to be paid as civil money penalties pursuant to this Order shall 
be treated as penalties paid to the government for all purposes, including all tax purposes.  To 
preserve the deterrent effect of the civil penalty, Respondent agrees that in any Related Investor 
Action, it shall not argue that it is entitled to, nor shall it benefit by, offset or reduction of any 
award of compensatory damages by the amount of any part of Respondent’s payment of a civil 
penalty in this action (“Penalty Offset”).  If the court in any Related Investor Action grants such 
a Penalty Offset, Respondent agrees that it shall, within 30 days after entry of a final order 
granting the Penalty Offset, notify the Commission’s counsel in this action and pay the amount 
of the Penalty Offset to the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Such a payment shall not be 
deemed an additional civil penalty and shall not be deemed to change the amount of the civil 
penalty imposed in this proceeding.  For purposes of this paragraph, a “Related Investor Action” 
means a private damages action brought against Respondent by or on behalf of one or more 
investors based on substantially the same facts as alleged in the Order instituted by the 
Commission in this proceeding. 
 
 By the Commission. 
 
 
       Vanessa A. Countryman  
       Secretary  

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

Before the 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
 

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 

Release No. 101044 / September 17, 2024 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING 

File No. 3-22124 
 

 

 

In the Matter of 
 

CSG ADVISORS, INC.,  
 

Respondent. 
 

ORDER INSTITUTING 

ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-

AND-DESIST PROCEEDINGS 

PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 15B AND 

21C OF THE SECURITIES 

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, MAKING 

FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING 

REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A 

CEASE-AND-DESIST ORDER  

 

I. 

 

 The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate and in 

the public interest that public administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby 

are, instituted pursuant to Sections 15B and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

(“Exchange Act”) against CSG Advisors, Inc. (“CSG” or “Respondent”).  

 

II. 

 

 In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer 

of Settlement (“Offer”) which the Commission has determined to accept.  Respondent admits the 

facts set forth in Section III below, acknowledges that its conduct violated the federal securities 

laws, admits the Commission’s jurisdiction over it and the subject matter of these proceedings, 

and consents to the entry of this Order Instituting Administrative and Cease-and-Desist 

Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 15B and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making 

Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth 

below. 

 

III. 

 

 On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds1 that: 

 

                                           
1 The findings herein are made pursuant to Respondent’s Offer of Settlement and are not 

binding on any other person or entity in this or any other proceeding. 



 2 

Summary 

 

1. The federal securities laws impose recordkeeping requirements on municipal 

advisors, which are intended to facilitate the Commission’s inspections and examinations of 

municipal advisors and assist the Commission in evaluating a municipal advisor’s compliance with 

the applicable federal securities laws, including the rules of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking 

Board (“MSRB”).  These recordkeeping requirements require, among other things, that municipal 

advisors maintain and preserve all written communications relating to municipal advisory activities 

for at least five years.  

 

2. These proceedings arise out of the failure of CSG employees throughout the firm, 

including at senior levels, to adhere to these recordkeeping requirements and the firm’s own 

policies.  Using unapproved electronic communication methods, these employees communicated 

with regard to municipal advisory activities both internally and externally by text messages and 

email (“off-channel communications”).   

 

3. From at least July 2020 to August 2023 (the “relevant period”), multiple CSG 

employees sent and received off-channel communications relating to municipal advisory activities.  

CSG did not maintain or preserve these written communications.  CSG’s failure involved 

employees at various levels of authority, including both municipal advisor representatives and 

municipal advisor principals.2  As a result, CSG violated Section 17(a) of the Exchange Act and 

Rule 15Ba1-8 thereunder, and MSRB Rules G-8 and G-9.   

 

4. Some of CSG’s supervisors, who were responsible for preventing this misconduct, 

themselves failed to comply with these recordkeeping requirements, as well as the firm’s own 

policies by sending and receiving off-channel communications relating to municipal advisory 

activities.  CSG failed to implement and maintain a system to supervise the municipal advisory 

activities of the municipal advisor and its associated persons that is reasonably designed to achieve 

compliance with applicable recordkeeping requirements.  As a result, CSG violated MSRB Rule G-

44.  By violating MSRB Rules G-8, G-9 and G-44, CSG violated Section 15B(c)(1) of the 

Exchange Act.    

 

Respondent 

 

 5. CSG Advisors Inc. (“CSG”) is a Delaware corporation with its principal office 

and place of business in San Francisco, California.  CSG has been registered with the 

Commission and the MSRB as a municipal advisor since July 2014 and was registered during the 

relevant time period. 

 

                                           
2  MSRB Rule G-3(d)(i)(A) defines a “municipal advisor representative” to mean a natural person 

associated with a municipal advisor who engages in municipal advisory activities on the municipal 

advisor’s behalf, other than a person performing only clerical, administrative, support or similar 

functions.  MSRB Rule G-3(e)(i) defines a “municipal advisor principal” to mean a natural person 

associated with a municipal advisor who is directly engaged in the management, direction or supervision 

of the municipal advisory activities of the municipal advisor and its associated persons. 



 3 

 

                         Recordkeeping Requirements for Municipal Advisors 

 

 6. Section 17(a)(1) of the Exchange Act requires municipal advisors to make and 

keep for prescribed periods such records, furnish such copies thereof, and make and disseminate 

such reports as the Commission, by rule, prescribes as necessary or appropriate in the public 

interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the Exchange Act.  

Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-8 requires that municipal advisors make and keep true, accurate, and 

current originals or copies of all written communications received, and originals or copies of all 

written communications sent, by such municipal advisor relating to municipal advisory activities, 

regardless of the format of such communications, and for such records to be maintained and 

preserved for a period of not less than five years, the first two years in easily accessible places.   

 

 7. MSRB Rule G-8(h)(i) requires municipal advisors to make and keep current all 

books and records described in Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-8(a)(1)-(8), which includes all written 

communications relating to municipal advisory activities.  MSRB Rule G-9(h)(i) requires the 

municipal advisor to preserve these records for a period of not less than five years.   

 

 8. Section 15B(c)(1) of the Exchange Act prohibits municipal advisors from 

engaging in any act, practice, or course of business that is in contravention of any rule of the 

MSRB. 

 

Policies and Procedures 

 

 9. During the relevant period, CSG maintained certain policies and procedures 

designed to ensure the maintenance and retention of municipal advisory-related records, 

including electronic communications, in compliance with the relevant recordkeeping provisions.   

 

 10. CSG’s employees were advised that the use of unapproved electronic 

communications methods to conduct CSG-related business was generally not permitted unless 

such messages were retained in accordance with CSG’s document retention policies.   

 

 11. Messages sent through firm-approved communications methods were monitored, 

subject to review and archived.  Messages sent through unapproved communications methods 

were not monitored, subject to review or archived. 

 

 12. CSG had procedures for all employees, including supervisors, requiring their 

written acknowledgment that they had read and understood CSG’s electronic communications 

policies and were responsible for abiding by their provisions.  In addition, CSG conducted 

annual training and sent periodic reminders to its employees regarding the requirements of its 

electronic communication policies.  However, CSG did not have processes in place to review, 

test or modify its reliance on employees’ written acknowledgments.   

 

 13. All of CSG’s employees that sent or received off-channel communications, 

including supervisors, acknowledged in writing that they understood the electronic 



 4 

communications policies and were responsible for abiding with them, yet did not follow these 

policies.  CSG’s reliance on employees’ acknowledgment was not reasonably designed to 

achieve compliance with the recordkeeping requirements because it was not reliable absent 

appropriate follow-up measures.  Accordingly, CSG’s supervisory system was not reasonably 

designed to achieve compliance with recordkeeping requirements.  

 

 

Recordkeeping Failures 

 

 14. In July 2023, the Commission staff commenced a risk-based initiative to 

investigate whether municipal advisors were properly retaining messages related to municipal 

advisory activities that were sent and/or received by employees using unapproved electronic 

communication methods.  CSG cooperated with the investigation by voluntarily gathering, 

reviewing and producing messages found on employees’ electronic devices.    

 

 15. The Commission staff’s investigation uncovered off-channel communications at 

all seniority levels of CSG.  The investigation determined that during the relevant period, 

multiple CSG personnel had engaged in off-channel communications relating to municipal 

advisory activities involving both other employees of CSG and external contacts that were not 

preserved.   

 

 16.   For example, a Principal at CSG exchanged text messages with a General 

Manager at a municipal issuer client discussing the pricing of a negotiated bond offering, 

including the demand for the different maturities, the investor pool and the impact on the amount 

of bond proceeds.  For another example, an Associate at CSG and a CSG Executive exchanged 

text messages regarding the construction budget for an affordable housing project and the 

allocation of bond proceeds to pay post-construction interest and other fees to bond indenture 

accounts. 

 

Violations 

   

17. As a result of the conduct described above, during the relevant period, CSG 

willfully3 violated Section 17(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 15Ba1-8 thereunder and MSRB 

Rules G-8 and G-9, which require municipal advisors to make and preserve for at least five years 

                                           
3  “Willfully,” for purposes of imposing relief under Section 15B of the Exchange Act, “‘means no 

more than that the person charged with the duty knows what he is doing.’”  Wonsover v. SEC, 205 F.3d 

408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (quoting Hughes v. SEC, 174 F.2d 969, 977 (D.C. Cir. 1949)).  There is no 

requirement that the actor “also be aware that he is violating one of the Rules or Acts.”  Tager v. SEC, 

344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).  The decision in The Robare Group, Ltd. v. SEC, which construed the term 

“willfully” for purposes of a differently structured statutory provision, does not alter that standard.  922 

F.3d 468, 478-79 (D.C. Cir. 2019) (setting forth the showing required to establish that a person has 

“willfully omit[ted]” material information from a required disclosure in violation of Section 207 of the 

Advisers Act). 

 



 5 

originals or copies of all written communications received or sent relating to municipal advisory 

activities.   

 

18.  As a result of the conduct described above, during the relevant period, CSG 

willfully violated MSRB Rule G-44, which requires municipal advisors to, among other things, 

implement, and maintain a system to supervise the municipal advisory activities of the municipal 

advisor and its associated persons that is reasonably designed to achieve compliance with 

applicable securities laws and regulations, including applicable MSRB rules.   

 

19. As a result of CSG’s willful violations of MSRB Rules G-8, G-9 and G-44, CSG 

willfully violated Section 15B(c)(1) of the Exchange Act, which prohibits municipal advisors 

from making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce to provide 

advice to or on behalf of a municipal entity or obligated person with respect to municipal 

financial products, the issuance of municipal securities, or to undertake a solicitation of a 

municipal entity or obligated person, in contravention of any rule of the MSRB.   

 

Remedial Efforts 

 

 20. In determining to accept the Offer, the Commission considered remedial steps 

undertaken by CSG and the cooperation afforded the Commission staff.  Prior to this action, CSG 

enhanced its policies and procedures concerning the use of approved communications methods. 

 

Undertakings 

 

 21. In addition, CSG has undertaken to: 

 

a. Within 180 days of the entry of this Order: (i) establish reasonably designed 

written policies and procedures regarding the preservation of electronic communications;  

(ii) conduct a training of all associated persons who engage in municipal advisory 

activities regarding the preservation of electronic communications, to be provided by a 

person or entity with relevant expertise in the preservation of electronic communications 

and recordkeeping requirements under the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations 

thereunder, and under MSRB Rules; and (iii) establish a program of periodic training of all 

associated persons who engage in municipal advisory activities regarding the preservation 

of electronic communications.  The written policies and procedures should include the 

designation of a municipal advisor principal at Respondent responsible for ensuring 

compliance by Respondent with such policies and procedures and responsible for 

implementing and maintaining a record (including attendance) of the initial training and the 

periodic training program.  

 

b. Certify, in writing, compliance with the undertakings set forth above.  The 

certification shall: (i) identify the undertakings; (ii) provide written evidence of compliance 

with the undertakings in the form of a narrative; and (iii) be supported by exhibits sufficient 

to demonstrate compliance with the undertakings.  The Commission staff may make 

reasonable requests for further evidence of compliance with the undertakings, and 



 6 

Respondent agrees to provide such evidence at the time and in the manner specified by 

Commission staff or advise the Commission staff of any request for further evidence that 

Respondent considers unreasonable.  The certification, written evidence of compliance and 

supporting exhibits shall be submitted to LeeAnn Ghazil Gaunt, Chief, Public Finance 

Abuse Unit, Securities and Exchange Commission, 33 Arch Street, 24th Floor, Boston, MA 

02110, with a copy to the Office of Chief Counsel of the Enforcement Division, no later 

than the one-year anniversary of the date of this order.  

c. Deadlines. For good cause shown, the Commission staff may extend any of the 

procedural dates relating to the undertakings. Deadlines for procedural dates shall be 

counted in calendar days, except that if the last day falls on a weekend or federal holiday, 

the next business day shall be considered to be the last day. 

IV. 
 

 In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to 

impose the sanctions agreed to in Respondent CSG’s Offer. 

 

 Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 15B and 21C of the Exchange Act, it is hereby 

ORDERED that: 
 

  A. Respondent CSG cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and 

any future violations of Section 17(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 15Ba1-8 thereunder and 

Section 15B(c)(1) of the Exchange Act and MSRB Rules G-8, G-9 and G-44.   
 

 B. Respondent CSG is censured. 

 

 C. Respondent CSG shall comply with the undertakings enumerated in paragraph 

21 above. 
 

D. Respondent CSG shall, within 10 days of the entry of this Order, pay a civil money 

penalty in the amount of $40,000.00 to the Securities and Exchange Commission, of which 

$10,000.00 shall be transferred to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board in accordance with 

Section 15B(c)(9)(A) of the Exchange Act, and of which the remaining $30,000.00 shall be 

transferred to the general fund of the United States Treasury, subject to Exchange Act Section 

21F(g)(3).  If timely payment is not made, additional interest shall accrue pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 

§3717.  Payment must be made in one of the following ways: 

 

(1) Respondent may transmit payment electronically to the Commission, which 

will provide detailed ACH transfer/Fedwire instructions upon request;  

 

(2) Respondent may make direct payment from a bank account via Pay.gov 

through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm; or  

 

http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm


 7 

(3) Respondent may pay by certified check, bank cashier’s check, or United 

States postal money order, made payable to the Securities and Exchange 

Commission and hand-delivered or mailed to:  

 

Enterprise Services Center 

Accounts Receivable Branch 

HQ Bldg., Room 181, AMZ-341 

6500 South MacArthur Boulevard 

Oklahoma City, OK 73169 

 

 Payments by check or money order must be accompanied by a cover letter identifying 

CSG as the Respondent in these proceedings, and the file number of these proceedings; a copy of 

the cover letter and check or money order must be sent to LeeAnn Ghazil Gaunt, Chief, Public 

Finance Abuse Unit, Securities and Exchange Commission, Boston Regional Office, 33 Arch 

Street, 24th Floor, Boston, MA 02110. 
 

E. Amounts ordered to be paid as civil money penalties pursuant to this Order shall 

be treated as penalties paid to the government for all purposes, including all tax purposes.  To 

preserve the deterrent effect of the civil penalty, Respondent agrees that in any Related Investor 

Action, it shall not argue that it is entitled to, nor shall it benefit by, offset or reduction of any 

award of compensatory damages by the amount of any part of Respondent’s payment of a civil 

penalty in this action (“Penalty Offset”).  If the court in any Related Investor Action grants such 

a Penalty Offset, Respondent agrees that it shall, within 30 days after entry of a final order 

granting the Penalty Offset, notify the Commission’s counsel in this action and pay the amount 

of the Penalty Offset to the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Such a payment shall not be 

deemed an additional civil penalty and shall not be deemed to change the amount of the civil 

penalty imposed in this proceeding.  For purposes of this paragraph, a “Related Investor Action” 

means a private damages action brought against Respondent by or on behalf of one or more 

investors based on substantially the same facts as alleged in the Order instituted by the 

Commission in this proceeding. 

 

 By the Commission. 

 

 

       Vanessa A. Countryman  

       Secretary  


	20. In determining to accept the Offer, the Commission considered remedial steps undertaken by CSG and the cooperation afforded the Commission staff.  Prior to this action, CSG enhanced its policies and procedures concerning the use of approved commu...
	Undertakings
	21. In addition, CSG has undertaken to:
	a. Within 180 days of the entry of this Order: (i) establish reasonably designed written policies and procedures regarding the preservation of electronic communications;  (ii) conduct a training of all associated persons who engage in municipal adviso...
	b. Certify, in writing, compliance with the undertakings set forth above.  The certification shall: (i) identify the undertakings; (ii) provide written evidence of compliance with the undertakings in the form of a narrative; and (iii) be supported by ...
	c. Deadlines. For good cause shown, the Commission staff may extend any of the procedural dates relating to the undertakings. Deadlines for procedural dates shall be counted in calendar days, except that if the last day falls on a weekend or federal h...
	IV.