17 CFR §240.15fh-4
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
- (a)Antifraud provisions. It shall be unlawful for a security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant:
- (1)To employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud any special entity or prospective customer who is a special entity;
- (2)To engage in any transaction, practice, or course of business that operates as a fraud or deceit on any special entity or prospective customer who is a special entity; or
- (3)To engage in any act, practice, or course of business that is fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative.
- (b)Special requirements for security-based swap dealers acting as advisors to special entities. A security-based swap dealer that acts as an advisor to a special entity regarding a security-based swap shall comply with the following requirements:
- (1)Duty. The security-based swap dealer shall have a duty to make a reasonable determination that any security-based swap or trading strategy involving a security-based swap recommended by the security-based swap dealer is in the best interests of the special entity.
- (2)Reasonable efforts. The security-based swap dealer shall make reasonable efforts to obtain such information that the security-based swap dealer considers necessary to make a reasonable determination that a security-based swap or trading strategy involving a security-based swap is in the best interests of the special entity. This information shall include, but not be limited to:
- (i)The authority of the special entity to enter into a security-based swap;
- (ii)The financial status of the special entity, as well as future funding needs;
- (iii)The tax status of the special entity;
- (iv)The hedging, investment, financing or other objectives of the special entity;
- (v)The experience of the special entity with respect to entering into security-based swaps, generally, and security-based swaps of the type and complexity being recommended;
- (vi)Whether the special entity has the financial capability to withstand changes in market conditions during the term of the security-based swap; and
- (vii)Such other information as is relevant to the particular facts and circumstances of the special entity, market conditions and the type of security-based swap or trading strategy involving a security-based swap being recommended.
- (3)Exception. The requirements of this paragraph (b) shall not apply with respect to a security-based swap if:
- (i)The transaction is executed on a registered or exempt security-based swap execution facility or registered national securities exchange; and
- (ii)The security-based swap dealer does not know the identity of the counterparty at a reasonably sufficient time prior to execution of the transaction to permit the security-based swap dealer to comply with the obligations of paragraph (b) of this section.
- (c)No undue influence over chief compliance officer. It shall be unlawful for any officer, director, supervised person, or employee of a security-based swap dealer or major security-based swap participant, or any person acting under such person's direction, to directly or indirectly take any action to coerce, manipulate, mislead, or fraudulently influence the security-based swap dealer's or major security-based swap participant's chief compliance officer in the performance of their duties under the Federal securities laws or the rules and regulations thereunder.