Ex-Fiserv Exec Settles for Timing in Own Account

Robert Hetzer, a former senior vice president in charge mutual fund trading at Fiserv Securities, will pay more than $600,000 to settle allegations from the Securities and Exchange Commission that he engaged in late trading of mutual funds in his own account. Hetzer, of Hollywood Beach, Fla., was, and did not admit or deny the SEC charges.

According to the SEC, from 2001 to 2002 Hetzer entered 855 mutual fund trades in two personal accounts he opened at Fiserv between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and improperly received the current day's net asset value.

Hetzer accomplished this by misusing Fiserv's computerized trade-processing system, which was intended to permit trade entry after 4 p.m. and receive that day's NAV, only in circumstances involving errors and other technical problems. Funds traded after the market closes at 4 pm. are supposed to receive the next day's closing price.

Under the settlement, Hetzer will return $528,020 of allegedly unlawful gains, with interest, pay a $100,000 fine and be barred from working in the brokerage or mutual fund industry for three years.