This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Citi Uncovers Fraud In Mexican Sub, Revises Q4 Earnings Lower; Calls It A "Despicable Crime"
The latest algo-arbing gimmick: report estimate bearing results to get the momentum-ignition algos sending your stock higher... then a month later announce you "discovered" fraud in a subsidiary, which magically cut earnings by $235 million, hoping nobody will notice. This is precisely what Citigroup just did.
From the just released 8-K:
Citi announced today that it is adjusting downward its fourth quarter and full year 2013 financial results, from those reported on January 16, 2014, by an estimated $235 million after-tax ($360 million pre-tax) as a result of a fraud recently discovered in its subsidiary in Mexico. The financial impact will lower Citi’s 2013 net income from $13.9 billion to $13.7 billion. Citi’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K, to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 3, 2014, will reflect these adjustments. Citi also intends to release a revised Fourth Quarter of 2013 Quarterly Financial Data Supplement reflecting these adjustments.
As of December 31, 2013, Citi, through Banco Nacional de Mexico (“Banamex”), had extended approximately $585 million of short-term credit to Oceanografia S.A. de C.V. (“OSA”), a Mexican oil services company, through an accounts receivable financing program. OSA has been a key supplier to Petróleos Mexicanos (“Pemex”), the Mexican state-owned oil company. Pursuant to the program, Banamex extended credit to OSA to finance accounts receivables due from Pemex. As of December 31, 2013, Banamex also had approximately $33 million in either outstanding loans made directly to OSA or standby letters of credit issued on OSA’s behalf.
On February 11, 2014, Citi learned that OSA had been suspended from being awarded new Mexican government contracts. Upon learning of this suspension, Citi, together with Pemex, commenced detailed reviews of their credit exposure to OSA and of the accounts receivable financing program over the past several years. As a consequence of these reviews, on February 20, 2014, Pemex asserted that a significant portion of the accounts receivables recorded by Banamex in connection with the Pemex accounts receivable financing program were fraudulent and that the valid receivables were substantially less than the $585 million referenced above.
Based on Citi’s review, which included documentation provided by Pemex, Citi estimates that it is able to support the validity of approximately $185 million of the $585 million of accounts receivables owed to Banamex by Pemex as of December 31, 2013. This $185 million consists of approximately $75 million supported by documentation in Pemex records and approximately $110 million of documented work performed that was still going through the Pemex approval process. The difference of an estimated $400 million has been charged to operating expense in Transaction Services in the fourth quarter of 2013, with an offset to compensation expense of approximately $40 million associated with the Banamex variable compensation plan.
While Citi’s review of these matters is ongoing, Citi believes the fraud is isolated to this particular client within the Banamex accounts receivable financing program. Based on its continuing review, Citi will determine whether all or any portion of the $33 million of direct loans made to OSA and the remaining approximately $185 million of accounts receivable due from Pemex is impaired, taking into consideration the impact to OSA and Pemex of the actions and events described herein.
Citi CEO Michael Corbat said, “Although our inquiry into this fraud is continuing, we have been responding forcefully over the past week by assessing the overall exposure to Citi, coordinating with law enforcement, pursuing recovery of the misappropriated funds, and seeking accountability for anyone involved.
“Specifically, we have been taking the following actions: first, we immediately began a ‘rapid review’ – throughout Banamex and the rest of Citi – of programs similar to the one at issue here. At this point, we believe this is an isolated incident.
"Next, we are exploring our legal options and coordinating with law enforcement agencies in Mexico. Banamex, in coordination with Pemex, has worked with Mexico’s Attorney General to initiate criminal actions in connection with this matter that, in addition to imposing just penalties on the responsible parties, may allow us to recover damages. We are exploring every available option to recoup the misappropriated funds and we will be relentless in pursuing their recovery.
In conclusion, Corbat is pretend angry. And you don't want to see him pretend angry:
"I can assure you there will be accountability for those who perpetrated this despicable crime and any employee who enabled it, either through lax supervision, circumvention of our controls, or violating our Code of Conduct. All will be held equally responsible and we will make sure that the punishment sends a crystal clear message about the consequences of such actions,” Mr. Corbat concluded.
Ooooh.
Of course, if this fraud ends up not being isolated, any further fraud discoveries will be reported after the next quarter's expectation beating results, only to be revised lower when the stock has already surged even higher on completely made up number. Ah, New Normal: you are so much fun.
»
- 9418 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
Yea the head of the Mexican subsidiary will be promoted to CEO of Citi... How's that for "being held responsible"?
Next stop Sec Tres...
Where did "El Chapo" do most of his banking?
They must've had a stellar Q1. But watch out for downward revisions.
I don't always put my drug money in the bank but when I do....
El Chapo.
It's only accounting fraud if you are the law, it's illegal for all others.
North of the border it is known as non-GAAP accounting.
If this was Bitcoin you clowns on ZH would be predicting the end again for "All things we do not have the brains to understand" .
GAAP Accounting is now only aimed at producing GAPS in what used to be traditional Accounting to circumvent the law.
And Non GAAP Accounting is pure breaking the law
I will expose my conspiratorial naivete but when I read "sub" in the headline my first thought was of a drug running submarine but it could mean subsidiary. Reality is messing with my head. I am starting to think like a banker, financialize the world. Mu HA HA HA.
If a Mexican subsidiary does something and Citi does a revision it's thos rascally Mexicans. But whe the US government does it????????? Not a problem.
Revised Q4 GDP Tumbles 26% From Initial Estimate To 2.4%; Personal Consumption Hit
Excuse me Mr. Corbat, but your compensation package vs the (dis)service that you provide to society is what can be called Despicable
"Are we MexiCANS or MexiCANT'S?"
Thats how affirmative predation / Glasnost works. Everyone must be armed, every traitor must hang and the FSA must be deported to their countries of origin. If you came here to be Americans in the Constitutional sense you can stay, if you're sucking government tit you can leave or die.
So Citi reduces its taxes by tens of millions to pal Fedgov and a quarter of a billion gets laundered in meheeco.
Taxes, fiat are for suckers.
Forward Sheeple!
If the fraud ends up not being isolated they won't report it ever.
As the fraud is considered "non-recurring", this will eventually be spun as bullish
It makes sense that if you are engaging in fraud on such a massive scale you should occasionally admit to a tiny bit of fraud to make people think you are honest. It's kind of like JPM admitting they had 1 day of trading losses...granted they won't even do that.
Senor Carlos Slim salutes you !
Mexiwhale, Tunafish? Stinks from the neck, LOL,......and if you dont bring back the buy money? Aiiiyyyyyeeee.
Its probably just the drug lords getting their money laundering fees back...
It takes one to know one.
In no way will this citi fraud in mexico spread to the credit market.......
The Yellen..
Damn rogue traders seem to pop up evey where. It's funny how they aren't rogue traders when the trade is going there way.
You never see a degenerate gambler in GA, when he is on a hot streak.
Should read 'their way' and 'everywhere'. At least it wasn't Fonz who locked me out this time.
It's only fraud if you admit it....
or if the person blamed for it just jumped off a roof
If this was the US Government, the article would be titled:
US Government uncovers subsidiary fraud, revises 4th quarter GDP lower; Calls it "just another day - BTFATH"
Socialism is a tool of organized crime.
Government is organized crime.
Where is john corizine? Wake me up when these bastards go to jail.
That is gonna be one loooooong nap there VC :-)
another citiload of fraud
Hahahahahahaha
FRAUD ITS WHAT'S FOR DINNER.
These CEO's are like the news media. Tell you what you wanna hear and spin it if not!!!
Greed, Tax Evading, Accounting Fraud, Bailouts, Shadow Banking is not permitted by foreign subsidiaries and will not be tolerated !
Citi's whole balance sheet is fraudulent. What's $325 million dollars compared to the company being insolvent if real accounting rules applied.
what happened to the code of honor among theives?
(couldn't happen to a nicer company /sarc)
What sort of retard is running Citi?
The Rules of FRAUD CLUB
1st rule- You do not talk about FRAUD Club.
2nd rule You DO NOT talk about FRAUD Club.
Someone might wise up that not only are YOUR FRAUD Club trade receivables overvalued, but that other "assets" on YOUR FRAUD Club balance sheet might also be overvalued, or SATAN FORBID-- OTHER FRAUD Club banks and non-bank financial institutions might engage in the SAME FRAUD Club practices which you are now confessing to.
ALL you had to do was go to your nearest FRAUD Club CENTRAL banker (or his overseas affiliates in extreme cases) and swap your dirty dollars/lies for fresh clean ones- it's called LAUNDERING for a reason. TBTF Dumbfuck.
Has the mark-to-market accounting rule been reinstated? Then who gives a shit what a bank's earnings or balance sheet looks like...it's all fiction!?!?!
Citi Bastards themselves have committed despicable crimes. Look at these fucking hypocrites.
as el presidente recently said: " there's not one smigin of crimes at the IRS"...or doj or sec or gs or jpm or citi...and lastly of course corzine. in every human heart there is evil, it's just sociopaths who cannot see evil,normals control it that is why we do not rise up and kill em all, as in the end we then become them.
What a laugher.... Citi's whole fucking busines is a Despicable Crime.
and no one verified the validity of the receivables until it reached this amount...... really
a few hundred thou.... half a billion .....child's play.... just ask JPM
yes, yes, another "dispicable crime" that no one will be held accountable for...
Roll the fucking guillotines, nothing changes otherwise...
Don't forget that we have to make certain it never happens again, or is that old already??
Amazing, its "dispicable" when its done to them, but when they do it to us its a banking fee.
Fraud....Mexico?
Shit, that is like Oil and Water, no? lol (sarc)
CEO Corbat is shocked to find fraud in Citi.
He's going to fight fraud with the aid of Mexico's attorney general.
Hollywood couldn't make this stuff up.
Promote the head of that Mexican division, they are really beating numbers.....
Citi does not tolerate failure.
I don't see why alogs are particularly responsible: if there were no algos involved, wouldn't people have responded in the same way, only slower?
This is just a longer-term pump.
Bank fraud?
OMG! Quick - someone pass the smelling-salts!