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Stanford Law School


Deutsche Bank AG
Summary: According to a press release dated March 17, 2008, the Complaint alleges that Deutsche Bank violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by deceiving investors about the investment characteristics of auction rate securities and the auction market in which these securities traded. Auction rate securities are either municipal or corporate debt securities or preferred stocks which pay interest at rates set at periodic "auctions." Auction rate securities generally have long-term maturities or no maturity dates.

The Complaint alleges that, pursuant to uniform sales materials and top-down management directives, Deutsch Bank offered and sold auction rate securities to the public as highly liquid cash-management vehicles and as suitable alternatives to money market mutual funds. According to the Complaint, holders of auction rate securities sold by Deutsche Bank and other broker-dealers have been unable to liquidate their positions in these securities following the decision on February 13, 2008 of all major broker-dealers including Deutsche Bank to "withdraw their support" for the periodic auctions at which the interest rates paid on auction rates securities are set.

The Complaint alleges that Deutsche Bank failed to disclose the following material facts about the auction rate securities it sold to the class: (1) the auction rate securities were not cash alternatives, like money market funds, but were instead, complex, long-term financial instruments with 30 year maturity dates, or longer; (2) the auction rate securities were only liquid at the time of sale because Deutsche Bank and other broker-dealers were artificially supporting and manipulating the auction rate market to maintain the appearance of liquidity and stability; (3) Deutsche Bank and other broker-dealers routinely intervened in auctions for their own benefit, to set rates and prevent all-hold auctions and failed auctions; and (4) Deutsche Bank continued to market auction rate securities as liquid investments after it had determined that it and other broker dealers were likely to withdraw their support for the periodic auctions and that a "freeze" of the market for auction rate securities would result.

INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION:
SIC Code: 6022
Sector: Financial
Industry: Money Center Banks


COMPANY/ISSUER NAME: Deutsche Bank AG
COMPANY/ISSUER TICKER: DB
COMPANY WEBSITE: http://www.deutsche-bank.de

FIRST IDENTIFIED COMPLAINT IN THE DATABASE
Richard Kraemer, et al. v. Deutsche Bank AG, et al.
 COURT: S.D. New York  DOCKET NUMBER: 08-CV-02788
 JUDGE NAME: Hon. Loretta A. Preska
 DATE FILED: 3/17/2008  SOURCE: Notice of Filing
 CLASS PERIOD START: 3/17/2003  CLASS PERIOD END: 2/13/2008
 TYPE OF COMPLAINT: Complaint (Unamended and Unconsolidated)
 PLAINTIFF FIRMS NAMED IN COMPLAINT:
  • Girard Gibbs LLP
      601 California Street, Suite 1400, San Francisco, CA, 94108
       (voice) 415.981.4800, (fax) 415.981.4846, mail@girardgibbs.com
    _____________________________________________
     TOTAL NUMBER OF PLAINTIFF FIRMS:  1

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