Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Yesterday a judge upheld the decision made last fall that holds Morgan Keegan responsible for a $1.4 million loss by investor Horace Grant. The retired Chicago Bulls basketball star sued Regions Morgan Keegan for losses resulting from his investments in mutual funds recommended by the financial management company. Morgan Keegan appealed the decision, saying arbitrators had already made up their minds against the investment company when they heard the case.

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An administrative hearing to discuss allegations of fraud against Morgan Keegan & Co. has been set for October 5, 2010, in Montgomery, Ala. Morgan Keegan is owned by Regions Financial Corp., based in Birmingham, Ala. Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the company, alleging it misrepresented high-risk funds tied to the volatile mortgage bond markets as “safe” or low-risk investments.  As a result, lawsuits allege investors lost huge portions of their funds almost overnight. It is estimated that losses may top $2 billion.

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A recent report in the Memphis Business Journal says Consulting Services Group LLC (CSG) is the latest company to file suit against Morgan Keegan & Co., alleging illegal actions resulting in significant losses in its investments in several Morgan Keegan funds. CSG, based in Memphis, provides investment services for foundations, endowments, public funds, trust companies and high-net worth individuals.

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A report by Reuters news service says Regions Financial Corp. CEO Dowd Ritter is open to “any and all” possibilities to raise capital in order to repay the U.S. goverment for the bailout money it loaned the institution. Regions, based in Birmingham, Ala., received $3.5 million in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds. However, despite this pledge, it is unclear that Region’s brokerage arm, Morgan Keegan, is on the table.

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According to a report in U.S. News & World Report, recent statistics released by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the organization that handles almost all securities arbitration, including claims by Regions Morgan Keegan investors, show there has been a notable increase in the number of filings. In particular, the organization is seeing an increase in claims involving bond funds, which are represented as generally secure investments.

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A recent news release published on the Class Action Newsline reports Regions Morgan Keegan has suffered another defeat at the hands of a FINRA arbitration panel in Boca Raton, Fla., which awarded $431,000 to plaintiff Philip Richardson for his losses in RMK investment funds. This is the latest in a string of judgments against Regions Financial Corp.’s Memphis-based Morgan Keegan unit.

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Noted baseball announcer Tim McCarver, who entered an arbitration case against Morgan Keegan & Co. in November 2008 claiming $1.6 million in losses has received $100,000 in compensatory damages, The Memphis Daily News reports.

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Today the Birmingham Business Journal reported that Regions Financial Corp., which is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., is selling off its 11 Regions Morgan Keegan (RMK) Select Funds. These funds are currently managed by Regions’ investment arm, Morgan Keegan & Co., based in Memphis. The funds will be sold to Pioneer Investment Managment, Inc., the Journal reports.

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The Memphis Daily News recently reported that Hyperion Brookfield Asset Management, which in July took over administration of seven Regions Morgan Keegan funds under fire for misrepresentation, will liquidate one of the funds, pending shareholder approval. The fund in question is the Regions Morgan Keegan Select Short Term Bond Fund.

Hyperion took over management of the Morgan Keegan investment arm of Regions after several funds suffered steep and sudden drops in value as a result of their connection to the subprime mortgage securities market.

On Dec. 30, the Daily News announced that Hyperion had changed the names of seven former RMK investment funds, now calling them Helios funds, reflecting the change in management, and of course removing the stigma of the RMK investment debacle.

Sales of the Select Short Term Bond Fund shares to new investors will stop effective Jan. 23.

According to a report in the Memphis Commercial Appeal today, seven former Regions Morgan Keegan investment funds have changed their names, and six have new trading symbols. The changes reflect the change in management from Regions Financial to Hyperion Brookfield Asset Management, which took over the troubled investment arm in July. Each fund name now starts with Helio, which is Hyperion’s brand name.

The Commercial Appeal quotes Marion Hayes, a spokesperson for Hyperion, as saying, “It’s not right for these funds to be named Regions Morgan Keegan funds when they’re managed by us.”

The change affects four closed-end funds and three open-end funds. Hyperion took over management of the Morgan Keegan investment arm from Regions after several funds suffered steep and sudden drops in value as a result of their connection to the subprime mortgage securities market.

Following is a list of the changes:

Former RMK funds:
Helios Advantage Income Fund: From RMA to HAV
Helios High Income Fund: From RMH to HIH
Helios Multi-Sector High Income Fund: From RHY to HMH
Helios Strategic Income Fund: From RSF to HSA

Former Regions-Morgan Keegan Select funds:
Helios Select High Income Fund: From MKHIX to HIFAX
Helios Select Intermediate Income Fund: From MKIBX to HSIBX
Helios Select Short Term Bond Fund: MSBIX, no change