I am beginning to figure out (I think) the cause of what investor advocates find offensive inside the investment industry. The underlying causes are not limited to this industry only, but can be seen in many, many ethical failures. The tainted blood scnadal, accounting scandals, medical, phamacuetical, nuclear power, you name it. Lets take a look at the common themes.

Three essential ingredients and three separate crimes are typically found.

One ingredient is corporate and or personal greed. Found everywhere. Not difficult.

Second ingredient is beaurocratic indifference. Workers etc who just dont care enough to do their jobs correctly. Also fairly prevalent.

Third ingredient is regulatory failure, which may be related to number two above, but more likely is not just laziness. Most regulators find it difficult, if not impossible to admit large systemic problems exist under thier watch, so they become co-conspirators instead. They become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

First crime is the actual abuse of trust, whether it be a financial advisor taking advantage of his client for personal gain,, child abuse, malpractice, embezlement, bribe, whatever.

Second crime is the cover up, involving individuals of considerable power or influence who were not involved personally in the initial wrongdoing, but whose sense of loyalty is stronger than their attachment to honesty and openness. Since exaggerated loyalty may be the very quality that gives such people power and influence (think Liberal party hacks and Adscam), it is hard to know what can be done about loyalty as self serving weakness.

Third crime is the hoodwinking of police and the public with false assurances that all is well.

(last three crimes taken from the book "DARK AGE AHEAD", by Jane Jacobs, from recommended reading list of Nick Murray, one of the self styled gurus of investment advisor behavior. The book points to the "failure of professionals to self regulate properly" as one of the five pandemic symptoms of a society that is in dangerous decline