Precedent, sop or isolated case whichever way you look at it, the resolution of a dispute between the SEC and Deloitte’s Chinese unit over its refusal to hand over documents relating to Longtop Financial Technologies, a mainland company under investigation for fraud, is a big moment.
The US regulator had issued a subpoena to force the local affiliate of the Big Four accounting firm to produce audit work papers and other documents relating to a possible fraud at the Chinese company.
However, on Monday the SEC and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CPA DTTC filed a joint motion to have the lawsuit, more than two years old, dismissed by...