12659
. (a) The Attorney General, in his or her discretion, (1) may
make public or private investigations within or outside of this state
that the Attorney General deems necessary to determine whether any
person has violated or is about to violate the securities law or the
commodities law or to aid in the enforcement of these laws or in the
prescribing of rules and forms by the Commissioner of Corporations
under these laws, and (2) may publish information concerning any
violation of the securities law or the commodities law.
(b) In making any investigation authorized by subdivision (a), the
Attorney General may, for a reasonable time not exceeding 30 days,
take possession of the books, records, accounts, and other papers
pertaining to the business of any broker-dealer or investment adviser
and place a keeper in exclusive charge of them in the place where
they are usually kept. During this possession no person shall remove
or attempt to remove any of the books, records, accounts, or other
papers except pursuant to a court order or with the consent of the
Attorney General, but the directors, officers, partners, and
employees of the broker-dealer or investment adviser may examine
them, and employees shall be permitted to make entries therein
reflecting current transactions.
(c) For the purpose of any investigation or proceeding under the
securities law or the commodities law, the Attorney General or any
officer designated by him or her may administer oaths and
affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, take
evidence, and require the production of books, papers,
correspondence, memoranda, agreements, or other documents or records
that the Attorney General deems relevant or material to the inquiry.
(d) In case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpoena issued
to, any person, the superior court, upon application by the Attorney
General, may issue to the person an order requiring him or her to
appear before the Attorney General, or the officer designated by the
Attorney General, there to produce documentary evidence, if so
ordered, or to give evidence touching the matter under investigation
or in question. Failure to obey the order of the court may be
punished by the court as a contempt.
(e) No person is excused from attending and testifying or from
producing any document or record before the Attorney General, or in
obedience to the subpoena of the Attorney General or any officer
designated by him or her, or in any proceeding instituted by the
Attorney General, on the ground that the testimony or evidence,
documentary or otherwise, required of him or her may tend to
incriminate him or her or subject him or her to a penalty or
forfeiture, but no individual may be prosecuted or subjected to any
penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter,
or thing concerning which he or she is compelled, after validly
claiming his or her privilege against self-incrimination, to testify
or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, except that an
individual testifying is not exempt from prosecution and punishment
for perjury or contempt committed in testifying.