WASHINGTON AP – A federal judge in Florida ruled Wednesday that the head of two hedge funds deceived investors about the funds’ holdings. Elsewhere, federal regulators accused a California investment adviser of making tainted recommendations to clients.

In the Florida case, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled that Michael Lauer, the head of Connecticut-based hedge funds Lancer Management Group and Lancer Management Group II, engaged in a fraud that cost investors about $500 million, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.