of Wall Street's bulge bracket, a list of nine of the largest and most profitable banks. The company was one of the world's most important banks, upon which international financial stability depends. The bank was also one of Fortune Magazine's most admired companies. As of 2004, Credit Suisse was first in volume of high-yield transactions, second for corporate high-yield bond insurance and third for IPO underwriting. As of 2012, Credit Suisse was recognised as the world's best private bank by Euromoney Global Private Banking Survey and as the best European Equity Manager by Global Investors. In polls by Euromoney, it has been ranked as the top private bank and the best bank in Switzerland. in 1995, the Securities Data Company ranked Credit Suisse as the fourth best place for financial advice for mergers and acquisitions in the US and sixth for domestic equity issues. Credit Suisse was recognized by the Asset Triple A Awards and in 2005 it was ranked as the second best prime broker by Institutional Investor. Controversies Mismarking, 2007 In 2007, two Credit Suisse traders pleaded guilty to mismarking their securities positions to overvalue them by $3 billion, avoid losses, and increase their year-end bonuses. Federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission charged that the traders' goal was to obtain lavish year-end bonuses that the mismarking would lead to. The traders engaged in what The New York Times called "a brazen scheme to artificially increase the price of bonds on their books to create fictitious profits". A team of traders, facing an inquiry from Credit Suisse's internal controls Price Testing group, justified their bond portfolio's inflated value by obtaining "independent" marks from other banks' trading desks. The traders secured sham "independent" marks for illiquid securities that they held position in from friends who worked at other financial firms. Their friends generated prices that valued a number of bonds at the prices that the traders requested, which the traders then recorded as the true value of the bonds. The bank was not charged in the case. Credit Suisse's outside auditor discovered the mismarkings during an audit. Credit Suisse took a $2.65 billion write-down after discovering their traders' mismarking. International Emergency Economic Powers Act and New York State Law violations, 2009 On 16 December 2009, it was announced that the U.S. Dept. of Justice reached a settlement with Credit Suisse over accusations that the bank assisted residents of