For ten years, a certified public accounting firm audited the books of an investment company to prepare disclosure documents required by the SEC. The head of the firm was stealing investors' funds and rigging the books, and the accountants never found out. One day the head of the firm disappeared, leaving behind a mess and many unhappy investors. The investors sued the accounting firm to recover the money they lost, claiming that the firm was liable for securities fraud. Who do you think prevailed? [Ernst and Ernst v. Hochfelder, 96 S. Ct. 1375 (1976)]