Ernst & Young settles charges that two ex-auditors got 'too close' to clients

Three former Ernst & Young partners and a client's former chief accounting officer also settled SEC charges, agreeing to various penalties and suspensions, the agency said. SEC investigations found that Gregory Bednar, a former senior partner on the audit team for a New York-based public company, had "maintained an improperly close friendship" with its chief financial officer, the agency said in a statement. Pamela Hartford, a second former partner on another audit team, had been "romantical