Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has cleared an early hurdle in a $2 billion civil fraud lawsuit accusing Bank of New York Mellon of cheating clients on foreign exchange fees.

In a decision Tuesday, People v. Bank of New York Mellon, 114735/2009, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Marcy Friedman (See Profile) refused to dismiss Schneiderman's claims that BNY misled state pension funds and other investors about foreign exchange prices in violation of several state laws.