(FORTUNE Magazine) – Is Time Warner getting ready to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission over allegations of accounting shenanigans at its AOL unit? As FORTUNE went to press, no deal had been announced, and Time Warner (parent of FORTUNE's publisher) declined to comment. But according to the Washington Post (which has been out in front--and right--on most aspects of the story), Time Warner and regulators are close to a $750 million settlement. That's a big number, especially considering WorldCom's $11 billion accounting fraud merited a $1.5 billion penalty, which the SEC knocked down to $500,000 because of the phone company's bankruptcy. Still, long-suffering investors are hoping any settlement, whatever the size, lifts the uncertainty bogging down Time Warner shares. -- Stephanie N. Mehta