Goldman Sachs is trying its own brand of top kill: The New York Times and Wall Street Journal report the investment bank plans to settle with the SEC for a lesser offense, so it doesn't have to admit to fraud.

CEO Lloyd Blankfein (pictured) and his minions will still probably pay a fine of several hundred million dollars to make the case go away. Or "a good week" as they call it over there. The SEC would not comment on the reports—there's a chance it wouldn't accept such a settlement in such a high profile case. If it did, however, according to the Times:

Goldman would neither admit nor deny wrongdoing.

And the circle is complete.