Elder fraud is becoming a significant concern of regulators, and firms. As the older population grows, so do the issues related to them and their money. We have covered this topic before, and the SEC recently charged four former Atlanta-area brokers with fraudulently inducing federal employees to roll over holdings […]
Brokers
Commentary, news and links of interest to financial advisers.
Record SEC Award Expected for JPMorgan Whistleblowers
The SEC is expected to present the largest whistleblower award in its history – possibly $70.6 million or more to be shared by two whistleblowers in a case involving a former adviser at JPMorgan Chase – according to a SEC letter released by one of the whistleblowers. The award results […]
Not All Trial Lawyers Can Handle All Kinds Of Trials
I am a trial lawyer, a litigator, and have been at it for over 30 years. While I have represented clients at trial, in state and federal courts, most of my trial experience is in securities arbitrations, and virtually all of my work is in the securities area. The point […]
Markups, Markdowns
In recent years, markups have become a growing concern for regulators, and brokerage firm markup policies and procedures have come under increasing scrutiny from the SEC and the NASD. Essentially, a markup, or markdown, is the amount of money above (or below) the “inside” market that a broker dealer may […]
Five-Year Statute Applies to Claims for Disgorgement
The Supreme Court ruled [June 5, 2017] that claims for disgorgement brought by the SEC are governed by a five-year statute of limitations. The Court’s unanimous opinion in Kokesh v. SEC, No. 16-529, slip op. at 5 (U.S. June 5, 2017) (Sotomayor, J.), held that disgorgement, as it is applied […]
Bored Traders on Tinder
A Symptom of Wall Street Revenue Dip One bond trader says he’s been slipping out early to watch his kids play sports. A fund manager says his office just staged a golf retreat. A trading supervisor at another bank confides he’s swiping through a lot of profiles on Tinder, the […]
The Wells Notice and Wells Submission
Receiving a subpoena from the SEC, or an 8210 Request from FINRA can be the start of a long investigative process while can ultimately lead to a Wells Notice, and an enforcement proceeding. How you handle that process can dictate the end result, and you need to retain competent securities […]
Was the Account Churned?
Churning is excessive trading in a customer’s account by a broker taken in the context of the customer’s financial situation and investment objectives. While no one test is available to determine if an account has been churned, churning requires three elements, first, excessive trading, and second, control of the account […]
FINRA, States enact new rules to fight elder abuse
FINRA is following many states in pressing forward with a rule that aims to give advisers more tools to combat elder abuse, a large and growing problem that many financial professionals are struggling to address. FINRA has developed a rule that aims to better protect elderly clients and also give […]
Goldman Sachs Sues Two Ex-Executives Over Client Poaching – Bloomberg
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. sued two former vice presidents in the bank’s private wealth management unit in Chicago, claiming they poached clients for their own new investment advisory business. The two men, Jeffrey Friedstein and Joseph Page, gave notice on Friday they were quitting, Goldman Sachs said in a complaint […]