Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

Class Action Suits Target Major Banks Over Cash Sweep Programs

Posted on November 27th, 2024 at 1:04 PM
Class Action Suits Target Major Banks Over Cash Sweep Programs

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley face class action lawsuits alleging they exploited cash sweep programs to generate “massive revenue” at clients' expense. According to WealthManagement, those cases add to recent complaints over similar practices against LPL, Raymond James, Ameriprise, and UBS.

The complaints, filed in New York’s Southern District by Safron Capital Corporation and Brickman Investments, assert that the banks automatically swept uninvested client funds into low-interest-bearing accounts within affiliated banks, creating a conflict of interest. Plaintiffs argue that, by doing so, the banks earned profit from the spread, or difference, between the interest paid to clients and the banks' income on these deposits. This practice, they allege, misled clients into thinking they were receiving competitive interest rates while, in reality, rates on these sweep accounts were significantly lower than those offered through direct deposits or available from competitors.

As reported by WealthManagement, the Wells Fargo’s complaint alleges that the firm breached its fiduciary duty to advisory clients and violated the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest rule by failing to disclose the financial implications of its sweep program fully. The firms are denying wrongdoing. Morgan Stanley, for example, is claiming that its sweep program had been thoroughly disclosed and that clients provided consent upon account opening.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

I learned two important things working with Eccleston Law. First, I made a friend and ally with Jim and Steph for life. Secondly, and this is a crucial life lesson - if you need counsel, then seek out the very best. Jim was referred to me by a most trusted source. I've never had to hire an attorney for anything. Now, I know the value of hiring an important partner. Meticulous, thorough and detailed in preparation is the best way to describe Jim. Brilliant too, I might add. Bottom line, I would highly highly recommend Jim and Stephany for your legal needs. One of the best life decisions I've ever made.

Howard S.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1781893504 Law
June 19, 2026
FINRA Suspends Former Stifel Rep for Undisclosed Customer Settlements

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended a former Stifel representative for three months and imposed a $10,000 fine after finding that she settled customer complaints without notifying her firm and conducted securities-related communications through an unapproved personal device.

1781798110 Law
June 18, 2026
Silver Star Properties REIT Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Mounting Defaults and Investor Losses

Silver Star Properties REIT, a publicly registered nontraded real estate investment trust formerly known as Hartman Short Term Income Properties XX Inc., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to reports by AltsWire.

1781712614 Law
June 17, 2026
As Wealth Management Consolidation Accelerates, Some Advisors Reevaluate the Meaning of Independence

According to AdvisorHub, the independent wealth management industry has entered a new phase of evolution, prompting some advisors to question whether the firms that once championed independence now increasingly resemble the traditional institutions many advisors left behind.