Easterly ROCMuni Fund Collapse Triggers Investor Lawsuits

Posted on September 18th, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Easterly ROCMuni Fund Collapse Triggers Investor Lawsuits

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Easterly ROCMuni High Income Municipal Bond Fund (tickers RMHIX, RMHVX, RMJAX) suffered a significant collapse in mid-2025, wiping out hundreds of millions in value and leaving many investors with steep losses.

On June 13, 2025, the fund’s share price dropped by 30 percent, and its assets fell from more than $230 million to under $17 million within months. According to news sources, investors who believed they were buying a conservative municipal bond product instead found themselves exposed to a portfolio concentrated in junk-rated, illiquid, and leveraged municipal bonds. When those assets were suddenly marked down, the fund’s value collapsed. Several lawsuits allege that the fund:

  • Inflated asset values through flawed pricing practices.
  • Failed to disclose its heavy reliance on risky, illiquid bonds.
  • Marketed itself as a stable municipal bond fund when it functioned more like a junk bond fund.

Brokers at firms including Stifel Nicolaus & Company and Osaic Wealth allegedly recommended the fund to conservative, income-seeking clients, including elderly investors. In one case, a Brooklyn widow in her eighties claims her advisor concentrated two-thirds of her retirement account into the Easterly ROCMuni Fund just weeks before its collapse.

Under Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), broker-dealers must disclose material risks, act with care, manage conflicts of interest, and ensure compliance systems are in place. Claims now focus on whether brokers violated these obligations by recommending a risky, illiquid junk bond fund to investors who expected stable municipal income.

Questions have also been raised about potential conflicts of interest. Some lawsuits suggest that “shelf-space” or revenue-sharing arrangements may have incentivized brokers to recommend the fund, despite its risks. If true, those practices would require disclosure and mitigation under Reg BI. Investors who purchased shares between May 2023 and June 2025 and suffered losses may have legal claims. Recovery options include FINRA arbitration against brokers for misrepresentation, failure to supervise, or Reg BI violations. Those with losses or with information should contact Eccleston Law, LLC.

 

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

Jim, Stephany and the whole team were a God send.  We felt like we were put into a situation where we had no advocate. Jim’s team came in with a strong, well laid out strategy on how to get our story heard. Where our outside compliance company had no ability to help, our Broker Dealer was impenitent, and the regulators were aggressive pursuing vague rules, Jim came like a barricade against an assault we did not understand. Though you pay member dues to be affiliated with FINRA and a B/D, you have no voice. The only thing that is truly heard in this un-level playing field is a bulldog’s bark like Jim’s. I would encourage anyone to call Jim and his team to find a real ally in the tough and complicated world of securities regulation. They are truly the best.

Greg P.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

November 20, 2025
Supreme Alliance Fined for Failure to Supervise Variable Annuity Sales

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined Supreme Alliance $80,000 for failing to supervise recommendations and exchanges involving deferred variable annuities, as well as for failing to document background checks for newly hired registered representatives.

November 19, 2025
Lawsuit Accuses Inspired Healthcare Capital of Concealing Insolvency

According to news sources, a new lawsuit alleges that Inspired Healthcare Capital (IHC) and its CEO, Luke Lee, misrepresented the company’s financial health and concealed insolvency from a lender who extended a $1.5 million loan in late 2024.

 

November 18, 2025
Former FINRA Brokers with Misconduct Histories Flock to Insurance Industry, According to Recent Study

A recent academic study reveals that thousands of brokers expelled from the securities industry for misconduct nonetheless continue to operate under state insurance licenses, often selling annuities and other financial products to unsuspecting clients.