FINRA Arbitrators Rule Expelled Brokerage Must Pay $3.2 Million for Excessive Trading

Posted on October 2nd, 2023 at 1:09 PM
FINRA Arbitrators Rule Expelled Brokerage Must Pay $3.2 Million for Excessive Trading

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrators issued an award holding Salomon Whitney Financial (SW Financial) accountable for excessive, unsuitable, and unauthorized stock trading on margin in a customer account.

The FINRA panel ordered the firm to pay a total of $3.2 million, which includes $1.4 million in compensatory damages, $500,000 in punitive damages, $975,171 in returned commissions and fees, $297,208 in attorneys' fees, $7602 in costs, and $400 in arbitration fees.

According to InvestmentNews, the customer accused Peter Girgis, the financial advisor at SW Financial, of engaging in churning with high-risk stocks. The customer further alleged that Girgis did not conduct reasonable due diligence on these unsuitable investments and failed to disclose the associated risks and the strategy.

 

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

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, finra

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

I am so glad I found you! Wow! I appreciate your help, concern and guidance.

RB

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

November 4, 2025
FINRA Suspends Former Morgan Stanley Advisor Over $180,000 in Improper Transfers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) suspended former Morgan Stanley advisor C.J. Kline for two years and imposed a $5,000 fine for allegedly executing more than $180,000 in improper fund transfers between his personal and brokerage accounts.

November 3, 2025
Former Florida Broker Pleads Guilty in $2.7 Million Investment Fraud and PPP Loan Scheme

Former Florida broker Jared Dean Eakes, 34, of Jacksonville, has pleaded guilty to wire and bank fraud in connection with a $2.7 million investment scam and a separate scheme involving over $4.75 million in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida.

October 30, 2025
SEC Sues Former Franchise Group CEO Over $350 Million Hedge Fund Fraud

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Brian Kahn, former CEO of Franchise Group Inc., alleging he defrauded investors of more than $350 million in a multi-year investment adviser fraud tied to the collapse of Prophecy Asset Management (Prophecy).