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

FINRA Bars Former Merrill Lynch Advisor

Posted on August 26th, 2024 at 10:39 AM
FINRA Bars Former Merrill Lynch Advisor

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has barred Imdadur “Gino” Rahman, a former Merrill Lynch advisor for multiple compliance violations involving his relationship with an elderly customer.

AdvisorHub reports that FINRA's investigation revealed that from December 2021 to August 2022, Rahman facilitated the nearly 80-year-old customer’s designation of Rahman’s wife as the beneficiary of two Merrill accounts. To bypass Merrill's prohibition against an advisor or his or her family member serving as a beneficiary, Rahman falsely identified his wife as the customer's niece.

According to the Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”), Rahman also engaged in unapproved outside business activities from December 2021 to July 2023. He received $116,000 for services provided to the customer, such as buying furniture, and groceries, and driving the customer to appointments. Rahman instructed the customer to write checks to his wife, as he could not receive payments directly.

Furthermore, from August 2022 to July 2023, Rahman accepted monetary gifts totaling more than $47,000 from the customer to pay his own outstanding bills. He failed to disclose those gifts to Merrill and falsely stated on compliance questionnaires that he had not received unreported gifts.

Rahman's actions violated FINRA Rule 2010, which mandates brokers to act with "high standards." Although the customer did not file a complaint, and Rahman’s BrokerCheck record shows no disputes, FINRA’s investigation stemmed from Merrill’s U5 filing. Rahman accepted the bar without admitting or denying the findings. Merrill terminated him in October 2023 over similar allegations and he subsequently registered with L.M. Kohn & Company in Michigan.

 

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
Quotes Bigger

If the regulators are after you, and are trying to make a case against you, and you are going to contest their allegations against you, make sure you have the best securities industry defense lawyers, Eccleston Law Firm. My case was spun into a combination of penalties including fines, cash settlements, CE courses and suspension. They were the best I have seen in action. When all was said and done, they had done their magic, my situation was negotiated and settled with a simple "letter of caution" and a case closed without action. It is the most important legal business decision you will ever make, make it Eccleston Law.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1789155492 Law
September 11, 2026
SEC Considers Investor Test to Expand Accredited Investor Eligibility

The Securities and Exchange (SEC) Chairman Paul S.

1789059399 Law
September 10, 2026
Advisors Emphasize Early Planning as Key Defense Against Elder Financial Exploitation

Elder financial exploitation has reached crisis levels, according to InvestmentNews.

1789059201 Law
September 10, 2026
FINRA Arbitration Panel Awards $509,000 in Suit Over Conservation Easement Investments

InvestmentNews reports that a three-person arbitration panel under the aegis of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Dispute Resolution Services awarded $509,000 in damages to clients of Strategic Financial Alliance Inc.