FINRA Enforcement Suspends Rep for Outside Business Activity

Posted on March 12th, 2020 at 3:34 PM
FINRA Enforcement Suspends Rep for Outside Business Activity

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law LLC:

Former Morgan Stanley Manager, Ben Fujihara, agreed to a $5,000 fine and a 30-day suspension from association with any FINRA member firm, following allegations by FINRA Enforcement that Fujihara failed to notify his FINRA-member firm about the full nature of his participation in an outside business activity, in violation of FINRA Rules 3270 and 2010. 

According to a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (“AWC”) signed by Fujihara on February 29, 2020, Fujihara was permitted to resign from Morgan Stanley “following concerns about . . . his adherence to the terms of an approval for an outside business activity that was not investment-related.”

FINRA Enforcement alleged that Fujihara engaged in an “OBA” without providing full and accurate prior written notice to Morgan Stanley when he purchased and resold a small number of firearms.  Fujihara previously had disclosed the existence of an outside business that engaged in gunsmithing activities, but Morgan Stanley had approved this outside business activity only for the purpose of gunsmithing activities, and not for the purpose of acting as a firearms dealer. 

By signing the AWC, Fujihara accepted and consented to the entry of FINRA Enforcement’s findings, without admitting or denying those findings.

The attorneys of Eccleston Law LLC represent investors and advisors nationwide in securities and employment matters. The securities lawyers at Eccleston Law also practice a variety of other areas of practice for financial investors and advisors including Securities FraudCompliance ProtectionBreach of Fiduciary DutyFINRA Matters, and much more. Our attorneys draw on a combined experience of nearly 65 years in delivering the highest quality legal services. If you are in need of legal services, contact us to schedule a one-on-one consultation today.

Related Attorneys: James J. Eccleston

Tags: james eccleston, eccleston law, eccleston law llc, eccleston, ben fujihara, finra, awc

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

April 22, 2024
FINRA Fines Independent Broker-Dealers Over Cybersecurity Lapses

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has imposed fines and censured independent broker-dealers Osaic Wealth and Securities America for cybersecurity deficiencies that led to hackers accessing the private information of more than 32,000 customers.

April 19, 2024
WealthFeed Raises Funds for AI-Driven Lead Generation Tool

WealthFeed leverages proprietary AI technology to collect nine real-time financial data points, including business sales, capital raises, inheritances, and job changes.

April 18, 2024
SEC Fines Target Off-Channel Communications

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is ramping up its enforcement efforts targeting off-channel communications, particularly text messages, among investment advisory firms.