FINRA Fines and Suspends Merrill Lynch Advisor Over Unauthorized Role as Estate Executor

Posted on February 1st, 2024 at 1:26 PM
FINRA Fines and Suspends Merrill Lynch Advisor Over Unauthorized Role as Estate Executor

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

Frederick R. Watson, a veteran advisor with 37 years of experience at Merrill Lynch, has been fined $10,000 and suspended for four months by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The penalty stems from allegations that Watson served as the executor of a client's estate without obtaining permission from Merrill Lynch.

According to AdvisorHub, Watson began acting as the executor in 2018 following the death of a longtime client. However, he allegedly falsely claimed on internal compliance questionnaires that he was not engaged in such a role. This violation of FINRA's outside business activity rule occurred without prior authorization from Merrill Lynch, preventing advisors from taking on roles with a "reasonable expectation of compensation" without firm approval. Although Watson sought compensation for his executor duties, he reportedly did not receive payment.

Merrill Lynch became aware of the situation in September 2019 when an estate beneficiary filed a lawsuit against Watson. In response, Merrill issued a written warning and reported the incident to FINRA, leading to the regulatory investigation that resulted in Watson's fine and suspension.

 

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

April 29, 2024
FINRA Regulatory Report Highlights Key Challenges

FINRA's recently released 2024 regulatory oversight report sheds light on evolving trends and challenges in the financial industry.

April 26, 2024
Morgan Stanley Seeks Injunction Against Former Advisor for Soliciting Clients

Morgan Stanley has taken legal action against Gregory T. Chevrier to prevent him from contacting his former clients.

April 25, 2024
B. Riley Financial Clears Air Amid Allegations, Stock Surges

Amidst swirling speculation regarding its connections with a client linked to the Prophecy Asset Management collapse, B. Riley Financial Inc. has conducted an internal
review, concluding no affiliations with the defunct hedge fund.