FINRA Fines Newbridge Securities $125,000 for AML Failures and Unsuitable Recommendations

Posted on October 3rd, 2024 at 8:40 AM
FINRA Fines Newbridge Securities $125,000 for AML Failures and Unsuitable Recommendations

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

Newbridge Securities Corporation has been fined $125,000 and censured by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for inadequate anti-money laundering (AML) protocols and for unsuitable recommendations of complex investment products. In addition to the fine, the firm has been ordered to pay over $43,000 in restitution to affected customers, according to the DI Wire.

FINRA found that from June 2019 to July 2020, Newbridge failed to meet AML requirements when handling accounts for customers referred by a China-based issuer. The firm allowed numerous accounts to open without proper verification of customer identities, violating AML protocols.

Additionally, FINRA determined that between January 2015 and November 2019, Newbridge made unsuitable recommendations for customers with low or moderate risk tolerance to purchase Variable Rate Structured Products (VRSPs). These complex products initially offer a high “teaser” interest rate before shifting to a floating rate, posing significant risks to customers, particularly those with conservative investment goals. In some cases, Newbridge concentrated customer accounts in VRSPs, with positions exceeding 25% of their liquid net worth, exposing them to potential principal loss and little to no interest over extended periods.

These violations of FINRA rules, including Rule 3310 (AML compliance) and Rule 2111 (suitability of recommendations), led to the imposed sanctions. Without admitting or denying the findings, Newbridge consented to the fine and censure.

The DI Wire previously reported that Newbridge has faced several other regulatory actions. In September 2019, the firm was fined $225,000 for failing to properly supervise sales of complex securities. Additionally, in March 2023, Newbridge was fined $50,000 and ordered to pay over $114,000 in restitution for inadequate supervision of alternative mutual funds.

 

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

We just wanted to say thanks for your work in helping us get back some of the money we lost. We are not by any means rich, but we have saved some money and we have done so through a tight-fisted approach to most everything we do. So losing a significant chunk of money hurt…especially at a time when everyone else was growing their accounts. We really appreciate the work you did.

Allan and Adele

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

October 13, 2025
Morgan Stanley Cuts Advisor Deferrals in 2026 Compensation Plan, Boosting Advisor Payouts

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management announced a significant change to its 2026 compensation plan, cutting advisor deferral rates by half while keeping total pay and grid structures largely unchanged.

October 10, 2025
Former Two Sigma Quant Researcher Faces Fraud Charges Over Manipulated Models

Federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have filed parallel actions against Jian Wu, a former quantitative researcher at Two Sigma Investments, alleging he secretly manipulated algorithmic trading models to boost his own compensation by millions of dollars.

October 9, 2025
Former Merrill Lynch Advisors Fight Allegations of Corporate Raid

A dozen former Merrill Lynch advisors who launched their own firm, OpenArc Corporate Advisory, in Atlanta are pushing back against accusations that they orchestrated a “pre-meditated corporate raid.”