FINRA Issues Wells Notice to Advisor Austin Dutton

Posted on April 4th, 2024 at 1:14 PM
FINRA Issues Wells Notice to Advisor Austin Dutton

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

Austin Dutton, a seasoned Philadelphia-area advisor, received a Wells Notice from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA). The notice signifies FINRA's intent to bring a formal disciplinary action against Dutton for alleged violations of industry regulations concerning the turnover of information and documents.

InvestmentNews reports that Dutton has accumulated over 36 disclosure items on his BrokerCheck report, including customer complaints and investigations, and has a history of regulatory scrutiny. The Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities fined him $200,000 in 2017 for "dishonest or unethical practices" related to unsuitable security recommendations to clients.

In addition to regulatory sanctions, Dutton faces legal challenges from investors. Earlier this year, he lost an arbitration claim of $43,645 to a client over sales of GWG Holdings Inc. L Bonds. Despite this, Dutton has not paid the arbitration award, drawing further criticism from attorneys representing affected investors.

GWG Holdings, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2022, sold bonds backed by life settlements through advisors like Dutton.

 

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

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

March 13, 2026
Connecticut Advisor Pleads Guilty to Ponzi-Like Investment Fraud and Tax Evasion

Federal prosecutors announced that investment adviser John A.

March 12, 2026
Cape Coral Becomes Ground Zero for Private Lending Strains in Post-Pandemic Housing Market

Cape Coral, Florida, long a magnet for out-of-state real estate investors, now illustrates the growing risks of private lending in residential development.

March 11, 2026
SEC and Commonwealth Financial Network Move Toward Settlement in Revenue Sharing Disclosure Case

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commonwealth Financial Network notified a federal court that they are attempting to resolve a long running enforcement dispute involving alleged disclosure failures tied to revenue sharing payments, according to ThinkAdvisor.