FINRA Penalizes Advisor for Falsifying Client Signatures

Posted on October 16th, 2024 at 2:44 PM
FINRA Penalizes Advisor for Falsifying Client Signatures

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

FINRA has imposed a $7,500 fine and a one-year suspension on Richard Dean Connally. Connally is accused of forging or falsifying client signatures on hundreds of insurance account documents. Connally worked as a registered representative for FBL Marketing Services LLC and as an insurance agent for an affiliated life insurance company. According to ThinkAdvisor, Connally reportedly committed the violations from November 2007 through September 2022.

According to FINRA’s Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”), Connally falsified signatures on various forms, including insurance applications, money movement forms, change of beneficiary requests, policy service requests, and verification forms. Although his clients had authorized the underlying transactions and did not issue complaints, Connally’s actions nonetheless violated FINRA standards.

FINRA noted that Connally also falsely attested compliance with firm policies prohibiting the signing of a customer’s name. By forging and/or falsifying signatures, Connally breached NASD Rule 2110 and FINRA Rule 2010, which enforce ethical conduct in the securities industry.

 

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 blessed to have you and your dynamic team defending me. Your ethics, forward thinking and strategies are amazing.  You guys are the best group of attorneys in the country that I could hire to handle this complicated case.

Cindy C.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

February 12, 2026
CFTC Signals New Rulemaking for Prediction Markets and Crypto Oversight

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) plans to develop new regulations governing the growing prediction markets industry, Chairman Michael Selig announced, signaling a shift in regulatory strategy.

February 11, 2026
Ameriprise Advisor Phishing Incident Potentially Exposes Client Data

A phishing incident involving an Ameriprise Financial advisor potentially exposed the personal information of hundreds of clients, according to a disclosure posted by the Maine Attorney General’s office.

February 10, 2026
Merrill Lynch Expands Client Disclosures on Crypto and AI Risks

Merrill Lynch updated its required client disclosure brochure to address, for the first time, the evolving risks tied to cryptocurrency-linked investments and the firm’s expanding use of Artificial Intelligence tools.