FINRA Suspends Advisor Who Helped His Barred Father Service Clients

Posted on March 3rd, 2021 at 1:19 PM
FINRA Suspends Advisor Who Helped His Barred Father Service Clients

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law LLC:

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) fined and suspended James Schumaker, an independent advisor. According to the finalized settlement, the Indiana-based advisor violated FINRA's "catch-all" Rule 2010 that requires "high standards of commercial honor."  The advisor allegedly assisted his barred father continue to work with clients. The advisor agreed to pay a $5,000 fine in addition to serving a nine-month suspension.  

According to FINRA, Schumaker permitted his father to attend client meetings, discuss brokerage account strategies, and engage in email communication with customers. The father-son duo also maintained an office and shared a phone line at the Cambridge Investment Research (Cambridge) branch location. During a branch audit in 2018, examiners at Cambridge found Schumaker's father on the premises, warned Schumaker that his father's presence was not allowed, and cautioned that he could not provide any investment advice. The advisor confirmed that he understood. However, in February 2019, Cambridge found the eldest Schumaker meeting with a customer in the conference room, according to FINRA.   

The elder Schumaker served as an advisor for 24 years before his industry bar. FINRA barred him from the industry after failing to cooperate with an investigation into allegations that he misappropriated around $8,200 while serving as treasurer of a homeowner's association. The eldest Schumaker did not disclose his removal from the industry to his clients. Instead, his son, James, took over his accounts in 2018. 

Eccleston Law LLC represents financial advisors nationwide. Please contact us to discuss any issues that you may have.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, finra, family affair

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

I just received this letter from the CFP Board. Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!

David Y

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

November 27, 2024
Class Action Suits Target Major Banks Over Cash Sweep Programs

Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley face class action lawsuits alleging they exploited cash sweep programs to generate “massive revenue” at clients' expense.

November 26, 2024
Arizona Revokes Advisor's License for Misrepresenting High-Risk GPB Capital Investments

The Arizona Corporation Commission has revoked the license of Scottsdale-based investment advisor representative Luke M. Johnson, who sold over $10 million in high-risk private placements by GPB Capital Holdings. 

November 25, 2024
Osaic Advisor Fined and Suspended for Submitting False Bank Statements

AdvisorHub recently reported that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has imposed a $5,000 fine and a two-month suspension on Kalomira Zangoulos, a former Osaic advisor in Sterling Heights, Michigan.