FINRA Suspends Former Wells Fargo Broker Over Unapproved Real Estate Venture
From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) suspended former Wells Fargo broker George J. Cairnes for four months and fined him $25,000 for engaging in unapproved real estate outside business activity, according to a settlement letter issued.
From August 2015 to April 2023, Cairnes allegedly partnered with a firm customer to buy, manage, and sell real estate through a limited liability company he created for the venture. According to AdvisorHub, FINRA found that he received compensation from the activity without seeking or obtaining approval from Wells Fargo.
The regulator said Cairnes violated Rule 3270, which bars brokers from receiving compensation from an outside business activity without firm approval, and Rule 2010, which requires adherence to “high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade.” The letter noted that Cairnes falsely attested on multiple compliance questionnaires that he was not participating in any outside business activities.
AdvisorHub reports that Cairnes did not have legal representation during the settlement process and did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Wells Fargo also declined to comment.
Wells Fargo terminated Cairnes in July 2023 for allegedly facilitating loans between clients and individuals associated with him. The firm’s U5 filing triggered FINRA’s investigation.
In a related action, the Texas State Securities Board issued a Disciplinary Order in April 2024, finding that Cairnes received at least $175,000 for helping a client establish and operate a real estate business. The order barred him from registering as a licensed securities professional in Texas for two years.
AdvisorHub further reports that Cairnes also faces additional legal and financial issues. In August 2024, a FINRA arbitration panel ordered him to pay $180,000 to Wells Fargo over two promissory notes he had signed upon joining the firm in 2009 after the collapse of Stanford Financial Group.
Furthermore, Cairnes has a pending customer dispute from April 2023, alleging that a client extended a line of credit used to loan money to Cairnes, his family, and friends. The funds have not been fully repaid, according to AdvisorHub’s review of BrokerCheck.
Following his departure from Wells Fargo, Cairnes briefly joined Chelsea Financial Services, but the firm withdrew his registration application in November 2023, according to the Texas State Securities Board.
Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.
Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, finra, wells fargo





