Former Merrill Lynch Advisor Sanctioned for Unauthorized Crypto Work and Misleading Letters

Posted on October 23rd, 2024 at 10:57 AM
Former Merrill Lynch Advisor Sanctioned for Unauthorized Crypto Work and Misleading Letters

From te desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

A former Merrill Lynch advisor, John Rollin Revelle, has been suspended for 10 months and fined $7,500 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for engaging in unauthorized activities, including working for a cryptocurrency exchange and issuing misleading asset verification letters.

According to AdvisorHub, Revelle earned over $29,000 while employed by a start-up cryptocurrency exchange, where he assisted in processing investments. Revelle undertook this role without obtaining permission from Merrill Lynch, thereby violating FINRA’s rules against unauthorized outside business activities.

Additionally, Revelle drafted, signed, and distributed three asset verification letters on Merrill Lynch letterhead without firm authorization.

Those letters contained false statements, including exaggerations of the asset values of the individual they were intended to benefit and incorrectly identifying that person as a Merrill customer.

FINRA determined that these actions violated Rule 2010, which mandates that industry professionals uphold “high standards” of commercial honor. Revelle accepted FINRA’s sanctions without admitting or denying the allegations in what is known as an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (“AWC”).

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents financial advisors and investors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

Hiring Eccleston Law has been one of the best career decisions I have made and this "investment" to maintain my sterling regulatory record has been returned many times over.  If you are in a situation where you've been unfairly accused, don't hesitate to talk with Eccleston Law. They are the best.

Thomas C.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

October 21, 2025
Judge Denies Merrill Lynch's TRO in Advisor Transition

A federal judge has rejected Merrill Lynch’s request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against a group of former financial advisors who left the firm to launch their own independent practice, OpenArc Corporate Advisory, under Dynasty Financial Partners’ platform with custody at Charles Schwab.

October 20, 2025
FINRA Accuses Former MML Broker of Cheating on SIE Exam

Regulators have accused a former MML Investors Services-affiliated broker of cheating on the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam, according to a recent Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) enforcement complaint.

October 17, 2025
FINRA Fines Oak Hills Securities for Private Placement Misconduct

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has censured and fined Oak Hills Securities Inc., an Oklahoma City brokerage, for multiple rule violations over five years.