Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

Former Morgan Stanley Advisor Agrees to Settle with FINRA for Unapproved Investments

Posted on December 22nd, 2023 at 10:39 AM
Former Morgan Stanley Advisor Agrees to Settle with FINRA for Unapproved Investments

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

Former Morgan Stanley advisor Sara Y. Qazi has agreed to a $15,000 fine and a three-month suspension after the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) had alleged that she aided a client in an unauthorized private investment.

The Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) disclosed that from March to June 2020, Qazi, now employed at Raymond James & Associates, assisted a customer in purchasing $250,000 worth of a healthcare company's stock not offered by Morgan Stanley, her then-employer, without approval. Despite not receiving compensation for the transaction, Qazi conducted due diligence on the healthcare company at the client's request. This included reviewing financial data, participating in due diligence calls with the company's management, and coordinating fund transfers for the unnamed company mentioned in the settlement.

Additionally, between June and July 2020, Qazi distributed a written presentation crafted by the healthcare company to five individuals, including a Morgan Stanley customer. According to AdvisorHub, the presentation included information about a private offering by the company.

The AWC states that those actions by Qazi violated FINRA rules related to communication standards with the public and engaging in private securities transactions without firm approval. Additionally, the activities were deemed to breach Rule 2010, which mandates "high standards" of conduct.

 

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
Quotes Bigger

Thank you so very much for your guidance, patience, and expertise.

Beth and Steve K.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1788870175 Law
September 8, 2026
Merrill Lynch and Advisor Settle Court Case for $6 Million After Advisor Allegedly Exploited Grieving Widow

A financial advisor allegedly exploited a client's grief over the deaths of her father and husband, showering her with attention before persuading her to hand over millions of dollars in gifts, according to reporting by InvestmentNews.

1788461574 Law
September 3, 2026
Texas Investment Adviser Faces Washington State Charges Over Misleading Crypto Portfolio Claims

Washington state securities regulators have charged an Austin, Texas registered investment adviser (RIA) and its founder with making misleading statements about the risks tied to one of its model portfolios, which invested heavily in crypto-backed products and volatile exchange-traded funds, according to InvestmentNews.

1788376975 Law
September 2, 2026
Lakers Owner Sells Team for Record $12.5 Billion Amid Federal Probe

Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter has sold his majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers just as federal regulators investigate potential financial improprieties at insurance and annuities companies that he owns, InvestmentNews reports.