Eccleston Law Blog

SEC Fines New York RIA $50,000 for Custody Rule Violations

September 8th, 2025 at 1:32 PM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has fined Munakata Associates, a New York-based registered investment adviser, $50,000 for failing to comply with the agency’s custody rule requirements.
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Merrill Lynch Advisor Faces FINRA Disciplinary Action for Refusing to Cooperate with Investigation

September 5th, 2025 at 2:07 PM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has initiated disciplinary proceedings against former Merrill Lynch broker Ali F. Chehab of Portland, Oregon. According to ThinkAdvisor, FINRA alleges that he refused to cooperate in an investigation into potential misconduct, including unauthorized trading and material misrepresentations to clients.
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Wells Fargo Ties $2,000 Bonus to Non-Solicitation Clause, Raising Advisor Concerns

September 4th, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Wells Fargo & Co. recently issued a $2,000 bank-wide award to its 215,000 employees, following the Federal Reserve’s June decision to lift its asset growth restrictions.
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Kansas City Advisory Firms Agree to $25.5 Million Settlement Over No-Poach Allegations

September 3rd, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Mariner Wealth Advisors, along with two other Kansas City-area firms, has agreed to a $25.5 million class action settlement over allegations that they illegally agreed not to solicit each other’s advisors.
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FINRA Fines TradeStation Securities Over Deficient Crypto Communications

September 2nd, 2025 at 11:24 AM
FINRA has fined TradeStation Securities Inc. $85,000 for violations related to retail communications about crypto assets and crypto asset-related services.
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FINRA's 2025 Industry Snapshot Highlights

August 29th, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) has published its 2025 Industry Snapshot. The Snapshot provides a detailed view of its member firms, registered representatives, and trading activity, revealing both consolidation in the industry and shifts in business models.
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Former Raymond James Advisor Barred by FINRA Over Misappropriation Probe

August 28th, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has permanently barred former Raymond James financial advisor Meredith Archer Webber after she failed to comply with repeated requests for documents and testimony during an investigation into the possible misappropriation of funds from two elderly clients, according to ThinkAdvisor.
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SEC Fines American Portfolios Advisors $1.75 Million for Overbilling and Undisclosed Conflicts

August 27th, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has fined American Portfolios Advisors $1.75 million for a series of violations that occurred between August 2020 and March 2023, including overbilling advisory clients and failing to disclose conflicts of interest tied to compensation arrangements.
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NIL Era Exposes Student-Athletes to Financial Fraud and Uncharted Risks

August 26th, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The evolving world of paying college athletics has opened new revenue streams for student-athletes. According to Wealth Management it has also invited a host of fifinancial dangers that many young players are ill-equipped to manage.
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Former Broker Indicted for $9.7M Ponzi Scheme Involving Fake Bond Investments

August 25th, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Federal authorities have indicted former securities broker Edwin Emmett Lickiss Jr., 77, on wire fraud and money laundering charges for allegedly orchestrating a $9.5 million Ponzi scheme involving at least 50 investors.
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LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 30, 2026
FINRA Arbitration Panel Orders J.P. Morgan to Amend Form U-5, Flags Potential Pattern of Conduct

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel recently issued an unusually detailed decision in a dispute between J.P. Morgan Securities and former advisor Joshua David Sappi Biering, shedding rare light on how a firm may deploy - and sometimes abuse - the Form U-5 during advisor departures.

January 29, 2026
OFAC Targets Individual Trustee, Sending a Clear Warning to Fiduciaries and Family Offices

In a rare move, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) penalized a former U.S. government official, underscoring that professional gatekeepers can face personal liability for sanctions violations tied to trust administration.

January 28, 2026
FINRA Advances Overhaul of Outside Business Activity Rules to the SEC

FINRA formally has advanced its proposed overhaul of outside business activity (OBA) regulations to the Securities and Exchange Commission.