Eccleston Law Blog

Former Edward Jones Advisor Barred After Refusing to Cooperate with FINRA Investigation

March 26th, 2025 at 2:11 PM
A former Edward Jones advisor, James A. Bowman, has accepted an industry bar rather than cooperate with a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation into allegations that he reimbursed clients for losses in their accounts.
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Pennsylvania Investor Sues Captrust Over $360,000 Phishing Scam Loss

March 25th, 2025 at 1:00 PM
A Pennsylvania investor has filed suit against Captrust Financial Advisors, alleging the firm failed to act swiftly in stopping a scam that drained her retirement savings.
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Merrill Lynch Advisor Sanctioned for Unauthorized Trading

March 24th, 2025 at 2:58 PM
FINRA has fined a former Merrill Lynch advisor $5,000 and suspended the advisor for 30 days for executing unauthorized trades in client accounts.
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SEC Updates Marketing Rule Guidance to Clarify Extracted Performance and Portfolio Metrics

March 21st, 2025 at 2:20 PM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued updated guidance on its marketing rule, addressing industry concerns regarding net performance requirements, extracted performance, and portfolio characteristics.
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Stifel Loses Raiding Case, Ordered to Pay Over $7 Million in Legal Fees

March 20th, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Stifel Financial has lost its raiding and breach-of-contract claim against a group of advisors who left its Indianapolis office to establish their own firm.
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FINRA Enforcement Actions in 2024: Fines Drop But Cases Increase

March 19th, 2025 at 10:26 AM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) imposed $59 million in fines in 2024, reflecting a 35 percent decrease from the previous year, according to an analysis by Eversheds Sutherland.
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Advisor Ordered to Pay $17.7 Million Over unsuitable REIT Sales

March 18th, 2025 at 3:33 PM
A FINRA arbitration panel has ordered former advisor Mark Sam Kolta to pay nearly $17.7 million in damages, plus interest and costs, to his former firm, National Securities, following allegations of breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
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FINRA Disciplinary Actions Rise for the First Time Since 2016

March 17th, 2025 at 11:51 AM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) increased its enforcement actions in 2024, marking the first rise in disciplinary cases since 2016, as reported by AdvisorHub.
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Apex Clearing to Pay $3.2 Million in FINRA Settlement Over Securities Lending Violations

March 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Apex Clearing, the clearing arm of Apex Fintech Solutions, has agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle FINRA allegations that it failed to ensure customers received compensation for lending their securities.
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Congress Considers Expanding the Accredited Investor Definition

March 13th, 2025 at 2:30 PM
A recent congressional hearing examined potential reforms to the accredited investor definition, a critical threshold determining who can participate in private market investments.
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Thank you so very much for your guidance, patience, and expertise.

Beth and Steve K.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

December 17, 2025
Audit Failures, Whistleblower Claims, and Renewed Scrutiny of the Big Four

A series of lawsuits, congressional findings, and high-profile corporate collapses has reignited long-standing concerns about the audit industry’s ability to confront fraud, as reported by Bloomberg Law.

December 16, 2025
Reminders for CFAs in Adhering to Compliance Standard, Client-Disclosure and Conflict Management Requirements

In 2023, the CFA Institute Board of Governors approved targeted revisions to the Standards of Professional Conduct, adding one new standard and updating two others.

December 15, 2025
FINRA Sanctions Former Merrill Broker for Unapproved Referral Payouts

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued a six-month suspension and a $7,500 fine against former Merrill Lynch broker Jeremiah Householder after finding that he accepted referral commissions from an unapproved third-party lender.