Eccleston Law Blog

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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GPB Capital Investors May Receive Some Compensation Under Proposed Distribution Plan

March 12th, 2025 at 11:59 AM
GPB Capital Holdings investors have not received returns on their investments since 2018. According to InvestmentNews, after years of litigation, a court-appointed receiver has submitted a plan to return funds to the 17,000 investors who purchased $1.8 billion in GPB limited partnerships.
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Former CNBC Analyst Pleads Guilty to $2.7 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

March 11th, 2025 at 2:04 PM
James Arthur McDonald Jr., a former financial advisor and frequent CNBC guest analyst, has agreed to plead guilty to securities fraud, admitting to defrauding investors out of at least $2.7 million, as reported by ThinkAdvisor. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
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LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

January 9, 2026
FINRA Sanctions Former Wells Fargo Advisor for Profile Falsification and Unauthorized Trading

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) disciplined former Wells Fargo Advisors broker James E. Holmes III for misconduct tied to his falsifying customer information and unauthorized trading.

January 8, 2026
Georgia Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to Ponzi Scheme

A former Georgia investment adviser has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after federal prosecutors accused his firm of operating a multiyear Ponzi scheme that cost investors millions of dollars, as reported by Financial Advisor News.

January 7, 2026
FINRA Releases 2026 Regulatory Oversight Report, Spotlighting Private Placement Compliance Risks

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) released its 2026 Annual Regulatory Oversight Report, responding directly to member feedback and reinforcing its stated mission to protect investors and promote market integrity.