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

Eccleston Law Blog

Barred Advisor Continues Pattern of Settlements at Western International Securities

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Chris Kennedy, a barred advisor formerly associated with Western International Securities, has agreed to a $2.1 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over allegations of high-volume trading, or churning, in client accounts.
Read More

FINRA to Revise Outside Business Activities Rules

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is seeking to overhaul its rules on outside business activities (OBA) and private securities transactions.
Read More

FINRA Orders $8.2 Million in Customer Restitution Over Mutual Fund Fee Errors

January 21st, 2025 at 3:17 PM
FINRA has required Edward Jones, Osaic Wealth, and Cambridge Investment Research to reimburse customers a combined total of more than $8.2 million for improperly charged mutual fund sales fees.
Read More

Wells Fargo and LPL Financial Settle SEC Charges Over Blue Sheet Reporting Errors

January 20th, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settlements with Wells Fargo Clearing Services and LPL Financial, each agreeing to pay a $900,000 penalty for failing to provide complete and accurate securities trading information, also known as electronic blue sheet data. 
Read More

FINRA Suspends and Fines Advisor for Misleading L Bond Sales

January 17th, 2025 at 2:30 PM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended and fined Alan Mason for violating Regulation Best Interest by recommending high-risk L bonds to a retail customer.
Read More

Former Merrill Lynch Advisor Wins Expungement of Allegations Tied to CBD Business

January 16th, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Charles Thomas “Todd” Mercer Jr., a former top Merrill Lynch advisor, successfully cleared his public record of allegations that hindered his ability to attract clients after transitioning to an independent practice. 
Read More

SEC Charges Nigerian Trio for Impersonating Financial Professionals in $2.9 Million Fraud Scheme

January 15th, 2025 at 2:29 PM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged three individuals from Nigeria with orchestrating an elaborate online fraud scheme, stealing the identities of licensed financial advisors and investment advisers to defraud retail investors of over $2.9 million.
Read More

Jefferies Financial Group Terminates Employment of Miami Team for Alleged Misconduct

January 14th, 2025 at 2:36 PM
According to Form U-5 filings, Jefferies Financial Group recently terminated a group of Miami-based wealth advisors allegedly after uncovering improper money transfers and attempts to conceal the activity through off-channel communications. The firm dismissed Marcelo Poliak, Rodrigo Soto, Guillermo Guerra, Pablo Gherardi, and four other team members over “impermissible money-wire transfers” and “deleted” communications.
Read More

Former Merrill Lynch Executives Launch Indivisible Partners, a New Independent Advisory Firm

January 13th, 2025 at 3:11 PM
John W. Thiel, the former head of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, has announced plans to launch Indivisible Partners, an independent registered investment advisory (RIA) firm, in early 2025.   
Read More

FINRA Arbitration Panel Clears Advisor's Record of Defamatory Allegations

January 10th, 2025 at 2:14 PM
A FINRA arbitration panel has ruled in favor of Mary J. Howard, a former RBC Wealth Management advisor, allowing her to expunge defamatory allegations from her Form U-5 termination record.
Read More

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

We just wanted to say thanks for your work in helping us get back some of the money we lost. We are not by any means rich, but we have saved some money and we have done so through a tight-fisted approach to most everything we do. So losing a significant chunk of money hurt…especially at a time when everyone else was growing their accounts. We really appreciate the work you did.

Allan and Adele

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1780676353 Law
June 5, 2026
Redemption Pressure Mounts Across Private Credit and Non-Traded BDC Market

Investors continued pulling money from private credit and nontraded business development companies ("BDCs") during the first quarter of 2026 as concerns about liquidity and portfolio valuations intensified across the sector, according to reporting by InvestmentNews.

1780588152 Law
June 4, 2026
Former Wells Advisor Alleges Age Discrimination

A former Wells Fargo senior private client financial advisor in Wisconsin has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the firm terminated him because of his age rather than an alleged workplace profanity incident.

1780507151 Law
June 3, 2026
Starwood REIT Suspends Most Redemptions Amid Liquidity Pressure

Starwood Real Estate Income Trust (SREIT) has announced a temporary suspension of its share repurchase program for most investors.