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

SEC Charges Advisors and Their Firm With Reg BI Violations Over Sales of GWG L Bonds

Posted on June 24th, 2022 at 10:45 AM
SEC Charges Advisors and Their Firm With Reg BI Violations Over Sales of GWG L Bonds

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law:

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Western International Securities and five of its advisors with violating Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) when they recommended and sold high-risk debt securities known as L Bonds to retirees and other retail investors. 

The SEC’s complaint names advisors Nancy Cole, Patrick Egan, Andy Gitipityapon, Steven Graham, and Thomas Swan, alleging that the Western advisors sold at least $13.3 million worth of L Bonds between July 2020 and April 2021. Furthermore, the complaint alleges that the advisors sold L Bonds to numerous investors who were on fixed incomes or had moderate risk tolerances, even though the L bonds were categorized as high-risk and illiquid by its issuer, GWG Holdings. 

The advisors allegedly failed to adhere to Reg BI because they did not exercise reasonable diligence, care and skill and understand the risks and costs associated with the L Bonds, according to the complaint. The advisors recommended L Bonds to at least seven particular investors without a reasonable basis for believing that the investments were in the clients’ best interests, according to the SEC. The SEC additionally alleges that Western failed to establish and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to achieve compliance with Reg BI. 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors in GWG L Bond cases as well as financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, sec, violations

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

Thank you for your professional assistance with this matter. You are very good at what you do.

John T.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1780079651 Law
May 29, 2026
SEC Investigating Fraud Allegations in Private Credit Industry

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) actively is investigating allegations of fraud involving private credit firms, signaling continued regulatory scrutiny of the rapidly expanding sector.

1779992462 Law
May 28, 2026
FINRA Adopts New Rules to Accelerate Arbitration for Elderly and Vulnerable Investors

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has adopted amendments to its Code of Arbitration Procedure to expedite arbitration proceedings for certain eligible parties, according to regulatory updates.

L
May 27, 2026
FINRA Sanctions Cambridge Investment Research for Supervisory Failure in Variable Annuity Exchanges

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has censured Cambridge Investment Research and ordered the firm to pay nearly $280,000 after finding that it failed to properly supervise variable annuity exchanges, according to AdvisorHub.