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

SEC Sanctions One Oak Capital and Advisor for Improper Conversions to Fee Based Accounts

Posted on February 28th, 2025 at 1:42 PM
SEC Sanctions One Oak Capital and Advisor for Improper Conversions to Fee Based Accounts

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has penalized a New York-based registered investment adviser and its veteran adviser for converting brokerage accounts into advisory accounts that resulted in significantly higher fees without providing additional services.

Michael DeRosa, 75, and One Oak Capital Management improperly switched more than 180 client accounts between June 2020 and October 2023, according to the SEC settlement. AdvisorHub reports that many of these clients were elderly, longtime customers who previously paid commissions per trade. After the conversion, they faced substantially increased costs, sometimes paying up to seven times more in fees, despite conducting little to no trading for over a year.

According to AdvisorHub, the SEC determined that One Oak and DeRosa violated their fiduciary duty by prioritizing their own financial interests over those of their clients. The firm was ordered to pay a $150,000 civil penalty, while DeRosa agreed to a $75,000 fine and a nine-month suspension. Additionally, DeRosa must retain an independent compliance consultant to review the firm’s policies and procedures.

The SEC’s findings showed that DeRosa and One Oak collected approximately $268,000 in advisory fees from the affected accounts. AdvisorHub also reports that, in some cases, DeRosa allegedly had clients authorize the conversions without fully disclosing the new fee structure.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, sec

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

I want to extend a tremendous thank you for your dedication, professionalism, hard work and patient demeanor through this challenging time. It was enjoyable interacting with everyone on your team, this certainly helped while dealing with the situation and working towards resolution.

Dan M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1787592120 Law
August 24, 2026
Sophisticated Voice Phishing Attacks Target Major Wall Street Firms

According to ThinkAdvisor, hackers recently launched a series of sophisticated cyberattacks against major Wall Street firms, including prominent hedge funds and private equity companies.

1787342003 Law
August 21, 2026
Rising Market Leverage Raises Concerns About Financial Stability Despite Low Volatility

The leverage that has helped drive the U.S.

1787244289 Law
August 20, 2026
FinCEN Imposes Record $125 Million Penalty on UBS Financial Services

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has imposed a $125 million civil money penalty against UBS Financial Services Inc.