SEC Uncovers

Posted on August 21st, 2023 at 3:51 PM
SEC Uncovers

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

Wall Street regulators recently imposed hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties on broker-dealers. The penalties resulted from their failure to detect executives and traders using unofficial communication platforms such as WhatsApp.

As reported by InvestmentNews, eleven firms agreed to pay $289 million to settle the matter with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, Wedbush Securities Inc. had its wealth management operations cited directly in the settlement, with the SEC claiming “pervasive off-channel communications at all seniority levels of Wedbush's broker-dealer and investment advisor.”

According to the SEC, from at least January 2019, Wedbush broker-dealer personnel sent and received off-channel messages that concerned the broker-dealer's business. During this period, Wedbush investment advisor personnel sent and received off-channel messages related to, among other things, providing and recommending investment advice to clients. Additionally, from November 2021 to September 2022, according to the SEC, an executive vice president in Wedbush's wealth management division exchanged numerous off-channel business-related messages with at least nine Wedbush colleagues, personnel at other financial services firms, and market participants. Wedbush agreed to pay a penalty of $10 million.

 

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

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

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

December 22, 2025
FINRA Overhauls Arbitration Rules to Rebalance Arbitrator Selection and Codify Forum Practices

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has approved significant amendments to its Codes of Arbitration Procedure designed to rebalance public arbitrator selection, increase transparency, and formalize several long-standing practices in the arbitration forum.

December 19, 2025
Industry Groups Press Senate at Advance Financial Exploitation Prevention Act

Several industry associations are urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act, legislation that would allow mutual fund companies and their transfer agents to delay redemptions when they reasonably suspect elder financial abuse.

December 18, 2025
UBS Warns of Rising Default Risk in Private Credit

A UBS report signals that credit stress likely will intensify next year as borrowers confront inflation, elevated interest costs, and softening consumer conditions.