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

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
Quotes Bigger

Hiring Eccleston Law has been one of the best career decisions I have made and this "investment" to maintain my sterling regulatory record has been returned many times over.  If you are in a situation where you've been unfairly accused, don't hesitate to talk with Eccleston Law. They are the best.

Thomas C.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1782744905 Law
June 29, 2026
Former Arvest Wealth Representative Sanctioned by FINRA Over Improper Use of Mistaken Commission Payment

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended former Arvest Wealth representative Brandon Still for 18 months and fined him $5,000 after determining that he improperly used firm funds that were mistakenly deposited into his account.

1782497406 Law
June 26, 2026
FINRA Seeks to Make Remote Inspection Program Permanent

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is seeking approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to make its pandemic-era remote inspections program permanent before the current pilot is scheduled to expire in June 2027, according to AdvisorHub and FINRA's summary of its recent Board of Governors meeting.

1782400213 Law
June 25, 2026
SEC Alleges Illinois Investment Adviser Misappropriated Investor Funds and Concealed Losses

According to a litigation release published on SEC.gov, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged John Sterling Myers and his firms, Sterling Capital, LLC and Sterling Capital Management, LLC, with orchestrating a multi-year fraud involving investor funds held in a pooled investment vehicle.