Top Merrill Advisor Resigns Amid Customer Complaints

Posted on May 22nd, 2023 at 1:09 PM
Top Merrill Advisor Resigns Amid Customer Complaints

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

William King, a top-ranked advisor, voluntarily resigned last month after receiving at least ten customer complaints since August.

The complaints against King raised concerns about the mismanagement of customer accounts, with most of the disputes relating to claims of unsuitable or unauthorized trading of options positions, according to FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

For example, one complaint seeks $600,000 in damages, alleging that King did not act in the client's best interest by employing a managed account strategy and failing to implement risk management strategies, which left the portfolio exposed to market volatility.

King previously managed $1.4 billion in client assets, and Forbes ranked him #166 on its top wealth advisors list of 2022, as well as its best-in-state wealth management teams, list this year, according to AdvisorHub.

 

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

Jim, Stephany and the whole team were a God send.  We felt like we were put into a situation where we had no advocate. Jim’s team came in with a strong, well laid out strategy on how to get our story heard. Where our outside compliance company had no ability to help, our Broker Dealer was impenitent, and the regulators were aggressive pursuing vague rules, Jim came like a barricade against an assault we did not understand. Though you pay member dues to be affiliated with FINRA and a B/D, you have no voice. The only thing that is truly heard in this un-level playing field is a bulldog’s bark like Jim’s. I would encourage anyone to call Jim and his team to find a real ally in the tough and complicated world of securities regulation. They are truly the best.

Greg P.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

February 5, 2026
FINRA Fines Broker-Dealer for Repeated Form CRS Disclosure Failures

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) fined VSI Securities Inc., formerly known as Venecredit Securities Inc., $20,000 for failing to accurately disclose the firm’s disciplinary history in its customer relationship summary, known as Form CRS.

February 4, 2026
Investor Redemptions Rise in Nontraded BDCs Amid Credit Concerns

Financial advisors and their clients have increased redemptions from nontraded business development companies (BDCs) following a series of high-profile corporate bankruptcies, according to InvestmentNews. The surge highlights growing investor concern about liquidity and credit exposure within these high-yield but often risky investment ...

February 3, 2026
FINRA Accuses Spartan Capital of Widespread Churning That Allegedly Harmed Customers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has brought a disciplinary complaint against Spartan Capital Securities and several senior leaders of the New York City–based broker-dealer, alleging that the firm facilitated excessive trading that generated millions of dollars in revenue while causing substantial losses to customers.