Wells Fargo Ordered to Pay FINRA $3.4M in Restitution for Selling Unsuitable ETPs
From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law LLC:
FINRA has fined Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors more than $3.4 million in restitution for selling customers “unsuitable” exchange-traded products (ETPs) and for its failure to supervise reps.
More specifically, according to FINRA, between July 1, 2010, and May 1, 2012, Wells Fargo failed to implement a necessary system to supervise the solicitations and sales of ETPs, which often can be volatile and high risk. The allegations stem from FINRA’s finding that certain Wells Fargo registered representatives recommended risky ETPs without them fully understanding their purpose as a short-term trading strategy.
For further guidance, FINRA has released a regulatory notice called “Heightened Supervision of Complex Products,” available on FINRA’s website.
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