WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has fined Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. $950,000 for failing to detect and prevent a scheme that resulted in the theft of approximately $1.3 million from an 89-year-old customer’s variable annuity account. The firm repeatedly failed to adequately investigate “red flags” that Travis A.
News Releases & Statements
WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Board of Governors today unanimously elected John J. “Jack” Brennan, Vanguard Group Chairman Emeritus and Senior Advisor, as FINRA Chairman effective Aug. 15, 2016.
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WASHINGTON — While Americans as a whole are feeling less financial stress, making ends meet remains a daily struggle for millions — particularly women, millennials, African-Americans, Hispanics, and those lacking a high school education. These findings come from the National Financial Capability Study (NFCS), released today by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation).
WASHINGTON – The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) today announced it has fined Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. $6 million for failing to provide complete and accurate trade data in an automated format in a timely manner when requested by FINRA and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As part of the settlement, Deutsche Bank has agreed to retain an independent consultant to improve its policies, systems and procedures related to blue sheet submissions.
WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has fined Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. $5 million for negligent disclosure failures in connection with the sale of five-year senior debt notes to retail customers. In particular, Merrill Lynch failed to adequately disclose certain costs, making it appear that the fixed costs were lower than they actually were.
WASHINGTON — One of the best places to work in information technology happens to be in financial regulation: the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), according to IDG’s Computerworld. This is the fifth year in a row that FINRA has placed in Computerworld’s 100-company list.
Taps Former SEC Director of the Division of Trading and Markets
WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) today announced that its Board of Governors has concluded the CEO search, and appointed Robert W. Cook as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective the second half of 2016. Mr. Cook will succeed Richard G. Ketchum, who has served as Chairman and CEO since 2009. The Board intends to name a new Chairman in the coming months.
WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has fined Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. $2.25 million and ordered the firm to pay restitution of more than $716,000 to affected customers for selling leveraged, inverse and inverse-leveraged exchange-traded funds (non-traditional ETFs) to retail customers without reasonable supervision, and for recommending non-traditional ETFs that were not suitable.
WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has censured and fined E*Trade Securities LLC $900,000 for failing to conduct an adequate review of the quality of execution of its customers’ orders and for supervisory deficiencies concerning the protection of customer order information.
Bonds Related to Charter School in Arizona and Two Assisted Living Facilities in Alabama
WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has filed a complaint against Phoenix-based firm, Lawson Financial Corporation, Inc. (LFC), and Robert Lawson, the firm’s President and Chief Executive Officer, charging them with securities fraud in connection with the sale of millions of dollars of municipal revenue bonds to customers.