Fidelity unit fined $900K by FINRA for due diligence lapses

Fidelity

Fidelity Brokerage Services agreed to pay a $900,000 penalty levied by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regarding alleged due diligence failures caused by errors in the firm’s automated screening system.

From May 2017 through April 2022, Fidelity did not have a system reasonably designed to review and approve customers’ online applications to trade options, FINRA said in its disciplinary action published Monday.

Fidelity relied on an automated system for reviewing options trading applications. After review, a principal at the firm would approve or disapprove customer accounts for options trading, according to FINRA.

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