FINRA fines First Trust $10M for allegedly giving too-generous gifts to brokers
By 
Adrianne Appel2025-11-07T22:18:00
First Trust Portfolios has been fined $10 million by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for allegedly providing excessive meals, gifts, and other incentives to broker-dealers.
First Trust, of Wheaton, Ill, allegedly repeatedly provided meals, gifts, and entertainment to broker-dealers between 2018 and February 2024 that exceeded FINRA limits, according to the acceptance, waiver, and consent (AWC) signed by the firm and FINRA on Oct. 31.
Related articles
-
PremiumBridging cultures: Adapting corporate compliance to APAC norms
’Tis the season of giving. For multinationals, compliance in gifts and entertainment policies in Asia is not about exporting Western rules, but embedding global standards in a language and culture local teams trust.
-
PremiumQ&A with Olga Kozak-Anlar of Robinhood Markets
Compliance Week Editor-in-Chief Aaron Nicodemus recently interviewed Olga Kozak-Anlar, Compliance AI Lead at Robinhood Markets Incorporated, about her role at Robinhood and the company’s use of AI.
-
Basic Page‘Extraordinary cooperation’ pays off for PFS Investments
As regulators shift toward rewarding transparency, self-regulation and self-reporting, the way PFS Investments handled a longstanding problem serves as an example of how proactive remediation can turn a costly compliance error into a manageable regulatory outcome.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
ArticleLarge wound care practice pays $45M, agrees to monitoring
One of the largest wound care practices in the nation and its founder have agreed to pay $45 million and be subjected to third-party monitoring, to settle allegations that the business intentionally overbilled Medicare by priming its electronic medical records system to do so.
-
News BriefSEC dismisses SolarWinds case tied to 2020 cyberattack
The dismissal of charges against SolarWinds for alleged cybersecurity lapses related to a 2020 Russian cyberattack in 2020 are the latest in a continuing pattern of leniency for corporations by the Trump administration.
-
PremiumPart Two: FCPA cases closed by DOJ, SEC since January
Since the start of the Trump Administration, the Department of Justice has been winding down a number of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations with little public attention. This second article further explores how and why these FCPA matters have been closed.