FINRA fines Wells Fargo unit $3M for repeatedly pushing ‘unsuitable’ investments
By 
Aaron Nicodemus2024-09-17T14:27:00
A Wells Fargo subsidiary will pay nearly $3 million to settle allegations that it failed to properly supervise an employee attempting to sell unsuitable investment products to retail investors–the fifth time it has been penalized for similar supervisory failings since 2020.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) said in a disciplinary action Thursday that Wells Fargo Clearing Services (WFCS) will pay a $400,000 fine, $600,000 in restitution, and $2 million in disgorgement for failing to prevent an employee from engaging in unsuitable, short-term trading in several investment products for retail investors in 2017 and 2018.
The firm also failed to properly follow up on red flags of the employee’s trading in these products, like by restricting his ability to make new sales in those products.
THIS IS MEMBERS-ONLY CONTENT
You are not logged in and do not have access to members-only content.
If you are already a registered user or a member, SIGN IN now.
Related articles
-
ArticleOCC drops $10M fine against former Wells Fargo risk officer fingered in “fake accounts” scandal
A former Wells Fargo risk officer previously ordered to pay $10 million by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for her alleged role in the bank’s “fake accounts” scandal is completely off the hook, according to an OCC consent order issued Tuesday.
-
News BriefFINRA ends year with string of fines against Jefferies, UBS, Citi, Barclays
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority issued fines against four large banks to end 2024, all for different alleged misconduct, but all related to the firms’ failures to implement a supervisory system reasonably designed to achieve compliance with FINRA rules.
-
News BriefDrexel Hamilton to pay $1.1M, four employees fined for ‘flipping’ municipal bonds
New York-based investment firm Drexel Hamilton will pay more than $1.1 million in penalties, with four current and former employees paying fines as well over committing hundreds of violations of rules regarding the sale of municipal bonds.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
ArticleTariff evasion enforcement: The new FCPA
Companies that import goods into the United States will face heightened enforcement scrutiny for attempted acts of customs fraud, including tariff evasion, under the Trump administration. Thus, chief compliance officers and in-house counsel face a new kind of pressure to ensure they are mitigating risk in this area.
-
ArticleFormer COO of plastics importer faces up to five years for customs falsifications
The chief operating officer of a plastic resin importer has pleaded guilty to intentionally falsifying documents to avoid paying tariffs on goods from China, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
-
ArticleCybercrime against banks and account holders takes hit from FBI
Federal investigators have announced progress in dismantling an online criminal operation that steals bank account information by mimicking legitimate bank websites.