SEC fines Morgan Stanley $15M to settle allegations of theft of client funds
By 
Adrianne Appel2024-12-10T18:35:00
A lack of supervision and internal controls at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MSSB) allowed four of its investment advisers to steal millions from customers before the behavior was detected, the SEC said Tuesday in charging the firm.
Federal laws make it illegal for investment advisers to remove money from their clients’ accounts without their express permission. Advisers are not permitted to move client funds into their personal accounts.
MSSB, which agreed to pay $15 million to settle the matter, also failed to adopt policies and procedures until December 2022 to prevent and discover thefts by employees, the SEC said.
Related articles
-
News BriefMorgan Stanley fined $1.6M by FINRA over municipal securities closeouts
Morgan Stanley will pay a $1.6 million fine levied by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for failing to close out certain municipal securities transactions over a five-year period.
-
News BriefMorgan Stanley settles with states for $6.5M over mishandled data
Morgan Stanley agreed to pay $6.5 million as part of a settlement with six states requiring the firm to strengthen its data security after actions it took compromised the personal data of millions of customers.
-
ArticleCompliance deficiencies highlighted in $1.8B crackdown on messaging apps
Eleven banks, investment firms, and their affiliates will pay a total of more than $1.8 billion in fines for “widespread and longstanding failures” in monitoring, maintaining, and preserving electronic communications by employees.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
ArticleDisney hit with $10M FTC fine for allegedly collecting children’s data
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed an enforcement action against Disney for allegedly collecting personal information about children, and then threw salt in the wound by calling the company out in an alert emailed to an untold number of businesses.
-
PremiumU.K. prepares to prosecute firms under new Failure to Prevent Fraud rules
The U.K. will start cracking down on companies under the new Failure to Prevent Fraud law on Sept. 1, with the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office ready to enforce it.
-
ArticleTrump tries alternative approach on California air standards agency by alleging anti-white bias
The Trump administration has intensified its fight with California as the DOJ launched an investigation into whether the state’s environmental agency is violating federal law by pursuing racial equity.