Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

FINRA Suspends and Fines Advisor for Misleading L Bond Sales

Posted on January 17th, 2025 at 2:30 PM
FINRA Suspends and Fines Advisor for Misleading L Bond Sales

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended and fined Alan Mason for violating Regulation Best Interest by recommending high-risk L bonds to a retail customer. According to ThinkAdvisor, Mason advised the customer to allocate over 20 percent of her liquid net worth in these speculative, unrated debt securities.

In July 2020, while employed at WestPark Capital, Mason recommended that the customer make substantial investments into L bonds, a product created by the now-defunct financial services company GWG Holdings. This advice was not in the customer’s best interest based on her investment profile, violating Regulation Best Interest and FINRA Rule 2010.

GWG Holdings initially focused on purchasing life insurance policies on the secondary market but later shifted to providing liquidity for holders of illiquid investments. To fund these operations, GWG issued corporate bonds, known as L bonds, which were sold through a network of broker-dealers, including WestPark Capital. WestPark began offering the bonds in July 2016.

The offering documents for the L bonds explicitly described them as speculative, high-risk, and illiquid, suitable only for investors with significant financial resources and no immediate need for liquidity. Despite these warnings, Mason recommended that his customer invest $50,000 into L bonds from GWG’s third offering in February 2020. In July 2020, he recommended an additional $50,000 investment from the fourth offering, resulting in the customer allocating over 20 percent of her liquid net worth into these high-risk bonds.

After GWG defaulted on its obligations to L bond investors in January 2022 and filed for bankruptcy in April 2022, FINRA found Mason’s recommendations not aligned with the customer's moderate risk tolerance. Mason earned $1,324 in commission from the July 2020 recommendation. As a result of these violations, FINRA suspended Mason for two months and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine and disgorgement of $1,324 plus interest.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, finra

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

Jim, Stephany and the whole team were a God send.  We felt like we were put into a situation where we had no advocate. Jim’s team came in with a strong, well laid out strategy on how to get our story heard. Where our outside compliance company had no ability to help, our Broker Dealer was impenitent, and the regulators were aggressive pursuing vague rules, Jim came like a barricade against an assault we did not understand. Though you pay member dues to be affiliated with FINRA and a B/D, you have no voice. The only thing that is truly heard in this un-level playing field is a bulldog’s bark like Jim’s. I would encourage anyone to call Jim and his team to find a real ally in the tough and complicated world of securities regulation. They are truly the best.

Greg P.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1781279618 Law
June 12, 2026
FINRA Suspends Former LPL Broker Over Undisclosed Outside Business Activity

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has imposed a $5,000 fine and a 45-day suspension against former LPL Financial broker James R.

1781195016 Law
June 11, 2026
FINRA Suspends Former Raymond James Representative for Improper Account Conversions and Unauthorized Trading

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned Paul D.

1781105914 Law
June 10, 2026
Ameriprise Reports Second Data Breach in Less Than Six Months

Ameriprise Financial recently disclosed another data breach, marking the second cybersecurity incident involving the firm in less than six months.