FINRA's Year-End Enforcement Blitz: LPL Financial and Interactive Brokers Face Major Penalties

Posted on March 19th, 2024 at 2:55 PM
FINRA's Year-End Enforcement Blitz: LPL Financial and Interactive Brokers Face Major Penalties

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) concluded the year with significant penalties against two major firms, LPL Financial and Interactive Brokers.

InvestmentNews reports that LPL Financial settled with FINRA on December 27, agreeing to a $6.15 million settlement concerning its inadequate supervision of thousands of transactions conducted by financial advisors and brokers from 2012 to 2019 with product sponsors, termed as "direct" business in the industry. LPL agreed to pay a $5.5 million fine and $651,000 in restitution to clients without admitting or denying FINRA's findings.

Similarly, Interactive Brokers, specializing in equities and options trading, reached a $3.5 million settlement with FINRA on December 22 for failing to meet best execution and supervision standards from 2014 to 2021.

InvestmentNews opines that FINRA's end-of-year enforcement actions are not uncommon, often driven by the firms involved. In LPL's case, FINRA highlighted the firm's failure to ensure the reporting of direct transactions and supervision lapses in various areas, including inaccuracies in client communications regarding security switching charges and recommendations of traded business development companies from 2017 to 2022. Those settlements underscore FINRA's commitment to enforcing compliance and protecting investors within the securities industry.

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

 


It was really fun seeing you fight for us. You have an amazing way of thinking out of the box.


 

Beth M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

December 20, 2024
FINRA Sanctions Over 60 Advisors for Continuing Education Violations

FINRA has disciplined 62 advisors for cheating on New York’s continuing education (CE) requirements tied to insurance license renewals. 

December 19, 2024
GPB Capital Investors See Progress as Court Confirms Receivership

In a significant development for investors in GPB Capital Holdings, the private equity firm will move into receivership following a prolonged legal battle.

December 18, 2024
SEC Fines Cantor Fitzgerald $6.75 Million for Misleading SPAC Investors

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. with causing two special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) under its control to make misleading statements to investors before their initial public offerings (IPOs).