Eccleston Law Blog

Merrill Lynch Expands Client Disclosures on Crypto and AI Risks

February 10th, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Merrill Lynch updated its required client disclosure brochure to address, for the first time, the evolving risks tied to cryptocurrency-linked investments and the firm’s expanding use of Artificial Intelligence tools.
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FINRA Orders Osaic Unit to Pay Over $5 Million for Misleading Bank Deposit Program Disclosures

February 9th, 2026 at 3:07 PM
The Financial Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ordered independent broker-dealer Osaic and its acquired firm, American Portfolios Financial Services, to pay more than $5 million after finding that American Portfolios misled customers about how it calculated fees in its bank deposit program.
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Delaware Regulators Fine Kovack Advisors $985,000

February 6th, 2026 at 11:57 AM
Kovack Advisors Inc., the registered investment adviser affiliate of independent broker-dealer Kovack Securities Inc., agreed to pay a $985,000 fine to Delaware securities regulators.
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FINRA Fines Broker-Dealer for Repeated Form CRS Disclosure Failures

February 5th, 2026 at 4:16 PM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) fined VSI Securities Inc., formerly known as Venecredit Securities Inc., $20,000 for failing to accurately disclose the firm’s disciplinary history in its customer relationship summary, known as Form CRS.
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Investor Redemptions Rise in Nontraded BDCs Amid Credit Concerns

February 4th, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Financial advisors and their clients have increased redemptions from nontraded business development companies (BDCs) following a series of high-profile corporate bankruptcies, according to InvestmentNews. The surge highlights growing investor concern about liquidity and credit exposure within these high-yield but often risky investment vehicles.
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FINRA Accuses Spartan Capital of Widespread Churning That Allegedly Harmed Customers

February 3rd, 2026 at 1:42 PM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has brought a disciplinary complaint against Spartan Capital Securities and several senior leaders of the New York City–based broker-dealer, alleging that the firm facilitated excessive trading that generated millions of dollars in revenue while causing substantial losses to customers.
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California Investors Allege Unsuitable DST Recommendations in FINRA Arbitration

February 2nd, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Two investors from the San Francisco Bay Area have filed a FINRA arbitration claim against brokerage firm Realized Financial and its financial advisors.
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FINRA Arbitration Panel Orders J.P. Morgan to Amend Form U-5, Flags Potential Pattern of Conduct

January 30th, 2026 at 1:26 PM
A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel recently issued an unusually detailed decision in a dispute between J.P. Morgan Securities and former advisor Joshua David Sappi Biering, shedding rare light on how a firm may deploy - and sometimes abuse - the Form U-5 during advisor departures.
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OFAC Targets Individual Trustee, Sending a Clear Warning to Fiduciaries and Family Offices

January 29th, 2026 at 1:09 PM
In a rare move, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) penalized a former U.S. government official, underscoring that professional gatekeepers can face personal liability for sanctions violations tied to trust administration.
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FINRA Advances Overhaul of Outside Business Activity Rules to the SEC

January 28th, 2026 at 2:22 PM
FINRA formally has advanced its proposed overhaul of outside business activity (OBA) regulations to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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TESTIMONIALS

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You were most helpful with my FINRA deposition. You are a good lawyer and a good person.

Dan B.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

February 24, 2026
Merrill Lynch Highlights AI Risks as FINRA Urges Greater Oversight of Emerging Technology

Merrill Lynch has warned that the expanded use of artificial intelligence and machine learning introduces material operational, compliance, and cybersecurity risks for advisory firms.

February 23, 2026
Drive Planning Founder Pleads Guilty to $380 Million Ponzi Scheme

Todd Burkhalter, founder and chief executive officer of Drive Planning LLC, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he orchestrated a $380 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 2,000 investors.

February 20, 2026
Edward Jones Expands Equity-Style Awards to Thousands More Advisors

Edward D. Jones & Co. has expanded eligibility for its “profits interest” award, extending the equity-style incentive to thousands more advisors, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing reviewed by AdvisorHub.