Eccleston Law Blog

Edward Jones Advisor Barred by FINRA Over Allegations of Unauthorized Account Changes

February 12th, 2025 at 11:16 AM
FINRA has barred Gwendolyn J. Hayes, a former Edward Jones advisor in Oregon after allegations surfaced that she altered client account information without authorization.
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UnitedHealth Group Agrees to $69 Million Settlement in ERISA Class Action Lawsuit

February 11th, 2025 at 2:07 PM
UnitedHealth Group has agreed to pay $69 million to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging violations of its fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
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Former Merrill Lynch Advisor Sanctioned by FINRA for Unauthorized Trades

February 10th, 2025 at 1:48 PM
FINRA has fined Anthony J. Seifert, a former Merrill Lynch advisor based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, $5,000 and suspended him for 20 days.
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Court Finds American Airlines Breached Fiduciary Duty in 401(k) ESG Case

February 7th, 2025 at 10:02 AM
A federal court ruling against American Airlines has brought attention to the role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in managing retirement plans.
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SEC Charges LPL Financial with Anti-Money Laundering Failures

February 7th, 2025 at 9:21 AM
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged LPL Financial LLC, a broker-dealer and investment adviser, with multiple violations of anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.
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Vanguard Settles SEC Charges Over Target Date Fund Disclosures for $106 Million

February 6th, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Vanguard has agreed to pay $106.41 million to settle charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over alleged disclosure failures related to its target date retirement funds (TDFs).
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SEC Forms Cryptocurrency Task Force to Develop Clear Regulatory Framework

February 5th, 2025 at 12:02 PM
According to ThinkAdvisor, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the creation of a cryptocurrency-focused task force to establish a "comprehensive and clear" regulatory framework for digital assets.
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Wells Fargo Faces $3.37 Million FINRA Award Over Alleged Elder Exploitation

February 4th, 2025 at 4:37 PM
A FINRA arbitration panel has ordered Wells Fargo Clearing Services and its advisor, Stephen L. Smith, to pay approximately $3.37 million in damages to the estate of Genell Mathis.
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Bank of America Agrees to Consent Order Over Anti-Money-Laundering Deficiencies

February 3rd, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Bank of America Corp. has entered into a consent order with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to address deficiencies in its anti-money-laundering (AML) and sanctions compliance programs.
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UBS Settles FINRA Claims Over Supervision of Short-Term Preferred Stock Trades

January 31st, 2025 at 2:21 PM
According to AdvisorHub, UBS Wealth Management USA’s broker-dealer has agreed to pay $3.5 million in sanctions over allegations of supervisory failures related to short-term trading of syndicate preferred stock.
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Beth and Steve K.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

March 12, 2025
GPB Capital Investors May Receive Some Compensation Under Proposed Distribution Plan

GPB Capital Holdings investors have not received returns on their investments since 2018. According to InvestmentNews, after years of litigation, a court-appointed receiver has submitted a plan to return funds to the 17,000 investors who purchased $1.8 billion in GPB limited partnerships.

March 11, 2025
Former CNBC Analyst Pleads Guilty to $2.7 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

James Arthur McDonald Jr., a former financial advisor and frequent CNBC guest analyst, has agreed to plead guilty to securities fraud, admitting to defrauding investors out of at least $2.7 million, as reported by ThinkAdvisor. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

March 10, 2025
Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch Settle SEC Charges Over Cash Sweep Program Policies

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced settlements with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated over allegations that they failed to implement proper policies and procedures for their cash sweep programs.