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

Wisconsin Financial Advisor Suspended and Fined for Unauthorized Transactions

Posted on September 3rd, 2024 at 10:18 AM
Wisconsin Financial Advisor Suspended and Fined for Unauthorized Transactions

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

FINRA has suspended and fined Wisconsin financial advisor John E. Pelletier after he executed 16 unauthorized transactions, allowing a client's ex-wife to nearly deplete his individual retirement account (IRA). As reported by ThinkAdvisor, Pelletier, a senior financial advisor with BMO Investment Services, received a three-month suspension and a $10,000 fine.

The client discovered the unauthorized transactions when his electricity was cut off. His ex-wife, who lived with him and handled the household bills, had taken the money but failed to pay the electric bill for months. This situation led the client to uncover that his IRA had been almost entirely drained without his knowledge.

FINRA's hearing office determined that Pelletier enabled distributions at the direction of DP’s ex-wife, who was not an authorized agent on the account.

Despite Pelletier's claim that the client had given oral authorization for his ex-wife to direct trades, the panel found no evidence supporting this claim.ThinkAdvisor also reports that Pelletier’s actions violated BMO Investment Services’ written policies, which explicitly warned against accepting orders from an account owner’s spouse.

 

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

I cannot thank you enough for your guidance. It's a good feeling knowing someone is fighting for you.

Matt J.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1792164960 Law
October 16, 2026
Ameriprise and Broker Ordered to Pay Edward Jones Nearly $4.8 Million in Trade Secrets Dispute

Ameriprise Financial and broker Cory J.

1792083058 Law
October 15, 2026
SEC Warns Firms to Improve Private Asset Valuation and Disclosures

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pressing financial firms to take greater care when valuing private assets as liquidity tightens and investor redemption requests increase, according to AdvisorHub.

1791996515 Law
October 14, 2026
FINRA Study Finds Advanced Investment Knowledge Does Not Eliminate Fraud Risk

Research using the FINRA Investor Education Foundation's 2024 National Financial Capability Study found that fewer than one in five investors with non-retirement investments demonstrate advanced investment literacy.