Birmingham, Alabama-based Stern, Agee, & Leech, Inc. (“Stern Agee”) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (“AWC”) to pursue a settlement regarding alleged rule violations. According to FINRA’s Monthly Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions Publication a Stern Agee…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has accused a Bellevue, Washington man of defrauding 250 Chinese investors. In its complaint, the SEC alleges that Lobsang Dargey (“Dargey”), through his “Path America” companies, was able to raise over $125 million…
According to a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) complaint, Aegis Capital Corp. (“Aegis”), a New York-based retail and institutional broker-dealer, was found to have committed securities-related misconduct during its time as a FINRA member. FINRA has charged Aegis with…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced last week that it paid out over $3 million to a whistleblower. The payment marks the third highest award since the inception of the Office of the Whistleblower, which was established to administer…
As part of its 2015 Examination Priorities the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) included “examining matters of importance to retail investors and investors saving for retirement” to its initiatives. Based on this priority, the Retirement-Targeted Industry Reviews and…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has charged a Wisconsin-based investment advisory firm and its owner with “cherry-picking.” Mark P. Welhouse of Welhouse and Associates, Inc. (“Welhouse”) has been accused of placing more favorable trades in his personal and business…
This May the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) made revisions to its Sanction Guidelines pertaining to misrepresentations and suitability. The Sanction Guidelines were developed for FINRA by The National Adjudicatory Council (“NAC”) to assist Hearing Panels and the NAC…
Last September, Houston-based Investment Advisory Firm, Robare Group Ltd. (“Robare”), was charged with violating Sections 206(1), 206(2) and 207 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC’s enforcement division discovered an…
Jacko Law Group, PC (“JLG”) published its monthly Legal Risk Management Tip (“Legal Tip”), written by Managing Partner & CEO, Michelle Jacko. Jacko’s Legal Tip discusses the May 20, 2015 Securities and Exchange Commission’s Release No. IA-4091 which proposes certain amendments to Form ADV in order…
Jacko Law Group, PC (“JLG”) published its monthly Legal Risk Management Tip (“Legal Tip”), this April. JLG’s Legal Tip discusses whether anti-money laundering (“AML”) regulations apply to investment advisers, duties owed by investment advisers, and potential regulatory…