The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) reports that it has fined Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. for allegedly “improperly selling shares” in initial public offerings, or IPOs, to “industry insiders, including its employees’ immediate family members and customers who were brokers at other brokerage firms.” The firm, which offers broker-dealer and investment advisory… Read More >>
Merrill Lynch to Repay Clients $10.5M via RMBS Case
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. is settling with the SEC over the regulator’s charges that traders and salespeople of the firm misled customers, causing them to overpay for non-agency, residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) from 2009 to 2012. “Without admitting or denying the findings, Merrill Lynch agreed to be censured, pay a penalty of… Read More >>
FINRA Fines Broker $2.8M for Audit Trail Violations
Broker-dealer Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith (MLPF&S) will be paying a $2.8 million fine to the self-regulatory organization, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), for a variety of alleged reporting violations over several years that the firm acknowledges it is addressing. FINRA officials say they are citing MLPF&S for systemic trade reporting problems, including… Read More >>
