Large BD to Pay $15 Million for Failing to Properly Train Reps
A large broker-dealer agreed to pay over $15 Million in disgorgement and fines for failing to adequately train its reps about the risks of structured notes sold to retail investors. The SEC maintains that its rep training did not include sufficient information about volatility and breach risk such that the reps could satisfy their reasonable basis suitability obligations. Over a 3-year period, the firm sold over $500 Million (notional amount) in the subject structured notes to more than 8,000 retail customers. The SEC charges the firm with failure to supervise.
OUR TAKE: What is interesting about this case is that the SEC holds the firm accountable for failure to properly train the reps, rather than pointing the finger at the compliance department or the reps themselves. This continues the trend of holding organizations and senior executives accountable for compliance failures. Also, firms have a high regulatory burden when selling complex financial products to retail investors.
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