No Disclosure Equals Trouble For Worldco

The NASD fined Worldco LLC $1.5 million and mandated a three-year barring of its chief executive officer Monday for not separating business operations from the hedge fund PTJP Partners.

John G. Miller, Worldco’s CEO, cannot act as principal of the firm for three years and must pay $250,000. Also suspended and fined were founder Peter Bruan (one year, $100,000), and his sons Walter Scott Bruan and Christopher Bruan (four months and 15 days each, for total of $80,000 in fines between them).

Those numbers are just part of a $1.5 million total fine. All four men settled, thus admitting neither guilt nor innocence.

The Bruan family controls PTJP, but Worldco did not disclose to the NASD Peter Bruan’s controlling ownership in Worldco when it applied for membership. The NASD alleges that 13 of 27 PTJP participants not employed by Worldco were trading in Worldco accounts despite not being registered. The firm is also guilty of inaccurate books and records as well, the NASD charged.

Further, the regulator found the company remiss in improper disclosure of revenue rebates, poor supervision and inadequate separation between the two businesses.

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