Regulation

The discrimination case revolves around allegations of disparate treatment in the firm’s agency distribution channels.

The Justice Department filed two counts of wire fraud against the firm but agreed to defer prosecution under a three-year deal that requires the bank to report its remediation and compliance efforts to the government.

Actions hit a nine-year high and restitution climbed to the highest total since 2013 — even before the rule’s heightened scrutiny.

Based on the “forced experiment” of its remote periodic examinations of broker-dealers, the onsite portion “may not be necessary,” Robert Cook said.

Expenses fell by 20 basis points and risk-adjusted returns climbed 92 bps, according to the study.

Investor advocates, religious groups and proponents of ESG investing argue the changes are a gift to business lobbyists that will muzzle corporate critics.

CEO Robert Cook has launched a task force and started assessing his own actions, he said in a panel at the Quad-A Vision conference.

The broker hasn't been registered in over a decade, and was using clients’ usernames and passwords to make trades in their self-directed brokerage accounts, according to the regulator.

A rising appetite for achieving specific investment objectives, such as sustainable investing, is the main driver behind the projected rise in their popularity.

The former broker allegedly also used his client’s money to pay bills at gas stations, grocery and hardware stores, according to the regulator.