Law and regulation

The two advisors were banished from the industry late last month for allegedly stealing money from customers, joining nine others who have been barred by FINRA so far this year.

A former Swiss asset manager pleaded guilty to helping U.S. clients hide millions of dollars in offshore accounts and avoid paying federal income taxes.

The SEC furthered its investigation into whether senior asset-management executives at JPMorgan Chase developed a policy of improperly steering clients into investments for the firm’s own financial gain.

The SEC furthered its investigation into whether senior asset-management executives at JPMorgan Chase developed a policy of improperly steering clients into investments for the firm’s own financial gain.

The advisor, now barred from FINRA, allegedly violated his firm's policies and FINRA rules when he borrowed money to build a oceanfront vacation rental.

Offering company retirement plan advice can be a shrewd strategy for advisors -- but first they must establish sound and compliant operations, especially in light of pending regulatory changes.

Fischer said regulators must be attuned to the growth and evolution of the asset management industry after funds “that track the returns of indexes of relatively illiquid assets have mushroomed in size.”

An arbitration panel confirmed that a former advisor will pay back a promissory note to Morgan Stanley - almost 10 years after leaving the firm.

The now-barred advisor stole client funds, and later pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a separate case in which he was accused of defrauding the producers of a Broadway musical.

Launching another volley in the fight over a national fiduciary standard, an investor advocate group argues that brokerage firms are misleading investors.

BlackRock endorsed stress tests of mutual funds and reiterated its view that individual asset managers don’t pose a risk to the financial system.

Federal agencies are working on a uniform fiduciary standard, but one NYC official believes states can lead the charge.

To better police the advisory industry, the SEC chief seeks additional funding for advisor examinations and to bolster enforcement.

Schwab sought restitution in arbitration after an advisor left its Private Client Group to join Merrill.

Former RBC Capital Markets managing director Mel Schonhorst achieved a measure of success after seven years trying to clear his name in a Texas investigation that cost him his job though he was never accused of anything.

CFPs cite real estate downturn, outside business failures as triggers for financial troubles.

The perceived threat of asset managers operating as a shadow banking system, thereby needing bank-like regulatory oversight from the Fed, produced the strongest commentary at the ICI forum, as key speakers spoke of pushing back against any attempt to entwine firms into further government oversight.

If regulators can't tell the cultural differences between wirehouses and independent RIAs, Bob Veres has put together a few survey questions they can use.

Nicholas Kramer, an ex-Wells Fargo advisor, and Louis James Deeley, a former J.P. Morgan registered rep, were kicked out of the industry for alleged financial wrongdoing.

This week's notable news from the asset management industry includes a recent SEC roundtable meeting where some participants discussed the potential "unintended consequences" of universal proxy ballots, global ETP flows in February reached a record $50 billion, the fastest start to any year on record, and leadership at Vanguard were tasked with new roles within the firm.