The Seminole Tribe of Florida is suing Wells Fargo (WFC). The Tribe claims that the bank mismanaged its funds for years while charging it millions of dollars in fees that were not warranted. The plaintiff is claiming over $100M in losses. The Seminole Tribe said that it set up a…
VimpelCom Resolves FCPA Violations for $795M The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, and regulators in the Netherlands have arrived at a global settlement with VimpelCom Ltd. to resolve Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations. The telecommunications provider purportedly committed the offenses in order win business in…
Fidelity Investments has decided to suspend sales of annuities from MetLife while the life insurance company considers a possible spinoff, sale, or public offering of a retail unit that offers retirement products. According to InvestmentNews, MetLife, which is the biggest life insurer in the US, has said that the move…
UBS to Pay $33M to NCUA Related to MBS Sold to Credit Unions UBS AG (UBS) will pay $33 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by the National Credit Union Administration accusing the bank of selling toxic mortgage-backed securities to credit unions. The case revolves around MBS that were underwritten…
According to InvestmentNews, a number of independent broker-dealers could find themselves in legal hot waters, should investors decide to pursue them through arbitration for selling UDF real estate investment trusts. United Development Funding is under investigation over allegations that the UDF IV was run for years like a Ponzi scam.…
In a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority arbitration case, Raymond James Financial Services Inc. (RJF) has been ordered to pay David B. Silipigno $593,540 plus 3 years and 9 months of interest. That’s an award of about $795,000. According to Silipigno’s attorney, the securities arbitration case involved an RIA who may…
Bruno Iksil, the man dubbed the London Whale, has finally spoken out. Iksil, a former trader for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), was blamed for up to $6.2B in losses—a massive sum, hence the nickname. Unlike others involved, however, Iksil has been able to avoid prosecution after reaching a deal…
JPMorgan Chase 7 Co. (JPM) reported a double-digit drop in investment banking revenues, along with a $500 increase in provisions set aside for losses expected on energy loans. The latter is a result of declining oil prices, market volatility, regulator pressure, low interest rates, and other issues. Crude oil dropping…
Pursuant to a recent arbitration ruling, UBS Group AG (UBS) must pay $1.45 million to Christel Marie Bengoa Lopez for losses she sustained in Puerto Rico closed-end bond funds. According to her arbitration claim, filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), Bengoa Lopez invested a $5 million gift from…
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s’ Office of Investor Education and Advocacy has issued an investor alert recommending that investors get to know the risks before deciding to invest in securities-backed lines of credit, also known as SBLOCs. Although SBLOCs can be a major revenue…