In the State Supreme Court in Manhattan, Justice Melvin Schweitzer found JPMorgan Chase (JPM) liable for breach of contract when it put high-risk subprime mortgages in an account held by investor Leonard Blavatnik. Now, the financial firm must pay the Russsian-American billionaire more than $50 million in damages–$42.5 million for…
Investor Lawyers Blog
Lloyds, Barclays, to Set Aside Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for Allegedly Mis-Selling to Victims
Britain’s largest banks expected to set aside hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate customers that were the alleged victims of mis-selling. As of the end of July, the Big Four Banks reportedly had budgeted at least $20.2 billion (the figure was converted from pounds) to pay back clients that…
FINRA Enhances Its Arbitrator Vetting Policy
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is refining its new policy for looking into its arbitrators. The move is seen as even more essential in the wake of a court’s decision to dismiss an arbitration ruling that was decided on in part by someone who was indicted during a case against…
Regulatory Reform: Delay or Destruction?
10 Democrats in the US Senate are calling on the Obama Administration to delay a proposal by the Department of Labor involving retirement plan-related investment advice until after the SEC makes a decision over whether to put out its own proposal about retail investment advice. The Commission is looking at…
Financial Firms In The Spotlight: Raymond James Gives RIA’s Access to Alternative Investments, Citigroup’s $730M Bondholder Settlement is Approved, JPMorgan Deals with China-Related Hirings Inquiry, & Merrill Lynch’s Future as an Entity is Uncertain
Affiliated RIAs of Raymond James to Get Access to Firm’s Alternative Investments The Raymond James Alternative Investment Group will give its affiliated registered investment advisers access to hedge funds, private real estate, managed futures, private equity, and alternative mutual funds beginning next month. The move is part of Raymond James’…
Ex-JPMorgan Traders Get Criminal Charges Over the Allegedly Fraudulently Inflating Investments’ Value to Hide Massive Trading Losses
Earlier this month our securities law firm reported that the US Department of Justice was planning to bring criminal charges against Julien Grout and Javier Martin-Artajo, two ex-JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) trading specialties. The charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, falsification of books and records, and falsification of SEC records,…
US DOJ To Bring Charges Against Those Accountable for 2008 Financial Crisis
According to The Wall Street Journal, US Attorney General Eric Holder wants Wall Street to know that the Justice Department is getting ready to bring criminal and civil securities fraud charges against those accountable for the financial crisis of 2008. Cases against a number of large financial firms are likely.…
FINRA NEWS: Goldman Sachs Appeals Vacating of Securities Award, Non-Customers of Brokerage Firm Can’t Compel Arbitration, & Three Governors Named To FINRA Board
Goldman Sachs Wants Third Circuit To Look at Vacated Arbitration Award Goldman Sachs (GS) wants the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to look at a decision by a lower court to vacate a FINRA securities award issued by a panel member that included arbitrator Demetrio Timban, who…
Attorney Generals Want Securities Cases Against Standard Poor’s To Go Back to State Courts
The attorneys general of Washington, Arizona, South Carolina, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Colorado, North Carolina, Delaware, Missouri, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Indiana, Tennessee, and Iowa want their securities cases against Standard & Poor’s Rating Services and its parent company The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. sent back to their state courts. They contend that the…
LPL Financial Places Independent Reps Under Supervision
LPL Financial Inc. (LPLA) is no longer allowing independent representatives to supervise themselves and will impose a fee increase on some 2,200 one-person shops. These changes are among the firm’s steps to restructure oversight and compliance. With over 13,000 registered investment advisers and financial representatives, LPL is the biggest independent-contractor…