Bruce Kelly

InvestmentNews

Bruce Kelly

Senior Columnist

26 years experience

Bruce's specialty topics

Legal and compliance Advisor compensation Alternative investments

Bruce is Senior Columnist for InvestmentNews, a leading publication for financial advisors and the wealth management industry.

An award-winning journalist, Bruce’s career at InvestmentNews began in 2000, two years after the launch of the newspaper. He has covered the brokerage industry ever since, focusing on financial advisors’ pay, the products they sell, and the firms on and off Wall Street where they work.

His reporting in the financial crisis 2008 and thereafter shed light on the many shortcomings of the financial advice industry, from weak regulation to the collapse of many broker-dealers.

Bruce writes an award-winning column, On Advice, and his daily breaking news reports give clarity and insight into what’s happening behind closed doors at the largest brokerage firms in the country.

Before becoming a journalist, Bruce taught middle school and high school English in Manhattan and Caracas, Venezuela, for a decade. He is the co-author of a 2010 book, “Financial Serial Killers,” and has two children.

How I think about writing for this industry…

“I love covering the financial advice business. We write about financial advisors and how they care about clients' lifesavings - what is more important than that?”

Awards and recognition

  • 2 SABEW awards
  • Neal Award

Also published by

Co-author of "Financial Serial Killers"

Read the latest stories by Bruce

Bruce Kelly
Displaying 3541 results
Washington state regulators claim advisor was running Ponzi-like fund
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 18, 2026
Washington state regulators claim advisor was running Ponzi-like fund

Joel Frank allegedly sold more than $39 million worth of investments in the Equilus Funds to more than 90 investors.

Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 15, 2026
Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker

Professional athletes are often targets of scam artists and are particularly vulnerable to fraud.

Ex-Edward Jones advisor gets three-year prison sentence for stealing from widow
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 14, 2026
Ex-Edward Jones advisor gets three-year prison sentence for stealing from widow

John S. Winslow, 57, was indicted just over a year ago for his scheme to steal from an elderly client.

BDCs face new pressure. Sales slide. Will values follow?
ALTERNATIVES MAY 14, 2026
BDCs face new pressure. Sales slide. Will values follow?

Clients sold back $6.9 billion of BDC shares to funds in the first quarter, outpacing fund raising by $2 billion, according to Stanger.

UBS loses $1.2 million arbitration claim linked to variable annuities and margin
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 13, 2026
UBS loses $1.2 million arbitration claim linked to variable annuities and margin

UBS has a history of costly litigation stemming from the sale of volatile investment products.

More turnover at top of Osaic – Dimple Shah bolts
INDEPENDENT BROKER DEALERS MAY 12, 2026
More turnover at top of Osaic – Dimple Shah bolts

The writing has been on the wall for Shah’s departure since the end of last year, industry executives said.

RIA employee was sane in 2022 when he committed double murder, jury rules
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 11, 2026
RIA employee was sane in 2022 when he committed double murder, jury rules

Ramy Fahim, a former research associate at Pence Wealth Management, is facing life in prison with no parole.

GWG, Beneficient boss guilty of all charges in securities fraud trial
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 11, 2026
GWG, Beneficient boss guilty of all charges in securities fraud trial

According to a federal charges Bradley Heppner, 60, received more than $150 million in payments through funneling money from GWG Holdings to a shell company.

FINRA remains under pressure
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 08, 2026
FINRA remains under pressure

Congressional hearings in March laid bare the severe doubts some lawmakers in Washington have about FINRA, the giant self-regulatory organization that oversees the securities industry.

Former Osaic B-D on the hook for $2.5 million after losing employment retaliation case
REGULATION, LEGAL & COMPLIANCE MAY 06, 2026
Former Osaic B-D on the hook for $2.5 million after losing employment retaliation case

One-time FSC Securities branch compliance officer awarded $750,000 of punitive damages as part of claim.