Finra suspends former star LPL rep who borrowed client cash

Finra suspends former star LPL rep who borrowed client cash
Regulator says James E. 'Jeb' Bashaw borrowed $200,000 from a client in 2013 without telling LPL.
APR 24, 2019

James E. "Jeb" Bashaw, a former star broker with LPL Financial, was suspended for four months by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. on Tuesday for borrowing $200,000 from a customer in 2013 without telling LPL, a violation of industry rules. LPL fired Mr. Bashaw in 2014 for allegedly failing to follow firm policies and industry regulations. He "falsely told LPL that he had not borrowed any money from another individual" in two annual compliance questionnaires before he was fired, according to Finra. Mr. Bashaw did not repay the customer loans, according to the Finra order. When he filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in December 2017, he disclosed the debt as a personal loan, and it was included in a reorganization plan approved by the bankruptcy court in May 2018, according to Finra. Mr. Bashaw, who neither admitted or denied Finra's findings, was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and requalify to sell securities by taking the Series 7 exam, a basic test required to sell stocks and bonds. Mr. Bashaw eventually became registered with International Assets Advisory, an Orlando, Fla.-based independent broker-dealer. In an email Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Bashaw said he was traveling and was not available to comment. Before he was fired, Mr. Bashaw was a star broker for LPL in Houston. In 2011, Barron's magazine ranked him the top financial adviser in Texas, with total assets of $3.8 billion. Industry sources at the time said he had a total of about two dozen advisers working under him in various offices. Mr. Bashaw fought back against his old firm. In 2016, he filed a $30 million arbitration claim with Finra against LPL and its former CEO, Mark Casady, alleging that the firm stole his clients in the wake of a rigged audit of his branch office in September 2014 that led to his being fired. In October 2017, a Finra arbitration panel ruled against Mr. Bashaw, but ordered LPL to pay Mr. Bashaw $25,000 in legal fees because the company failed to produce documents as ordered or show good cause for not producing the documents.

Latest News

DOJ's fraud sweep bags over $1B in convictions, guilty pleas and indictments in a single week
DOJ's fraud sweep bags over $1B in convictions, guilty pleas and indictments in a single week

Medicare scam, pandemic benefit theft, offshore tax evasion — federal prosecutors are casting a wide net.

Retirement without guaranteed income streams may mean near-total asset wipeout
Retirement without guaranteed income streams may mean near-total asset wipeout

Report finds that pension income acts as a financial lifeline for retirees facing late-life shocks and raises urgent questions about the DC-only future.

Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Nine-month electronic trading freeze and share lending program at the center of dismissed claim.

RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone
RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone

Meanwhile, Rossby Financial's leadership buildout rolls on with a new COO appointment as Balefire Wealth welcomes a distinguished retirement specialist to its national network.

Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500
Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500

With a smaller group of companies driving stock market performance, advisors must work more intentionally to manage concentration risks within client portfolios.

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management

SPONSORED Durability over scale: What actually defines a great advisory firm

Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline