HSBC Securities (USA) will pay a $750,000 civil penalty to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission for making misrepresentations to retail clients about the compensation of its dually registered investment adviser and broker representatives.
According to the SEC's order, HSBC Securities told clients that its representatives were compensated based solely on nonfinancial factors and not based on the advisory fees paid to HSBC Securities.
The firm actually considered several financial factors to determine its representatives’ bonus compensation, including the amount of advisory fees that clients paid to HSBC Securities each quarter, which gave the broker/advisers “a financial incentive to generate more advisory fees in their clients' accounts,” the SEC said in release.
Elsewhere, Wells Fargo Advisors adds a $400 million Morgan Stanley veteran in Naples as an ex-Cetera advisor goes independent with LPL
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.
A $1B fund allegedly skimmed 30% off the top, then swapped cash for locked-up stock.
Insiders allegedly rewrote projections three times in four days.
TCI Wealth Advisors also has also tapped JIFFYAI to unify onboarding and servicing, while TradePMR adds ICE market data to its Fusion advisor platform
Knighthead Life entered the market with a competitive MYGA. A strong launch earned advisor confidence and paved the way for FIAs.
As AI makes financial information more accessible than ever, Lana Hock explains why human judgment, trust, and empathy remain the qualities clients value most in a financial advisor
