FINRA Bars Ex-Schwab Dealer for Taking Purchasers’ Social Safety Checks

A former Charles Schwab dealer has been barred by the Monetary Trade Regulatory Authority from associating with any FINRA member companies after he improperly used purchasers’ Social Safety funds for his personal profit after which refused to supply info requested by the regulator whereas it was investigating him, in keeping with FINRA.

Not cooperating with a FINRA request for info ends in a bar from the business underneath Rule 8210.

Between June and September 2022, whereas related to Schwab, Ethan Christopher Martin “transformed and improperly used funds from a married couple who held a joint brokerage account on the agency, considered one of whom was a senior” consumer, in keeping with a FINRA letter of acceptance, waiver and consent.

When the purchasers requested Martin for his or her account info to provoke direct deposits for his or her Social Safety checks, Martin supplied them with the quantity for his private Schwab account relatively than the purchasers’ account quantity. He then allegedly obtained three digital deposits of the purchasers’ Social Safety funds, totaling $6,981, which he “retained and used for private investments and expenditures,” in keeping with FINRA.

With out admitting or denying the regulator’s findings, Martin signed the letter on Aug. 29, consenting to the FINRA bar. In return, FINRA agreed to not convey any future actions in opposition to Martin primarily based on the factual findings described within the letter.

Jasmine L. Abraham, counsel for FINRA Division of Enforcement in Rockville, Maryland, signed the letter Tuesday.

“We’re disillusioned within the conduct of this former consultant who didn’t adhere to the excessive moral requirements that we count on of our workers,” a Schwab spokesperson advised ThinkAdvisor on Friday. “As soon as we found his actions, we terminated his employment, escalated the matter to FINRA, and made the purchasers entire.”