FINRA Bars Former CISC Broker for Churning Customer Accounts

WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has permanently barred Richard Adams, a former registered representative of CISC, Inc., from the securities industry for churning customers’ accounts and other securities rule violations. Adams also failed to report a dozen unsatisfied judgments and liens on his U4 Registration Form as required by FINRA rules.

FINRA found that from July 2013 to June 2014, Adams excessively traded and churned the accounts of two customers generating more than $57,000 in commissions. At the same time, the excessive trading activity in these accounts resulted in over $37,000 in customer losses.

Brad Bennett, FINRA’s Executive Vice President and Chief of Enforcement, said, “A key element of retail investor protection is the aggressive pursuit of brokers who churn and excessively trade customer accounts.  FINRA has no tolerance for brokers who place commissions ahead of what is suitable and appropriate for their customers.”

In settling this matter, Adams neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRA’s findings.

Investors can obtain more information about, and the disciplinary record of, any FINRA-registered broker or brokerage firm by using FINRA’s BrokerCheck. FINRA makes BrokerCheck available at no charge. In 2014, members of the public used this service to conduct 18.9 million reviews of broker or firm records. Investors can access BrokerCheck at www.finra.org/brokercheck or by calling (800) 289-9999. Investors may find copies of this disciplinary action as well as other disciplinary documents in FINRA’s Disciplinary Actions Online database.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business – from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms, writing rules, enforcing those rules and the federal securities laws, and informing and educating the investing public. In addition, FINRA provides surveillance and other regulatory services for equities and options markets, as well as trade reporting and other industry utilities. FINRA also administers the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and firms. For more information, please visit www.finra.org.