JHS Capital Advisors Inc. and a former broker, Enver R. Alijaj, were fined $1.9 million in a Finra arbitration last week stemming from allegations that the broker traded in a client's account excessively to generate commissions. The broker was also forced to pay $500,000 to settle a previous charge of churning.
Churning is illegal and unethical. On the SEC's website, churning is described as what occurs when a broker engages in excessive buying and selling of securities in a customer’s account mainly to generate commissions that benefit the broker. For churning to occur, the broker must exercise control over the investment decisions in the customer’s account, such as through a formal written discretionary agreement. Frequent in-and-out purchases and sales of securities that don’t appear necessary to fulfill the customer’s investment goals may be evidence of churning. Churning violates SEC and FINRA Rules.
Securities Lawyer, Lars K. Soreide, of Soreide Law Group, PLLC, has represented clients nationwide. If you believe your broker has engaged in churning, please call for a free consultation on how to potentially recover your losses. To speak with an attorney call 888-760-6552, or visit our website at: https://www.securitieslawyer.com.