Do Broker-Dealers Hire Brokers Already Suspected of Securities Fraud?
Even though regulators are calling on broker-dealers to employ stricter hiring standards when it comes to screening brokers who have already gotten in trouble for alleged broker misconduct, many firms continue to hire these suspect workers. It doesn’t help that broker-dealers have a tendency to not reveal key details when a registered representative leaves the company under suspect circumstances in order limit the firm’s liability from potential investor lawsuits and arbitration claims. For example, in 2003, Jeffrey Southard was working for American Express Financial Advisers (now Ameriprise Financial Inc.) when he was accused of selling unregistered securities and combining client funds with his own money. At the time, Southard accused American Express Financial Advisors of falsely accusing him of misdeeds and acting unprofessionally by violating his personal confidentiality. He left the firm to join Gunn-Allen Financial Inc. In July 2008, GunnAllen fired him. Last month, the New Jers
