FINRA Fines Raymond James $17M
FINRA has fined two units of Raymond James Financial Inc. with a record $17 million in fines for rampant compliance failures in the brokerage's anti-money laundering programs. The two units, Raymond James & Associates and Raymond James Financial Services, failed to implement systems to properly prevent, detect, and investigate suspicious activity for a number of years as the units saw "significant growth" from 2006 to 2014, according to a statement from the regulatory authority. Linda Busby, Raymond James' former anti-money laundering compliance officer, was fined $25,000 and suspended for three months. “This case demonstrates that when there are broad-based failures within specific areas of responsibility, we will seek individual liability where appropriate," said FINRA's Chief of Enforcement, Brad Bennett. The brokerage firm's $17 million fine is FINRA's biggest pertaining to anti-money laundering, according to Michelle Ong, FINRA's spokeswoman. FINRA was especially concerned about the failures as RJFS was sanctioned in 2012 for inadequate procedures and agreed to review its program [...]