CNN, June 25, 2018: Wells Fargo accused of misconduct again
The Securities and Exchange Commission said on Monday that between 2009 and 2013, Wells Fargo (WFC) reaped large fees by “improperly encouraging” brokerage clients to actively trade high-fee debt products that were intended to be held to maturity.
Wells Fargo Advisors, the bank’s brokerage division, agreed to pay a $4 million penalty over its handling of the products, known as market-linked investments. The bank must also return $930,377 of ill-gotten gains — plus $178,064 of interest.
Wells Fargo, which neither admitted nor denied the SEC’s allegations, said in a statement that it “cooperated fully” with the latest investigation.
