Securities Lawyers Blog
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned brokerage firm NEXT Financial Group, Inc. (NEXT Financial) concerning allegations that: 1) between March 17, 2009, and August 26, 2011, NEXT Financial failed to timely and accurately amend registered representatives’ Forms U4 and U5 to disclose customer complaints, judgments and liens; 2) from January 1, 2010, through August 26, 2011, NEXT Financial permitted its former general counsel to directly supervise registered persons without a principal registration; and 3) from March 17, 2009, through August 10, 2012, NEXT Financial failed to establish and maintain a supervisory system that was reasonably designed to prevent and detect unsuitable sales of structured products to retail customers.
NEXT Financial is a general securities broker-dealer located in Houston, Texas and a member of FINRA since 1999. The firm currently has approximately 900 registered persons and 590 registered branch locations.
FINRA Rules require that every application for registration (Form U4) filed with FINRA shall be kept current at all times by supplementary amendments. Supplementary amendments must be filed within 30 days after learning of facts or circumstances that would require an amendment. FINRA also requires that a notice of termination (Form U5) be filed with FINRA within 30 days after an individual’s association with a member firm is terminated and the form must be kept current at all times by supplementary amendments.