NOTE: Stipulations of Fact and Consent to Penalty (SFC); Offers of Settlement (OS); and Letters of Acceptance Waiver, and Consent (AWC) are entered into by Respondents without admitting or denying the allegations, but consent is given to the described sanctions & to the entry of findings. Additionally, for AWCs, if FINRA has reason to believe a violation has occurred and the member or associated person does not dispute the violation, FINRA may prepare and request that the member or associated person execute a letter accepting a finding of violation, consenting to the imposition of sanctions, and agreeing to waive such member's or associated person's right to a hearing before a hearing panel, and any right of appeal to the National Adjudicatory Council, the SEC, and the courts, or to otherwise challenge the validity of the letter, if the letter is accepted. The letter shall describe the act or practice engaged in or omitted, the rule, regulation, or statutory provision violated, and the sanction or sanctions to be imposed.

Stephen George Condos and Chuck A. Roberts
AWC/2007010398801

Condos and Roberts had knowledge that a sales assistant and possibly others replaced customer email addresses with the sales assistant’s firm email address to facilitate the opening of online accounts and to lessen the amount of communications the customers received; therefore, trade confirmations were sent to the sales assistant rather than the customers, although the customers continued to receive their monthly account statements, prospectuses and 1099 federal tax forms by mail.

Roberts’ relative opened several accounts at his member firm; Roberts serviced those accounts but failed to disclose to the firm that the individual who owned the accounts was a relative. Had Roberts made such disclosure, the account numbers assigned to the accounts would contain a prefix identifying them as being employee-related.

Stephen George Condos: Censured; Fined $15,000; Suspended 3 weeks in all capacities

Chuck A. Roberts: Censured; Fined $40,000 and Suspended 4 weeks in all capacities

Tags: Email