Popular Securities Broker Fined and Suspended for Unauthorized Discretionary Trades
Manuel Mejia-Gomez, a former registered representative with Popular Securities, LLC, submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he consented to, but did not admit to or deny, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) findings that he executed three unauthorized transactions in a customer’s accounts; failed to follow a customer’s instructions to liquidate a particular security; and engaged in discretionary trading without written authorization in the accounts of three customers. According to FINRA, Manuel Mejia-Gomez, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, executed three unauthorized transactions in a customer’s account which caused the customer to complain to Popular Securities, who then cancelled the transactions. FINRA alleges further that instead of following his customer’s instructions to liquidate a specific bond, Mr. Mejia-Gomez allegedly consulted with his customer’s employee who had no authority to make trading decisions. Mr. Mejia-Gomez used the instructions of this unauthorized employee to liquidate a different bond than was instructed by his customer.
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