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.

Newbridge Securities Corporation
AWC/2007007151704

Newbridge facilitated the manipulative trading of the stock of a company created as the result of a reverse merger.

A group of control persons and promoters used accounts at the firm to execute pre-arranged in-house agency cross and wash transactions that were intended to generate volume and support or increase the price of the stock. The firm permitted control persons to sell unregistered securities through firm accounts, and the sales were not made in compliance with any applicable exemption from registration. The firm failed to

• adequately supervise the registered representatives who participated in the sales of unregistered securities; 
• take adequate measures to ensure that the registered representatives assigned to the accounts did not engage in the sale of unregistered securities;
• take steps to ensure that the registered representative ascertained 
• whether the securities being sold were registered
• how and from whom the customers had obtained their shares,
• whether and when the shares were paid for, and
• whether the transactions were subject to any exemption from registration.

Further, the Firm failed to adequately supervise registered representatives who participated in the manipulative trading.

The firm did not have adequate systems or controls to implement and enforce its policies, particularly adequate systems to detect improper cross, wash and other manipulative trading. The firm’s AML procedures required the firm to investigate red flags indicating suspicious activity or trading, and to investigate and take appropriate steps, including limiting account activity, contacting a government agency or filing a SAR, but the firm failed to follow its AML program in regard to the manipulative trading, unregistered distributions and other suspicious activities.

The firm failed to report, or timely report, customer complaints reportable under NASD Rule 3070(c). In addition,  firm failed to file Forms U4 or U5 to report disclosable events and failed to timely amend a Form U4 to report a disclosable event.

Newbridge Securities Corporation : Censured; Fined $600,000; Required to have its president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) each register for eight hours of AML training within 60 days of issuance of the AWC, provide FINRA with evidence of registrations within 10 days of registration, have the individuals attend and complete the training within six months of issuance of the AWC and provide FINRA with evidence of completion of training within 10 days of completion. The firm is prohibited from effecting any purchase transactions in penny stocks for either proprietary or customer accounts, and shall not engage in market making of such stocks, for one year following acceptance of the AWC. The firm shall hire an independent consultant to review the firm’s systems relating to timely and accurate filing of Uniform Applications for Securities Industry Registration or Transfer (Forms U4) and Uniform Termination Notices for Securities Industry Registration (Forms U5), disclosure events and customer complaints under NASD Rule 3070 and, within 60 days after delivery of a written report, adopt and implement the consultant’s recommendations or propose alternative procedures in writing to the consultant and FINRA. Within 30 days after issuance of the consultant’s final written report, the firm shall provide FINRA with a written implementation report certified by a firm officer.

Tags: Unregistered Securities  AML  SAR