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.

Cholia Hicks
AWC/2010022212301/June 2011

Hicks used the debit card belonging to a customer of her member firm’s bank affiliate, in transactions for personal expenses without the customer’s knowledge, authorization or consent, and converted at least $1,100.43.

Cholia Hicks : Barred

Tags:  Debit Card     |    In: Cases of Note : FINRA

Michael Douglas Larsen
2009018143701/June 2011

Larsen convinced an elderly bank customer to surrender annuities totaling approximately $355,000, which he deposited into the customer’s bank checking account. Larsen debited the customer’s bank checking account approximately $94,000 and purchased a bank check in that amount payable to an entity and opened an account at that entity for the customer; Larsen then executed an internal form with the entity that effectively changed the name on the account to an entity that Larsen owned and controlled, thereby misappropriating the customer’s money, without the customer’s authorization.

Larsen, took approximately $261,000 from the customer’s bank checking account at his member firm kept $4,500 for his personal use, gave $1,250 to the customer and had a bank check issued for the remaining approximately $255,000 payable to the entity Larsen owned and controlled, and deposited the funds into a checking account at the bank in the entity’s name.

Larsen used a debit card associated with the checking account in the name of his entity to make purchases for his personal benefit totaling approximately $72,000, which was funded by proceeds from the customer’s bank checking account, without the customer’s authorization.

When the customer reviewed his bank statements and noted that some of his money was not in the bank account, he made inquiries to the bank and the bank sued Larsen to recover funds that he had transferred out of the customer’s bank account. The bank was able to recover approximately $183,000 from Larsen, which it used to repay the customer and paid the customer an additional $171,000 to make him whole.

Larsen failed to respond to FINRA requests for documents.

Michael Douglas Larsen : Barred

Tags:  Banks    Debit Card    Elderly     |    In: Cases of Note : FINRA