Adriane L Cagle of Peachtree City Georgia a stockbroker formerly employed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for two months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Cagle altered customer account documents without authorization. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2016051146801 (Apr. 7, 2017).
According to the AWC, Cagle had already been warned by Merrill Lynch in May of 2014 concerning Cagle’s misconduct concerning the alteration of customer documents. Apparently, Cagle modified the customer’s documents after they had been signed. Apparently, she continued to violate the firm’s documentation policy. For example, in April of 2016, Cagle signed as a witness to documents that she did not actually witness. Then, in July of 2016, Cagle reportedly signed again as a witness on a customer’s documents without having witnessed the customer’s signature.
FINRA stated that Cagle’s false certifications and alteration of customer documents led the firm to maintain records and books that were inaccurate. Consequently, FINRA found Cagle’s conduct violative of FINRA Rules 2010 and 4511.
