Emily Jean Smith (also known as Emily Jean Hinton), of Vero Beach, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Raymond James Financial Services Inc., has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for four months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Smith reused customer signatures and altered customer documents. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent, No. 2023079243401 (March 13, 2024).
According to the AWC, FINRA’s regulatory action stemmed from a Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration (Form U5) filed by Raymond James in July of 2023. The securities broker dealer disclosed that Smith had been discharged for failing to comply with firm policies regarding document integrity. Specifically, Smith was found to have reused customer signature pages and altered signed documents without customer authorization.
Between April and December of 2022, Smith reused customer signature pages on several documents Including customer agreements and transfer forms, without the customers’ authorization. Additionally, between January and November of 2022, Smith altered documents after customers had signed them. This conduct led to the securities broker dealer maintaining inaccurate records. For this reason, Smith violated FINRA Rules 4511 and 2010.
FINRA Public Disclosure also shows that on July 10, 2019, Smith’s former securities broker dealer employer, Morgan Stanley, permitted Smith to resign based on allegations that Smith made unauthorized alterations and additions to customer documents.
Smith was associated with Morgan Stanley in Vero Beach, Florida, from October 2, 2014, to July 30, 2019. Following this period, Smith joined Raymond James Financial Services Inc., also located in Vero Beach, Florida, where she was registered from July 15, 2019, to July 7, 2023.
