FINRA Fines Citigroup Global Markets for Disclosure Failures

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently announced that it has fined Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. $725,000 for failing to disclose certain conflicts of interest in its research reports and research analysts’ public appearances.

Citigroup failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest inherent in their business relationships in certain research reports it published from January 2007 through March

2010. Citigroup and/or its affiliates managed or co-managed public securities offerings, received investment banking or other revenue from, made a market in the securities of and/or had a 1 percent or greater beneficial ownership in covered companies, and did not make these required disclosures in certain research reports. In addition, Citigroup research analysts failed to disclose these same potential conflicts of interest in connection with public appearances in which covered companies were mentioned.

FINRA found that Citigroup failed to disclose the required information because the database it used to identify and create the disclosures was inaccurate and/or incomplete due primarily to technical deficiencies. In addition, Citigroup failed to have reasonable supervisory procedures in place to ensure that the firm was populating its research reports with required disclosures.

In concluding this settlement, the firm neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRA›s findings.

This information which is publicly available on FINRA’s website has been provided by The White Law Group, LLC.

If you have questions about investments you made with Citigroup Global Markets, the securities attorneys of The White Law Group may be able to help.  To speak with a securities attorney, please call the firm’s Chicago office at 312/238-9650.

The White Law Group, LLC is a national securities fraud, securities arbitration, investor protection, and securities regulation/compliance law firm with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Boca Raton, Florida.

For more information on The White Law Group, please visit our website at http://whitesecuritieslaw.com.