An irreverent Wall Street Blog
by Bill Singer

Wells Fargo Shocked By Employee Theft

November 4, 2016

Irony can be a pretty funny thing.  For example, take Wells Fargo's much publicized cross-selling and leveraging of its customer base. By most measures, that strategy was a phenomenal success resulting in the opening of many new customer accounts. Unfortunately, that same strategy produced a $185 million fines when it turned out that 2 million of those new accounts were unauthorized. Why did Wells Fargo undertake such a dramatic push for new business?  Likely to boost its bottom line and enhance its reputation. What did it cost the firm when its bogus account rampage was revealed? It took a hit to its bottom line and its credibility and integrity were hammered. How ironic, no? The gods have not quite finished playing with this mighty Wall Street firm: Consider a recent bit of irony involving an employee ripping off the firm.

Case In Point

For the purpose of proposing a settlement of rule violations alleged by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA"), without admitting or denying the findings, prior to a regulatory hearing, and without an adjudication of any issue, Susan Kathleen Menne submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent ("AWC"), which FINRA accepted. In the Matter of Susan Kathleen Menne, Respondent (AWC 2016050193401, October 31, 2016).

 In August 2014, Menne became associated in a non-registered capacity with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. The AWC asserts that Menne had no prior disciplinary history.

Holiday Gift Giving

The AWC asserts that In December 2015, Menne took $200 worth of gift cards from Wells Fargo Advisors and, thereafter, starting on January 2, 2016, she used the cards to pay for personal purchases. All of which sort of sounds like a self-help version of a Christmas present used to buy New Year's gifts. It's also more than a bit ironic that a Wells Fargo employee is stealing from that firm.

Shocked . . . Shocked!

The AWC alleges that Wells Fargo terminated Menne on May 11, 2016, and in a May 31, 2016, Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration ("Form U5"), the firm stated that she:

[c]ame into possession of, and used, gift cards that had been taken from the same area of the Firm in which Ms. Menne worked."

You'd sort of like to think that Wells Fargo would have had some compassion, some empathy for its wayward employee.  If nothing else, maybe the firm would have felt some shock of recognition and mused about "been there, done that" or "there but for the grace of God go I." After all, Wells Fargo came into possession of and used customer accounts that were, in a sense, "taken" from customers in the same area of the firm where many employees worked. 

Apparently Wells Fargo doesn't appreciate the subtleties of irony because in May 2016, Menne was allegedly charged with misdemeanor theft of property, to which she pleaded guilty in August 2016. All of which suggests that Wells Fargo pressed criminal charges. Oh my, Wells Fargo was shocked . . . shocked . . . to find that one of its employees was a thief. Remember when Wells Fargo said it had fired about 5,300 employees for their misconduct with the opening of so-called ghost accounts? By the way, anyone recall whether Wells Fargo was charged with misdemeanor theft in connection with those so-called ghost accounts?

In accordance with the terms of the AWC, FINRA imposed upon Menne a Bar from association with any FINRA member in any capacity.


Bill Singer's Comment

Seventy-four-years ago, the classic film "Casablanca" was released but it seems only yesterday when Wells Fargo paid $185 million in fines and penalties to settle a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") investigation that uncovered some 2 million unauthorized accounts. READ the CFPB Wells Fargo Consent Order. 

When it came to casting the role of Rick for the classic film "Casablanca," we got Humphrey Bogart. When it came to casting the role of Wells Fargo's CEO, we got John Stumpf. How unfortunate; and let's not even begin to discuss the disparity between the supporting casts. Imagine how Bogie would have handled those clowns in Congress when they tried to press him for answers about his firm's alleged misconduct.

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, Menne walks into Wells Fargo. It's not like Menne was a crook or anything. Well, okay, maybe she was but it's not like she wasn't surrounded by a corporate culture that placed a premium on setting up bogus accounts and ripping off its customers. Couldn't Wells Fargo have simply opened up just one more bogus account in Menne's name, run up $200 in charges, and then left it at that? Even stevens. Once more for old time's sake. Couldn't Wells Fargo have laughed at the irony of one of its employees ripping it off after the firm had done the same to 2 million customers? 

Maybe my sense of humor is a bit of an acquired taste. Maybe my warped view of right and wrong is a bit dated. Might explain why I still love "Casablanca." Might also explain my disgust with Wells Fargo and its tired excuses.

Permalink

Search BrokeAndBroker

Related Topics

Previous Entries

Tag Cloud

Bill Singer BrokeAndBroker FINRA Arbitration AWC SEC BrokeAndBroker.com Expungement BrokerAndBroker Employment Guest Blog Guest Blogger Street Sweeper Wells Fargo Bill SInger Jobs Aegis Frumento OBA U5 Fraud Promissory Note U4 Email Merrill Lynch Morgan Stanley EFL UBS Defamation Wire Fraud Elderly CRD Statutory Disqualification InSecurities Forbes Suitability PST FBI OHO BrokeAndBroker Ponzi ALJ Rule 3270 Whistleblower Citigroup NAC Supervision Borrowing DOJ BrokerCheck Form U4 IRS OIP Expenses Supreme Court Bank Outside Business Activity Willful SDNY Felony Ameriprise Pro Se Securities Industry Commentator Wrongful Termination Rule 2080 WSP Wachovia Rule 8210 Discretion IRA Dodd Frank RIA Raymond James Mail Fraud Business Expenses Insider Trading NASD Discovery Rule 2010 Wife CCO Form U5 JP Morgan Rule 1122 Conversion Husband Checks Punitive Damages Bar Forgery Bankruptcy Settlement Estate Willfulness LPL Tax Rule 3240 Trump Employment Tuesday Madoff Outside Business Activities Edward Jones NYSE Credit Card Rule 3040 Wall Street Commissions Stephen Kohn Frumento TRO Insurance Private Securities Transaction Margin Small Firm Schwab Annuities 2Cir Corrective Action Statement Injunction Rule 3280 Impersonation Beneficiary Real Estate Power of Attorney Promissory Notes Indictment Bank of America Tax Liens Options Antitrust Facebook Exam Test Mortgage SRO Spouse Tax Lien ETF ATM Street Legal Due Diligence Trust arbitration Offer of Settlement Remand Misdemeanor COVID OTR Complaint FAA Rule 12206 Crypto ACQ Rule 2510 Barclays VA Trustee Case In Point Signature Annuity Away Account Wire Sanctions NASDAQ Lien Customer Stay ARS CFTC Goldman Sachs email Motion to Dismiss POA Initial Decision Schapiro Appeal Securities Fraud Employee Forgivable Loan Money Laundering T&P OWB Loan Unauthorized Discretion Blockchain Spouses Rule 4530 Eligibility Rule NSF Liens Rule 4511 NASAA HFT PCAOB DCCir Burris 9Cir Fidelity Retaliation Bonus Great Recession Reg SP Jurisdiction RBC Deutsche Bank Cease And Desist Signatures Conspiracy Compliance Reimbursement Chase JPMorgan Rule 12200 Unfair Competition Mandatory Arbitration Dissent E*Trade Solicitation Failure to Supervise Flash Crash Fiduciary Retirement LOA Broker Protocol Credit Cards Continuing Education AML Hacking Scottrade Explained Decision Vacatur Unsuitability Willfully Rule 3010 Undisclosed Settlement Discrimination Huffington Post Disgorgement Personal Expenses Severance Hacker Motion to Vacate Gallagher Lehman Brothers brokeandbroker Unauthorized Trading Deceased MSSB Malware REIT Bharara TD Ameritrade Variable Annuity Cryptocurrency Identity Theft Registered Rep Magazine Customer Complaint Board 10Cir Bitcoin Rule 3050 RRBDLAW.com Class Action Divorce expungement Disclosure IAR Sexism Internet Lucia Stockbrokers Annual Compliance Questionnaire Wey Forex Coronavirus Sexist employment Stifel Loans Variable Annuities Wedbush Manifest Disregard Away Accounts Website Spoofing FINRA Arbitration Audit Will BD Examination Letter of Authorization Apple Widow MC-400 Rule 12805 2nd Circuit Kokesh Commission Lehman Second Circuit SDFL CRS Elder Abuse Private Placement Private Securities Transactions jobs Trading Platform PNC Social Media Solicited RMBS Rule 3110 Net Capital Registration Self Regulation Zipper Prison Postponement Due Process Brummer Credit Suisse FINOP LIBOR Statute of Limitations BOP Confidential Information BrokeAndBroker Bill Singer Dakota Securities Emails Cheating IC3 Charles Schwab Morgan Keegan Bureau of Prisons Waiver Indemnification MetLife Arbitraiton WSPs China ADA Rule 2150 RRBDlaw.com BrokeAndBroker.com Blog Bonds Sanction Guidelines Telephone Hedge Fund Fees Bear Stearns Newman PIABA bill singer Hilton Weiner Non-Solicitation Unsolicited Time And Price Debit Card Judgments Plea BrokeandBroker FOREX Marijuana Rule 2111 Unjust Enrichment Imposter Crowdfunding Puerto Rico Knight Suspension Compensation Reg S-P Public Interest Whistleblowers TOD Diversity Joshua Brown FNMA Rakoff Obstruction of Justice OSHA Botkin Lawyer JOBS Act WB-APP RR Tortious Interference Rule 4513 Mutual Funds Regulation SP Oppenheimer Testimony Board of Governors Small Firm Governor DOL FINRA Board Embezzlement Elder Fraud Mother Gold CE Charge Stifel Nicolaus 3Cir CPA Auction Rate Securities Motion to Confirm Rule 9552 Confirm Check Kiting Concentration Protocol Counterclaim NYAG Piwowar CNBC IPO Rule 13200 Employment Agreement Rule 13805 EIA Rosenthal Recruiting VIX Khuzami Shah Gilani Cannabis Federal Reserve Puts USERRA Biden TSSB Executor PN Taxes SAC Morgan Stanely Rule 2081 Affiliate Whistleblowing Charity Confidential Bank Fraud Unsuitable CEO Reg D Rule 12504 ING Funds Customer Information Wire Transfer OIG Circuit Court Article V Banc of America MF Global Unregistered 11Cir Termination Affinity Fraud Churning Aleynikov Restaurant Raiding Bloomberg TheBlot Appointments Clause Private Placements 9/11 Pennystocks Irreparable Harm Series 7 Wine Pennystock Conflict Statutory Disqualification Committee Testing Feigenbaum Check NoCA Immunity Confidentiality Membership Continuance Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies Racism Medicare AAA Standing Non Solicitation Passcode Phishing Bandimere Dementia Stanford Broke And Broker Margin Call 4Cir Information Sales Assistant Woody Allen Hurry Ketchum Rule 12904 Inability to Pay Day Trading High Frequency Trading Whitman Motion to Compel SunTrust Statement of Corrective Action Chase Investment Services Penson Nietzsche Failure To Supervise Vault Vietnam Unauthorized Practice of Law David Sobel Corruption Side Bar Teleconference Commodities Fraud Bid Rigging Sharemaster Covid Wanger Argentina Ride the Thunder Marines Honorarium Relevant Disciplinary History Hugh Hewitt JPM Trade Secrets Sexual Harassment Marine Corps Michael King Associates Michael King Eligibility McDuff signature Joint Account Aguilar money laundering 1Cir Written Supervisory Procedures Constitution Rule 12212 Amazon Consent Order White Self Regulatory Organization 6Cir Saad Deferred Compensation Libel Marketplace Robert Cook securities industry commentator Outside Account Layering Test Center Absolute Immunity EDNY Mutual Fund Administrative Remedies NPR Kon HSBC AXA ICO Corzine Medical Condition Star Wars Hester Peirce Laptop Subpoena Research Slander NDCA Yesenia Guitron Government Accountability Project Guitron Johnny Burris Moon Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Chief Compliance Officer Talman Harris Rule 2210 Casino Rule 3030 Disability Form ADV Rule 3310 Hearing Sarbanes Oxley Probate Obstruction OCIE Parking BrokeAndBroke Negligence Finder\'s Fee Online PAQ TCR FINRA AWC Finra Smith Barney Breach of Contract IM Attorneys Fees ACH fraud 401k 6th Circuit Lawyers Ethereum Third Party Vendor Lincoln Financial Poteroba Accounting Leveraged ETF Password BrokerAndBroker.com Prudential Schneiderman Attorneys\' Fees Fifth Amendment 40 Act Rationale FOCUS CGMI Death Regulation S-P Outside Accounts Reform Expert Witness elderly Inside Information 10b-5 Beneficiaries Congress Preliminary Injunction Privilege Florida Chiasson Meals Relevant RRBDlaw Escrow Acosta Blank Forms Civil Rights Johnson Fowler ESOP Over Concentration Excessive Trading Rule 21F Stockbroker Data Rule 13504 David Lerner Conflict of Interest BATS Oral Discretion Pruco OWWP Inmate WaMu wrongful termination Commodities Money Market Turnover Resignation Newport Coast Securities Capital Gains Verbal Discretion Microcap Non Solicit Arrest FINRA Small Firm VXX Rule 2370 Hospital Scottsdale CDO First Amendment Puerto Rico Bonds Series 79 Rory Flynn State Actor Control Person mail fraud wire fraud Wires Respondeat Superior Dell Revocation Commissioner Stein BrokeAndbroker Trader FMLA Crime 10b-10 Backstage Wall Street Fiduciary Duty Reuters SP Settling Away Red Flags Motion Timban Fine Scholander Guest Bloggers Selling Away Sexual Discrimination Obama Restitution Kiting Enforcement Gensler Texting Counterfeit Client Information Equity Indexed Annuities Rule 9216 Rule 9554 Investment Adviser Fines Rule 1031 TIC Life Insurance Electronic Communications Service supervision S&P Tax Fraud Arbitration Self Reporting Self Directed FCPA Regulation NRF 401(k) CD Son SD Moore Netschi Robinhood CMA NYG Capital 11th Circuit Permanent Bar FAP SIFMA Stop Loss 17a-5 Stipulated Award Disciplinary History Trading Copyright Department of Justice Taft Correctional Institution Thain Fee Elder Law Annual Audit Jennifer Tarr RICO Outside Counsel Judgment Female Risk Google NY Life DNJ LLC FCI Beaumont Cold Spring Advisory Group Withdrawals YouTube Christian Stanley FCI Rule 2430 Do Not Call Reverse Life Insurance Elles Chevron Confirmation Investor Alert Tysk Exotic ETF HBO Merrill ACT! Apartment Retroactive Bar Investment Advisers Act Allocation Cherry Picking Tippee Ecuador FINRA Foundation Confidential Customer Information Tipper Retroactive Anderson In House Counsel Silver Cybercrime Particularity Exhaustion Doctrine Naskovets RRBDLAW Twitter PSRO Lee Last Known Address Income GAP Altered Lexicon Cryptocurrencies Fourth Amendment BIll Singer Back Dated Rule 420 Kennedy Constructive Discharge Broy Cybersecurity Guardian Powell House Financial Services Martin Grievance Securities and Exchange Commission EB-5 Newbridge Bank Guarantee Law School expenses BBVA Sears JAMS Prime Bank Walter Well Managed Portfolio Wang God Credit Repair Oilpro Bob Dylan MSPB Advisor Placement Group Kent Gnomes BrokeandBroker.com South Park Short Sale Dostoevsky Customer Files Coin Dinner Punitive sexism Fiero Allstate Nationwide Kenneth Starr Clayton Orders Non Compete Hackers Criminal Compliance Questionnaire Executrix Rule 2330 Baby Boomers Cantor Fitzgerald Covid-19 Rule 3210 Disney Nasdaq Altered Records For Cause iPhone Third Party Beneficiary Evidence Extraordinary Circumstances Berthel Fisher BitTorrent Mary Schapiro securities fraud Khan false statements Falsification Books and Records Impersonator Expense Dylan Daughter NPI Sharing Agreement Wire Transfers Vaccarelli Compromise Willfull Flash Drive Malice DWI Capitalism Promoter Arbitrator Notice FDA FNI Media Swaps Lewis Carroll MBS NYLIFE Frivolous Alcoholism Subject Matter Jurisdiction Stock Promotion Daspin Theft Reason for Termination Goble Mary Jo White Ethics 5Cir Mantar Pacifico Non-Prosecution Agreement Fraudulent Inducement National Securities Motiion to Acquit Turbeville Conflicts SEC Rules of Practice Title VII Skimming IBM MDLA Traders Vacate Quasi Governmental EDPA Beatles Solomon Subway Supervisor Jury Instructions Extortion 8210 Mattera Superior Court Statute of Limitation Gabelli Jon Corzine Pershing Hayden Rules of Practice Office of Special Counsel Merill Lynch NML Voya Checking Kierkegaard Undercover Texas State Securities Board DPA FinCEN Koval Game of Thrones Preliminary Determination US Airways Martoma Cellphone Lek Stephen A. Kohn PHC Exception Reports Janney Montgomery Scott AWC. FINRA Romer Racial Discrimination Practice Sale Default Molchatsky NFA Bezos Public Arbitrator Hurtado State Farm Deferred Prosecution Agreement Section 206 Motion To Dismiss Travel Transfer Varney Municipal Bonds Excel Payroll Penalty Salman bank Initials Securities America Financial Disclosure Liquidation Bill singer Schumer Principal Binary Options Court of Appeal Diabetes Chase Bank Rule 12511 Elon Musk Examinations AIG SDOH Bank Secrecy Act Stipulation Res Judicata Burden of Proof Brokeandbroker.com Work Product Harassment Reasonable Diamonds Offset Sterne Agee Transamerica Dissident ETFs FTC SIPC Boyland Series 66 Laser Pension College Bartko Obamacare Zoom Deceased Customer Branch Manager Spoliation Women Wells Fargo Advisors Preet Bharara Sex Eric Stein Life Settlement Spam Led Zeppelin ADR Customers Compliance Officer Father 1099 Collateral Margin Calls Liu Costa Rica Collateral Bar CMO Municipal Advisor ALJ Foelak Rule 12104 Galleon JPMorgan Chase NRSRO Merger Currency Books And Records Ten Commandments Age Discrimination Banks Reverse Merger Proctor 9th Circuit EEOC Bill Singer BrokeAndBroker Scam Blackbook Tennis Court Retired Woman With Cane Wages William Faulkner Murray Bribe Patriot Act Leveraged ETFs Mistake Witness Tampering Investacorp ALJ Grimes Dow UIT Tran CAT Rule 144 Springsteen Disparate Treatment Unauthorized Trades Gifts ADEA Trainee Fee McCartney Undertaking Harris Hertz QuadrigaCX Legend Countrywide Summary Judgment Personal Information Production