Fines tied to unauthorized communications on Wall Street have topped $2.5 billion, and that’s probably not the last of it.

Filings and media reports show that regulators have quizzed more than a dozen other firms about the use of unofficial channels like WhatsApp, personal texts and email to conduct business. The list includes some of the biggest names in asset management, private equity and hedge funds, as well as smaller banks beyond the Big 6 that have already reached settlements.

Who’s On Notice 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

Source

Agency

Focus

Apollo Global Management Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

Electronic messaging channels

BlackRock Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

Record retention requirements

Blackstone Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

Retention of electronic business communications

Carlyle Group Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

WhatsApp, WeChat and similar applications

Citadel

 

BN

SEC

Unapproved channels

Fifth Third Bancorp

 

10-Q

SEC, CFTC

Settlement talks underway

Interactive Brokers Group Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC, CFTC

Records preservation requirements

Invesco Ltd.

 

10-Q

SEC

Investment advisers

Jones Financial Cos.

 

10-Q

SEC

Unapproved devices, platforms

KeyCorp

 

10-Q

SEC, CFTC

Broker-dealer, investment advisers 

KKR & Co. 

 

10-Q

SEC

Business-related electronic communications

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

Personal devices and messaging platforms

Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC, CFTC

Broker-dealer, investment advisers

Point72 Asset Management 

 

BN

SEC

Unapproved channels

Robinhood Markets Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC, Finra

Brokerage communications

TPG Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

Retention of electronic communications

Truist Financial Corp.

 

10-Q

SEC, CFTC

Broker-dealer, investment adviser, swap dealer 

US Bancorp

 

10-Q

SEC

Broker-dealer, investment adviser

Voya Financial Inc.

 

10-Q

SEC

Unapproved channels

An inquiry from regulators as they gather facts doesn’t necessarily mean that an enforcement action will result, or even that the recipient is a target for investigators. As some of the filings point out, it’s a wide-ranging “sweep” of the industry, and nearly all of the firms said they are cooperating.

Brokers and investment advisers are required to monitor and save communications involving their business to head off misconduct. When they don’t, regulators say it’s harder to investigate any wrongdoing. Their work is made even more difficult when bankers use messaging tools that delete communications automatically.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said its probe so far has found that “off-channel” communications were pervasive at some Wall Street firms, and it wasn’t just a few low-level rogues. At some companies. the SEC found that senior managers were involved, including heads of groups, managing directors and senior supervisors responsible for overseeing the conduct of junior employees. 

—With assistance from Austin Weinstein.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.