FINRA fined and suspended former Irvine-branch Wells Fargo broker Marisa Nicole Pickar for falsifying documents related to customer accounts without her customers' knowledge or authorization.
According to the findings, Pickar falsified documents related to five customer accounts by re-using customer signatures from prior documents requesting wire transfer or IRA distributions and by applying white-out to change the previously-filled in and executed forms.
Investigators found that Pickar altered either the date, tax withholding amount and/or distribution dollar amount on each improperly modified document, thus allowing her to re-use the customer's prior signatures.
FINRA states Pickar altered the forms without her client's knowledge, authorization or consent. Additionally, Wells Fargo Advisors' own written procedures prohibited altering documents and, after a firm investigation, Wells Fargo discharged Pickar for violating firm policy related to improperly altering customer documents.
Pickar's BrokerCheck report lists a criminal disclosure in the form of a no contest plea to misdemeanor petty theft in 1991; Pickar presently works as an Operations Associate for Newport Beach, CA-based Triad Investment Management, an SEC Investment Adviser firm.
If you have invested with former Wells Fargo Advisors broker and current Triad Investment associate Marisa Nicole Pickar or with any other broker or financial adviser whose improper alteration or fabrication of financial documents and forms has proven harmful to your investments or interests, please call The Law Offices of Jonathan W. Evans & Associates at (800) 699-1881 for an investigation and consultation.