STREET MOVES:Wells Fargo Adviser Team Resigns,Joins Captrust
October 19 2009 - 5:16PM
Dow Jones News
A top Charlotte-based financial adviser team has voluntarily
resigned from Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) and disclosed allegations
in a regulatory filing that they didn't follow certain firm
policies.
On Oct. 2, Robert Jones and Michael Blair - the Jones Blair
Group - voluntarily resigned from Wells Fargo Advisors, according
to Financial Industry Regularity Authority records. The team joined
Captrust Financial Advisors, an independent advisory firm, on Oct.
12. Captrust said the team managed more than $1 billion in client
assets; Wells Fargo confirmed the team's departure, and said it
managed $609 million.
In a Finra filing, the brokers disclosed allegations they didn't
follow firm policies regarding investments in direct participation
programs, in which profits or losses flow directly to investors,
and limited partnership interests.
Jones and Blair each worked at Wells Fargo, formerly Wachovia
Securities, for more than 26 years. They were ranked fifth and
sixth, respectively, in Barron's February listing of the top
financial advisers in North Carolina.
Captrust didn't immediately respond to a request for comment and
for access to Blair and Jones.
Separate from the policy issue involved in their departure,
according to Finra documents, Jones faces a pending investor
complaint filed with Finra on June 30 that alleges
misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and
violation of North Carolina Securities laws. The claimant seeks
damages "in an unspecified amount, but believed to be $1.6
million," according to Finra records. The complaint is going to
arbitration at Finra; there was no response by Jones in the Finra
documents.
A Wells Fargo spokeswoman declined to comment on any legal
matters.
Captrust, a Raleigh, N.C., firm, represents $24 billion in
client assets.
News of the team's departure from Wells Fargo was reported
Friday by the Charlotte Business Journal.
- Brett Philbin, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2173;
brett.philbin@dowjones.com