Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) (LON:BARC) has been fined by the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) over allegations that it did not keep its electronic records properly. That’s according to reports from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal.
FinRA accuses Barclays of long-term problems
According to the regulator, Barclays’ method of keeping electronic records, known as Write-Once, Read-Many or just WORM for short, made it possible for documents to be altered or even erased. The records in question include data about orders, account records, trade confirmations and other documents. FINRA claims that the problems went on for ten years—from 2002 to 2012. According to The Wall Street Journal, FINRA claims that the problems were spread across all of the bank’s businesses, making it difficult to tell whether or not documents had been altered.
The regulator also claims Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) (LON:BARC) did not keep attachments to certain Bloomberg emails properly between 2007 and 2010. In addition, it said the bank did not properly save approximately 3.3 million Bloomberg instant messages between 2008 and 2010. According to the regulatory agency, after the bank’s system saw an instant message attachment it processed earlier the same day, it would stop accepting instant messages that day.
Barclays accused of violating FINRA, SEC, NASDS rules
The regulator said the bank’s failure to properly store electronic records is in violation of its own rules and regulations and also those of the National Association of Securities Dealers and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
It also claims that Barclays didn’t keep a system and written procedures in place to ensure that it continued to comply with rules set by the three regulatory agencies.
Barclays agrees to FINRA’s fine
Although Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) (LON:BARC) did not admit to any wrongdoing in this case, it did agree to a censure and for FINRA’s findings to be entered. A spokesperson for Barclays declined to comment to agencies which contacted the bank for a statement.
