According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Todd Leightey (Leightey), currently associated with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one regulatory event, alleging that Leightey recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on May 16, 2025.
Without admitting or denying the findings, Leightey consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he recommended purchases of variable annuities to three customers without a reasonable basis to believe that the transactions were suitable based on the customers’ age, financial situation and needs, liquidity needs, and investment time horizon, among other factors. The findings stated that Leightey’s recommendation to a married couple, one of whom was a senior, to purchase a $100,000 variable annuity contract resulted in more than half of the customers’ net worth being invested in variable annuities. In addition, Leightey recommended another customer purchase a $6,000 variable annuity when the customer did not have any interest or need for the particular features of a variable annuity. The findings also stated that in connection with variable annuity applications submitted to his member firm for approval by a principal, Leightey inaccurately stated that these three customers intended to utilize the annuitization and death benefit features of the purchased variable annuities and misstated two customers’ intended investment horizons. This caused the firm to collect and maintain inaccurate information about these transactions and customers.
Brokers are required to adhere to the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) standard of care under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which establishes a ‘best interest’ standard for broker-dealers and associated persons. This Reg BI standard of care applies to registered representatives making recommendations to customers in the purchase, sale, or exchange of securities or the implementation of investment strategies involving securities and non-securities. The rule also applies to the handling of opening accounts such as account transfers and types of accounts being recommended to be opened. Reg BI is drawn from fiduciary principles that include an obligation to act in the retail investor’s best interest and the broker is prohibited from placing their own interests ahead of the investor’s interest.
There are several different aspects of the rule that brokers must comply with. One of which is the care obligations which requires brokers to form a reasonable belief that their investment advice and recommendations are in the retail investor’s best interest. The care obligations includes three components. First, the advisor must have an understanding of the potential risks, rewards, and costs associated with a product, investment strategy, account type, or series of transactions. Next, the advisor must have a reasonable understanding of the specific retail investor’s investment profile. The customer’s profile information generally includes an investor’s financial situation and needs; investments; assets and debts; marital status; tax status; age; investment time horizon; liquidity needs; risk tolerance; investment experience; investment objectives and financial goals; and any other information the retail investor may disclose in connection with the recommendation or advice. The associated person must then apply both their reasonable diligence into various investment options as well as the information gathered as to the investor’s specific needs when considering the investment recommendation. The broker must explore various alternative investment options available to address these needs and determine that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the recommendation or service being recommended is in the retail investor’s best interest.
Brokerage firms and advisors must also understand the features and limitations of various account types as part of meeting Reg BI’s care obligations. Firms typically offer a variety of account options and services with different trading costs, services, such as account and activity monitoring. An advisor’s recommendation as to what type of securities account to open can alter the customers’ overall costs and investment returns. The advisor must determine that the client can benefit from the type of account being recommended to be opened and in the investor’s best interest taking into account the costs, benefits, and needs of the client.
Leightey entered the securities industry in 2001. Leightey has been registered as a Broker with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC since 2001.
Investors who have suffered losses are encouraged to contact us at (800) 810-4262 for consultation. At Gana Weinstein LLP, our attorneys are experienced representing investors who have suffered securities losses due to the mishandling of their accounts. Claims may be brought in securities arbitration before FINRA. Our consultations are free of charge and the firm is only compensated if you recover.