SunTrust pays $1.1M for improperly recommending mutual funds

The SEC has charged the investment services subsidiary of SunTrust Banks with collecting more than $1.1 million in avoidable fees from clients by improperly recommending more expensive share classes of various mutual funds when cheaper shares of the same funds were available. SunTrust Investment Services has agreed to pay a penalty of more than $1.1 million to settle the charges. SunTrust separately began refunding the overcharged fees plus interest to affected clients after the SEC started its investigation. SEC examiners cited the practice during a compliance review of the firm in mid-2015. More than 4,500 accounts were affected. According to an Order issued by the SEC, the Atlanta-based firm breached its fiduciary duty to act in clients’ best interests by recommending and purchasing costlier mutual fund share classes that charge a type of marketing and distribution fee known as 12b-1 fees. Investors were not informed that they were eligible for less costly share class options that did not charge 12b-1 fees. The avoidable fees flowed back to SunTrust in the form of higher commissions from the funds.