A non-registered associated person based in Sunrise, Florida, used false accounting entries to misappropriate enormous sums of money from her employer.   Shanoa Adrianne Rose Akins was employed by the same FINRA member from 1/2/02 through 5/13/04, and from 8/31/04 through 3/30/11. When she recommenced her association in 2004, the firm filed an initial NRF (Non-Registered Fingerprint) for Ms. Akins. 

FINRA Allegations.   It was during the 2nd stint with the firm that Akins is alleged to have stolen the money.  During her second period of employment with the firm, Akins was employed as an accountant, and her job functions included, among other things, preparing entries for the firm's general ledger, posting them to the ledger, and performing various payroll functions.  Apparently, she worked without a lot of supervision and internal controls. 

What's really remarkable about the case is the depth and breadth of Akin's defalcations.

• She stole from the firm over a 5-1/2 year period - from September 2005 through March 2011.

• She misappropriated about $1.1 million from her employer member firm. 
  

• She accomplished the feat by creating false entries in the books and records of the firm, in amounts as small as $250 and as large as $50,000. 
  

• During that period, she received payments to which she was not entitled. 

Ms. Akins was barred from the industry - although C-I thinks she should be hired to explain how firms can defend against similar accounting frauds - akin to the movie/book, "Catch Me If You Can," starring Leo DiCaprio as a counterfeiter and Tom Hanks as an FBI investigator.

This is FINRA Case #2011027093001.   [Disciplinary Actions for June 2011]