A registered rep from Temecula, CA, agreed to be barred from the industry, settling FINRA charges he violated firm pols and procedures when he recommended that certain customers invest outside of his firm - in a commodity pool that was operated by a non-FINRA regulated investment group.  He facilitated day-to-day interactions between certain customers and the commodity pool without providing written notice to his firm.  The commodity pool was later exposed as a Ponzi scheme and most of Shaw’s firm customers lost about $660,000 of their investments.

    Avoided Firm's Detection.   On numerous occasions, RR Shaw chose not to use the firm's email system to communicate with firm customers about legitimate business matters - and customers readily accepted his communications, whether they were sent through, or outside of, the firm.  The firm, in turn, wasn't aware of his violative activities.

Shaw further managed to conceal his unreported outside business activities by allegedly directing certain of his staff to communicate with the commodity pool using non-firm email addresses.  Customers also were advised not to use firm email addresses for communications regarding the commodity pool.   RR Shaw later failed to fully and completely respond to a FINRA request for documents and information.   [FINRA Case #2008015411502;  December Disciplinary Actions]