The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently announced that it has fined Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. $725,000 for failing to disclose certain conflicts of interest in its research reports and research analysts' public appearances.

Citigroup failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest inherent in their business relationships in certain research reports it published from January 2007 through March 2010. Citigroup and/or its affiliates managed or co-managed public securities offerings, received investment banking or other revenue from, made a market in the securities of and/or had a 1 percent or greater beneficial ownership in covered companies, and did not make these required disclosures in certain research reports. In addition, Citigroup research analysts failed to disclose these same potential conflicts of interest in connection with public appearances in which covered companies were mentioned.

FINRA found that Citigroup failed to disclose the required information because the database it used to identify and create the disclosures was inaccurate and/or incomplete due primarily to technical deficiencies. In addition, Citigroup failed to have reasonable supervisory procedures in place to ensure that the firm was populating its research reports with required disclosures.

In concluding this settlement, the firm neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRAs findings.

The most important of investors' rights is the right to be informed! This Investors' Rights blog post is by the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A., located in Boca Raton, Florida. For over 30 years, Attorney Pearce has tried, arbitrated, and mediated hundreds of disputes involving complex securities, commodities and investment law issues. The lawyers at our law firm are devoted to protecting investors' rights throughout the United States and internationally! Please visit our website, www.secatty.com, post a comment, call (800) 732-2889, or email Mr. Pearce at pearce@rwpearce.com for answers to any of your questions about this blog post and/or any related matter.