Merrill Lynch Fired Joseph Szal over Allegedly Unauthorized Trades

Ex-Merrill Lynch stockbroker Joseph Szal (CRD# 2216245) allegedly executed unauthorized trades, according to digital records maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Formerly a representative of Merrill Lynch in Newport Beach, California, he is not presently registered as a stockbroker, though he is affiliated with Tempus Wealth Planning as an investment advisor in Irvine, California.

A disclosure on his BrokerCheck report states that Merrill Lynch terminated Joseph Szal in January 2022. The firm discharged him over allegations of “Conduct involving failure to adhere to the Firm’s Know Your Customer standards and unauthorized trading.” He was registered with Merrill Lynch from 2013 until 2022.

Mr. Szal’s FINRA records also disclose one investor complaint. Filed in 2011, it alleged that while a representative of Wachovia Securities, he failed to follow instructions for an order, placed by phone, to move $250,000 from securities to cash. In 2012 the complaint reached a settlement of $48,000.

According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Joseph Szal holds 29 years of securities industry experience. He is not presently registered as a broker, though he is an investment advisor at Tempus Wealth Management in Irvine, California. His past registrations include Merrill Lynch (Newport Beach, California; 2013-2022), Janney Montgomery Scott (Yardley, Pennsylvania; 2009-2013), Wachovia Securities (Lawrenceville, New Jersey; 2003-2009), and Prudential Securities (New York, New York; 1992-2003). His credentials include the passage of four securities industry qualifying exams: the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, or Series 65; the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, or Series 63; the Securities Industry Essentials Examination, or SIE; and the General Securities Representative Examination, or Series 7. He presently holds no state licenses as a broker. (Information current as of May 12, 2022.)

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