Mark Willets Resigns from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Mark Willets (CRD #: 2151477), a broker registered with LPL Financial, resigned from his previous firm, according to his BrokerCheck record, accessed on May 7, 2025. Investors may have also worked with him through Stratos Wealth Partners. Keep reading to learn more about his alleged conduct as a broker.

Resignation from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

On March 2, 2025, Mark Willets resigned from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith after allegedly executing unauthorized trades in a client’s account.

FINRA Rule 3260

FINRA Rule 3260 requires brokers to receive written authorization from their clients before engaging in discretionary trading. The firm must also approve the designation of an account as discretionary before this trading can occur.

Investor Dispute

On December 16, 2024, an investor filed a dispute alleging that Mark Willets executed unauthorized trades from December 11 to December 13, 2024. This dispute was settled for $76,080.08.

Background Information

Mark Willets has passed the following exams:

• General Securities Sales Supervisor – Options Module Examination – Series 9
• General Securities Sales Supervisor – General Module Examination – Series 10
• General Securities Sales Supervisor Examination (Options Module & General Module) – Series 8
• Securities Industry Essentials Examination – SIE
• National Commodity Futures Examination – Series 3
• General Securities Representative Examination – Series 7
• Uniform Combined State Law Examination – Series 66
• Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination – Series 65
• Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination – Series 63

Mark Willets is a registered broker in 22 states and the District of Columbia. He is also a registered investment adviser in Arizona and Texas.

He has also worked for the following firms:

• Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (CRD#:7691)
• Banc of America Investment Services (CRD#:16361)
• Wells Fargo Investments (CRD#:10582)
• Prudential Securities (CRD#:7471)
• PaineWebber (CRD#:8174)
• Salomon Smith Barney (CRD#:7059)
• Charles Schwab & Company (CRD#:5393)

Kurta Law Can Help

If you worked with Mark Willets and you have concerns about your investments, please contact us today at 877-600-0098 or info@kurtalawfirm.com for a free consultation.

For over 20 years, Kurta Law has advocated on behalf of investors who want to recover their investment losses from brokers and brokerage firms. Kurta Law is a nationally recognized law firm that exclusively represents investors against brokers and brokerage firms on a contingency basis. This means that the firm only earns a fee if our securities attorneys recover money on your behalf.