According to FINRA, Kayla Holeman has been assessed a deferred fine of $5,000 and suspended for 45 days for causing her member firm to maintain inaccurate books and records by forging customer electronic signatures without permission.

Holeman forged four customers' electronic signatures on documents without their prior permission. One of the forms related to the opening of a securities account, which is a required book and record of the firm.

The findings noted that the transactions at issue were authorized and no customers complained. However, forging signatures—even on documents for authorized transactions—is a serious violation because it undermines the integrity of documentation that firms are required to maintain and that regulators rely upon during examinations.

Electronic signatures carry the same legal weight as handwritten signatures. When representatives forge electronic signatures, they create falsified records that misrepresent customer consent and can make it difficult to later determine what customers actually authorized.

The suspension runs from March 3, 2025, through April 16, 2025.

What Investors Can Learn: Review all documents you receive from your broker-dealer to ensure they accurately reflect your signatures and authorizations. If you notice discrepancies or documents you did not sign, report them immediately to the firm's compliance department and consider filing a complaint with FINRA.