According to FINRA, Willnard Edwrence Love was barred from association with any FINRA member firm in all capacities for providing false information about his examination results and producing an altered score report.

Love took FINRA's Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) examination and failed. However, he told his supervisor that he had passed the exam. When his firm informed him that his official score report showed that he had failed, Love agreed to provide the firm with the passing score report he claimed he had received from the testing center.

After a delay of more than two weeks, Love produced an altered passing score report, falsely showing that he had passed the examination when he had in fact failed.

The SIE examination is a fundamental qualification requirement in the securities industry, testing basic knowledge of securities products, regulatory agencies, and prohibited practices. Passing this examination is a prerequisite for obtaining other securities licenses.

FINRA takes examination integrity extremely seriously. The qualification examination system exists to ensure that individuals working in the securities industry have demonstrated minimum competency to serve investors. When individuals falsify examination results, they undermine this protective system and may be placed in positions where they lack the knowledge necessary to properly serve customers.

This case also demonstrates the consequences of dishonesty in the securities industry. Even conduct that does not directly harm customers, such as falsifying internal documents, can result in the most severe sanction: a permanent bar from the industry.

Investors should be reassured that FINRA actively investigates and takes action against individuals who attempt to circumvent qualification requirements, helping to ensure that only qualified individuals serve in the securities industry.