UBS to Pay $25 Million to Settle SEC Fraud Charges Involving Complex Options Trading Strategy

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that UBS Financial Services Inc. has agreed to pay approximately $25 million to settle fraud charges relating to a complex investment strategy referred to as YES, or Yield Enhancement Strategy. According to the SEC’s order, UBS marketed and sold YES to approximately 600 investors through its platform of domestic financial advisors from February 2016 through February 2017. The order finds that, during this time, UBS did not provide its financial advisors with adequate training and oversight in the strategy, and although UBS recognized and documented the possibility of significant risk in YES investments, it failed to share this data with advisors or clients.