“Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets.”— Kevin Plank It began, as many things do, with a trusted voice on the radio. The BBC’s Money Box has long been a staple of consumer advocacy in Britain — a comforting soundscape of sensible financial advice, delivered with journalistic credibility. But something didn’t sit right … Continue reading Who Guards the Guardians? The FCA, Money Box, and the Disappearing Line Between Advocacy and Sales
Tag: fca
The Perimeter Prefect: Reclaiming Financial Planning Beyond Regulation
What if the future of financial planning didn’t lie within the rules of a product-based system—but just beyond them? In our recent Masterclass, The Perimeter Prefect, we explored how planners, coaches, and changemakers are redefining financial support outside the regulatory perimeter—offering clarity, empowerment, and purpose without the burden of unnecessary red tape. This isn’t about … Continue reading The Perimeter Prefect: Reclaiming Financial Planning Beyond Regulation
Dear Nikhil Rathi: A £1.5m Crypto Scam Got 12 Years — But What About £10bn QROPS Fraud?
By Steve ConleyFounder, Academy of Life Planning 👏 Well done, FCA. Two fraudsters who scammed 65 individuals out of £1.5 million through fake crypto investments have rightly been sentenced to a combined 12 years in prison. Justice was swift, public, and commendable. But what about the 40,000 British victims of the QROPS scandal — robbed … Continue reading Dear Nikhil Rathi: A £1.5m Crypto Scam Got 12 Years — But What About £10bn QROPS Fraud?
Your Money or Your Life: The Regulator That Turned a Blind Eye
For Paul Birch. For every whistleblower they tried to silence. They say justice is blind. But in Paul’s case, the FCA didn’t just close its eyes—it looked the other way. Paul Birch is not a footnote. He’s not an isolated case. He’s a British citizen who played by the rules—who asked for protection and got … Continue reading Your Money or Your Life: The Regulator That Turned a Blind Eye
Financial “Growth” Authority: Says “Risk Is Good”? The Language of a Captured Regulator
By Steve Conley, Founder, Academy of Life Planning "Risk is good," proclaims the watchdog. But when the guard dog starts wagging its tail at the City, who’s protecting the public? Last week, FT Adviser reports that at the Global Management Summit, Simon Walls—Executive Director of Markets at what is still officially called the Financial Conduct … Continue reading Financial “Growth” Authority: Says “Risk Is Good”? The Language of a Captured Regulator
🧭 India Just Drew a Line — Should the UK Follow?
SEBI, India’s financial regulator, has made a bold and principled move: disentangling financial advice from product distribution. It ruled that Mutual Fund Distributors (MFDs) must not describe themselves as “financial advisers” or “planners” unless they’re formally registered as fee-only fiduciaries (RIAs). Why? Because doing so misleads the public, confuses roles, and masks conflicts of interest. … Continue reading 🧭 India Just Drew a Line — Should the UK Follow?
When Silence is Complicity: The Institutional Refusal to Confront Financial Crime
By Steve Conley Founder, Academy of Life Planning | Advocate for Financial Justice Across the Isle of Man and Malta, a disturbing pattern has emerged—one that undermines public trust, discredits regulatory systems, and leaves thousands of victims in the wake of financial devastation. The pattern is this: credible, corroborated claims of financial crime are being … Continue reading When Silence is Complicity: The Institutional Refusal to Confront Financial Crime
Who’s Responsible? The Legal Duty to Prevent Pension Transfer Scams in the UK
In the wake of widespread pension transfer scandals—many involving unregulated overseas schemes and unqualified advisers—a fundamental legal question arises: who is responsible for ensuring pension transfer advice is lawful, regulated, and safe? This is not a hypothetical debate. Real victims have lost life savings. These cases expose regulatory cracks across the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), … Continue reading Who’s Responsible? The Legal Duty to Prevent Pension Transfer Scams in the UK
From Policy Capture to Public Interest: Rebalancing the FCA’s Objectives for a Fairer Financial System
By Steve Conley, Founder of the Academy of Life Planning When the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was established, its primary duty was clear: to protect consumers. Yet in recent years, a troubling shift has emerged—one that places industry growth above public interest, leaving victims of financial crime struggling for redress and reform. This is no … Continue reading From Policy Capture to Public Interest: Rebalancing the FCA’s Objectives for a Fairer Financial System
The Conflicted Role of the UK Financial Regulator: Who Does the FCA Really Serve?
In the complex web of UK financial regulation, one fundamental truth should be self-evident: the protection of consumers must come first. After all, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was established with a primary mandate to safeguard the public from harm caused by financial misconduct. However, recent developments have cast a shadow over its ability—and willingness—to … Continue reading The Conflicted Role of the UK Financial Regulator: Who Does the FCA Really Serve?
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