Harry Charles Yett III (CRD# 2566245) is a registered financial advisor and broker with MML Investors Services, LLC in the firm’s Charlotte, North Carolina branch office, and our firm is investigating him for a pending FINRA customer dispute alleging unauthorized withdrawals from a client account and failures in communication with the customer.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
According to FINRA BrokerCheck, Harry Charles Yett III has been in the securities industry since the mid-1990s and has been registered with several brokerage firms over the course of his career.
- EQ Financial Consultants, Inc. – Yett first became registered with EQ Financial Consultants, Inc. (CRD# 6627) in New York, New York, from December 1994 through April 1997.
- The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States – During the same period (December 1994 through April 1997), he was also registered with The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (CRD# 4039) in New York, New York.
- New England Securities – From April 1997 through December 2003, Yett was registered with New England Securities (CRD# 615) in New York, New York.
- Principal Securities, Inc. – He then moved to Principal Securities, Inc. (CRD# 1137) in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was registered from December 2003 through October 2020.
- MML Investors Services, LLC – Since October 30, 2020, Yett has been registered with MML Investors Services, LLC (CRD# 10409). His current branch office address is 4350 Congress Street, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28209, and the firm’s main office is in Springfield, Massachusetts.
In addition to his broker-dealer registrations, Yett has held multiple investment-related employment roles, including as an agent for Principal Life Insurance Company and MassMutual Life Insurance Company, and as a financial representative for Benefits Controls Companies and other affiliated entities in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Harry Charles Yett III Fraud Allegations and Investor Complaints Explained
FINRA BrokerCheck shows that Harry Charles Yett III has one pending customer dispute disclosure and no reported final customer disputes or other types of regulatory, criminal, or financial disclosures. The current disclosure arises from a consumer-initiated written complaint that meets FINRA’s reporting thresholds for a sales-practice allegation involving at least $5,000 in potential damages.
According to the disclosure:
- Type of disclosure: Customer dispute – pending.
- Reporting source: The disclosure was reported by the brokerage firm.
- Employing firm when the activities occurred: Principal Securities, Inc., where Yett was previously registered from December 2003 to October 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Date complaint received: October 23, 2025.
- Allegations: The client alleges that Yett and/or the firm permitted unauthorized withdrawals to be made from her account by her husband and that she was not contacted or communicated with to confirm those transactions.
- Product type: Listed as “No Product,” indicating the dispute centers on the handling of account funds and transaction authorizations rather than a particular investment product.
- Alleged damages: The complaint does not state a specific dollar amount, but the letter demands that the client be made financially whole, and the firm reports that it cannot make a good-faith determination that the damages are less than $5,000.
- Current status: The matter is pending, with no settlement, award, or adjudication reported as of the most recent BrokerCheck update.
This complaint is particularly significant because it alleges that Yett allowed withdrawals from the customer’s account at a prior firm without directly verifying her authorization, and that the firm failed to communicate with her to confirm those transactions. Allegations of unauthorized withdrawals, failure to obtain proper consent, and inadequate client communication may implicate core FINRA standards requiring brokers to safeguard customer funds, follow customer instructions, and deal fairly with clients.
It is important to emphasize that these allegations are unproven at this stage. A pending disclosure means the dispute has not yet been adjudicated by a court, arbitration panel, or regulator, and there has been no finding of wrongdoing against Harry Charles Yett III. The matter could ultimately be dismissed, resolved in his favor, or settled for business reasons without any admission of fault.
In light of this pending customer dispute and the seriousness of the allegations involving alleged unauthorized withdrawals and failures to confirm client instructions, our firm is carefully evaluating whether investors who worked with Harry Charles Yett III at Principal Securities, Inc. or MML Investors Services, LLC may have potential claims to recover losses.
To obtain a copy of Harry Charles Yett III’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, visit this link.
Robert Wayne Pearce Is Committed to Recovering Your Investment Losses
FINRA Rule 2010, often invoked in customer dispute cases, is the foundational conduct rule that requires brokers and firms to “observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade.” In the context of the pending complaint against Harry Charles Yett III, allegations that unauthorized withdrawals were permitted from a customer’s account and that the firm failed to communicate with the account owner to confirm those transactions may be analyzed under Rule 2010 as potential breaches of the duty to deal fairly and honorably with customers.
If a broker allows funds to be taken from an account without ensuring the client’s informed authorization—or fails to take reasonable steps to confirm questionable instructions—regulators and arbitrators may view that conduct as inconsistent with the “just and equitable” standards required by Rule 2010. In an arbitration, investors can argue that such conduct violated Rule 2010 and contributed to their financial losses, even if no separate, more specific rule is cited in the customer’s initial complaint.
FINRA Rule 2150 addresses the improper use of customers’ securities and funds, including prohibitions on using or transferring client assets without proper authorization. In cases like the pending dispute involving Yett, where a client alleges that unauthorized withdrawals were made from her account by her husband and that the firm did not confirm those transactions with her, Rule 2150 may be central to the analysis of whether the broker and firm adequately protected her assets.
Under Rule 2150, a broker must not “make improper use” of customer funds, which includes permitting withdrawals or transfers without ensuring they are legitimately authorized by the account owner or properly documented under firm procedures. If an investigation or arbitration establishes that the broker allowed money to leave the account without obtaining the client’s informed consent, or relied on instructions from a third party without verifying the client’s approval, that conduct may be argued to violate Rule 2150 and support an investor’s claim for recovery.
Another rule that may be relevant in a case involving alleged unauthorized withdrawals and lack of direct communication with the account owner is FINRA Rule 4512 (Customer Account Information), which requires firms to maintain accurate customer account records, designated trusted contact information, and appropriate means of reaching clients about significant account activity.
If a broker or firm fails to keep current contact information, does not follow up with the customer when unusual withdrawals occur, or relies on instructions from someone other than the account owner without appropriate documentation, investors may argue that the firm did not satisfy its obligations under Rule 4512 and related supervisory standards. In the context of the allegations against Harry Charles Yett III—where the customer claims she was not contacted to confirm withdrawals allegedly made by her husband—investors and their counsel may examine whether the firm’s procedures and the broker’s actions complied with Rule 4512 and whether better communication and verification could have prevented the alleged losses.
For over 45 years, Robert Wayne Pearce has helped investors recover losses caused by broker fraud, negligence, and unsuitable recommendations. His firm, The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A., represents clients nationwide on a no-recovery, no-fee basis. Call (800) 732-2889 or email pearce@rwpearce.com for a free case review with an experienced securities attorney.