Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

Ä¢¹½´«Ã½

Florida Woman Arrested in $2.6 Million Theft Scheme Tied to Former Merrill Lynch Advisor

Posted on July 30th, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Florida Woman Arrested in $2.6 Million Theft Scheme Tied to Former Merrill Lynch Advisor

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½

A Florida woman faces multiple felony charges for allegedly helping a former Merrill Lynch advisor steal millions from a high-profile NFL client, as reported by AdvisorHub.

Authorities arrested 52-year-old Octavia Monique Graham on June 30 in Fort Lauderdale. She stands charged with first-degree grand theft and two counts of money laundering connected to a financial scheme involving ex-Merrill advisor Isaiah Thomas Williams Jr. and former Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones.

Between January 2022 and March 2024, Williams reportedly accessed Jones’ personal Bank of America account, transferring $1.58 million to his own accounts through 133 separate transactions. Police allege Williams laundered another $1.3 million between 2019 and 2021 by moving funds from Jones’ accounts to those owned by Graham before funneling them back to himself.

AdvisorHub reports that investigators noted Jones did not know Graham personally. According to law enforcement, Williams spent the stolen funds on personal expenses including luxury travel, hotels, legal bills, child support, vehicle costs, and entertainment at nightclubs and strip clubs nationwide.

Williams resigned from Merrill in December amid allegations of misappropriation, unsuitable investment recommendations, misrepresentations, and unauthorized outside business activities. Merrill confirmed it promptly investigated suspected misconduct, cooperated with authorities, and worked to reimburse affected clients, according to AdvisorHub.

Following his departure, Williams briefly registered an independent RIA, Bascom Hill Ä¢¹½´«Ã½alth. However, he no longer is registered with the SEC or FINRA, which permanently barred him in April for failing to provide information tied to the investigation of his misconduct.

 

Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, merrill lynch

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

If you find yourself in trouble with the regulators, call Ä¢¹½´«Ã½, you won't regret it.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1786734880 Law
August 14, 2026
Cash Sweep Litigation Continues to Drive Legal Costs

Cash sweep litigation continues to increase legal costs for wealth management firms despite the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) decision under the Trump administration to close pending investigations without imposing enforcement penalties, according to AdvisorHub.

1786636784 Law
August 13, 2026
FINRA Orders Centaurus Financial to Pay $1.1 Million Over Variable Annuity Supervision Failures

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has ordered Centaurus Financial Inc.

1786553985 Law
August 12, 2026
Proposed FINRA Enforcement Reforms Draw Mixed Reactions From Industry Participants

A new report recommending changes to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) enforcement program has generated mixed reactions from investor advocates, securities attorneys and industry professionals, according to ThinkAdvisor.