Robinhood Reveals Investigation Ahead of IPO Debut Robinhood announced Tuesday that regulators are looking into its CEO, Vlad Tenev, for not being licensed by the FInancial Industry Regulatory Authority.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

SOPA Images | Getty Images

Robinhood announced Tuesday that regulators are looking into its CEO, Vlad Tenev, for not being licensed by the FInancial Industry Regulatory Authority, Wall Street's self-regulator.

There are also inquiries from FINRA and the Securities and Exchange Commission about employee trades involving $GME, $AMC and other "meme stocks." The company noted that regulators want to know whether these employee trades "may have occurred in advance of the public announcement" on trading restrictions.

The investigation comes just ahead of Robinhood's highly anticipated initial public offering. Some forecasters have suggested the public offering could value Robinhood, a powerful online brokerage, at $35 billion.

Related: Robinhood Targets $ 35 Billion IPO

In an SEC filing, Robinhood said it received an investigative request for documents and information relating to its compliance with FINRA requirements for Tenev and co-founder Baiju Bhatt.

"Robinhood is evaluating this matter and intends to cooperate with the investigation," said the company in its late Tuesday filing.

As has been previously reported, the company is expected to price its IPO today and start trading on the Nasdaq tomorrow morning.

Related: Robinhood Fined a Record $70 Million Over "Serious" Violations

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

These 5 States Have the Most Affordable Housing, According to a New Report

U.S. News & World Report's latest rankings found the top five states with the most housing affordability.

Business News

Elizabeth Holmes' Partner Raises Millions for New Blood Test Diagnostics Startup: 'We've Learned From Her Company's Mistakes'

The startup insists it isn't Theranos 2.0 and that Holmes, who's serving a prison sentence after being convicted of fraud, "has no role."

Business News

'They're the Backbone:' Walgreens Says Using Robots to Fill Prescriptions Helped It Save $500 Million. Here's How.

Walgreens says its robot-assisted centers fill 16 million prescriptions a month.

Marketing

Why AI Makes Your Brand Voice More Valuable Than Ever

In a world where content is easier to create than ever, the brands that win will be those with something real to say.