UK Upper Tribunal Upheld UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Industry Bans & Fines on Synergy Wealth Stephen Joseph Burdett (Reduced to $360,000 / £265,071 Fine) & Westbury Private Clients James Paul Goodchild ($64,500 / £47,600 Fine) for Exposing Pension Fund Clients to Unsuitable Investments, Stephen Joseph Burdett Switched $13.5 Million (£10 Million) from 232 Personal Pension Funds into Unsuitable High-Risk Investment Portfolios, Created & Managed by James Paul Goodchild, 38% of Portfolio Linked to Only 1 Offshore Property Developer, Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) Paid $1.9 Million (£1.4 Million) to Victims
19th February 2026 | Hong Kong
The UK Upper Tribunal has upheld UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) industry bans & fines on Synergy Wealth Stephen Joseph Burdett (reduced to $360,000 / £265,071 fine) & Westbury Private Clients James Paul Goodchild ($64,500 / £47,600 fine) for exposing pension fund clients to unsuitable investments. Stephen Joseph Burdett switched $13.5 million (£10 million) from 232 personal pension funds into unsuitable high-risk investment portfolios, which was created & managed by James Paul Goodchild with 38% of portfolio was linked to only 1 offshore property developer. UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has paid $1.9 million (£1.4 million) to victims to-date. Announcement (18/2/26): “The Upper Tribunal has upheld the FCA’s decisions to ban Stephen Joseph Burdett and James Paul Goodchild from working in financial services. Mr Burdett and Mr Goodchild previously held senior roles at Synergy Wealth Limited (Synergy) and Westbury Private Clients LLP (Westbury), respectively. The FCA banned the pair from working in regulated financial services for recklessly exposing pension holders to unsuitable investments. The Tribunal also found that it was appropriate for the FCA to impose penalties of £265,071 on Mr Burdett and £47,600 on Mr Goodchild. Because of Mr Burdett, 232 personal pension funds worth over £10 million were switched into high-risk investment portfolios that were obviously unsuitable. The portfolios were created and managed by Mr Goodchild at Westbury, with around 38% of overall holdings linked to a single offshore property developer. Despite his knowledge that the portfolios were high-risk, Mr Burdett allowed Synergy’s customers to receive reports indicating that their money would be placed in low or medium risk portfolios. Mr Goodchild included the misleading terms ‘cautious’ and ‘balanced’ in the names of 2 of the 3 high-risk portfolios. In addition, Mr Burdett acted as a director of Synergy despite knowing he did not have the required FCA approval to perform that function. He also failed to co-operate with the FCA’s investigation. The FCA intervened in 2016 to protect consumers, stopping the pensions business of Synergy and Westbury. Both firms subsequently went into liquidation and were dissolved. To date, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has paid out over £1.4m to victims.”
“ UK Upper Tribunal Upheld UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Industry Bans & Fines on Synergy Wealth Stephen Joseph Burdett (Reduced to $360,000 / £265,071 Fine) & Westbury Private Clients James Paul Goodchild ($64,500 / £47,600 Fine) for Exposing Pension Fund Clients to Unsuitable Investments, Stephen Joseph Burdett Switched $13.5 Million (£10 Million) from 232 Personal Pension Funds into Unsuitable High-Risk Investment Portfolios, Created & Managed by James Paul Goodchild, 38% of Portfolio Linked to Only 1 Offshore Property Developer, Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) Paid $1.9 Million (£1.4 Million) to Victims “
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Notes:
- The FCA fined Mr Burdett £311,762, which the Tribunal reduced to £265,071. Following the hearing, Mr Burdett provided the Tribunal with evidence of tax he had paid on the financial benefit received, which the Tribunal accepted and deducted from his penalty.
- Link to the UTTC decisionLink is external
. - Read the Decision Notice for Stephen Joseph Burdett (PDF).
- Read the Decision Notice for James Paul Goodchild (PDF).
- Synergy and Westbury have been dissolved.
- Find out more information about the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chambers)Link is external
. - Affected customers should contact the FSCSLink is external
on 0800 678 1100. The FSCS deals with compensation claims when financial firms go out of business. It is an impartial, free service that was set up by Parliament to protect customers.
UK Upper Tribunal Upheld UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Industry Bans & Fines on Synergy Wealth Stephen Joseph Burdett (Reduced to $360,000 / £265,071 Fine) & Westbury Private Clients James Paul Goodchild ($64,500 / £47,600 Fine) for Exposing Pension Fund Clients to Unsuitable Investments, Stephen Joseph Burdett Switched $13.5 Million (£10 Million) from 232 Personal Pension Funds into Unsuitable High-Risk Investment Portfolios, Created & Managed by James Paul Goodchild, 38% of Portfolio Linked to Only 1 Offshore Property Developer, Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) Paid $1.9 Million (£1.4 Million) to Victims
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