Police have arrested five men as part of investigations into a small number of suspicious trades reported by Bristol-based stockbroker and wealth manager Rowan Dartington. Besides this firm, other entities are involved in the matter, police told this publication.

The men, whose names were not disclosed, were aged 45, 36, 49, 57 and 23. They have been bailed to reappear before police on 7 February, a spokesperson at Avon and Somerset Constabulary told WealthBriefing. The men have not yet been charged.

A number of firms, including Rowan Dartington, were affected by the matters leading to the arrests, the spokesperson said. Some earlier media reports had incorrectly suggested that Rowan Dartington was the only business in the case. The names of other firms involved in the matter were not disclosed by police, however.

Graham Coxell, chief executive at Rowan Dartington, told this publication that none of the firm's clients have suffered a loss from the fraudulent activity, and none of the persons concerned were employees. "No customers have been disadvantaged in any way," he said. "We immediately notified the regulator of our suspicions and decided to inform the police."

The alleged activities had happened before a management buyout of the business more than a year ago, he added.