FILE PHOTO: The seal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission hangs on the wall at SEC headquarters in Washington, DC, U.S., June 24, 2011. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday said Bank of America subsidiary Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. will pay $15 million to settle charges that staff misled clients into overpaying for Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS).

Merrill Lynch agreed to repay more than $10.5 million to its customers and to pay penalties of approximately $5.2 million. The SEC found that Merrill Lynch traders and salespersons convinced the bank’s customers to overpay for RMBS by deceiving them about the price Merrill Lynch paid to acquire the securities.