Michael Joseph Valenta (also known as Mike Valenta), of Westminster, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon allegations that Valenta recommended direct investments and oil and gas…

Yong Seok Chang, of Seattle, Washington, a stockbroker registered with Independent Financial Group LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $45,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Chang made unsuitable recommendations in non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs) when…

Jack Robert Thacker Jr. (also known as J.R. Thacker) of Bristol, Virginia, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $200,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Thacker engaged in the unsuitable recommendation…

Glenn J. Romer, of Vero Beach, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Romer made unsuitable recommendations in GWG Class L Bonds during the…

Barbara Jean Borowsky, of Rome, Georgia, a stockbroker registered with Dempsey Lord Smith LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim where the customer requested more than $100,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Borowsky failed to conduct reasonable due diligence on direct investments (DPPs…

Daniel Benjamin Kistler, of Rome, Georgia, a stockbroker registered with Dempsey Lord Smith LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $100,001.00 in damages based upon allegations that Kistler failed to conduct due diligence and made the unsuitable investment recommendation…

Tamara Ann Glenn (also known as Tamara Dawson, Tamara Gallegos, Tamara Haselby, and Tamara Langham), of East Lansing, Michigan, a stockbroker registered with Essex National Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $35,000.00 in damages based upon allegations…

James J. Mariani of Mineola, New York, a stockbroker registered with Aegis Capital Corp., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Mariani breached a contract, engaged in unsuitable trading, breached his fiduciary duties, and was…

Jeffrey T. Kennedy of Quincy, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $99,999.00 in damages based upon allegations that Kennedy made the unsuitable investment recommendation of alternative investments when Kennedy was…

Kurt Douglas Cambier, of Littleton, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $67,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cambier made unsuitable investment recommendations in real estate securities and direct investments (DPPs…

Lei Shen (also known as Peter Shen), of Orange, California, a stockbroker registered with NI Advisors, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $1,500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Shen made unsuitable investment recommendations and overconcentrated accounts in business…

Thomas Burgess Hamlin of Portland, Oregon, a stockbroker registered with Somerset Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $108,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Hamlin made unsuitable investment recommendations of iCap Equities private placements when Hamlin was…

Alfred Sietze Vanderlaan (also known as Al Vanderlaan), of Watertown, South Dakota, a stockbroker registered with Westpark Capital Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Vanderlaan violated state securities…

Beliveau Bays (also known as Beau Bays), of Plano, Texas, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Bays based upon allegations that Bays forged electronic signatures and lied to the regulator during an…

Garrett Wayne Moretz of Mooresville, North Carolina, a stockbroker registered with LifeMark Securities Corp., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $35,000.00 in damages. The claim alleged breach of fiduciary duty, unsuitable investment recommendations, misrepresentation and omissions of material facts, negligence,…

Luke Michael Johnson of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Coastal Equities Inc., has been fined $15,000.00 and suspended for 18 months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Johnson made unsuitable recommendations to customers. Department of Enforcement v. Luke Johnson, Order Accepting Offer of Settlement No. 2019061213402…

Anthony Joseph Cantone (also known as A.J. Cantone), of Eatontown, New Jersey, the former Chief Executive Officer of  Cantone Research Inc., has been barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity because Cantone refused to provide testimony as requested by the regulator in an investigation into his…

Austin Richard Dutton Jr., of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Dutton based upon allegations that Dutton made unsuitable investment recommendations and falsified customer documents. Department of Enforcement v….

Brad Curtis Brooks of Plano, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Titan Securities, has been fined $15,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because he made negligent misrepresentations and omissions to customers concerning private placements during the time that he was associated with Titan Securities….

Dana Matthew Hawkins, of Lexington, South Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Centaurus Financial Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $11,250.00 in damages based upon allegations that Hawkins breached his fiduciary duty and misrepresented material facts in connection with the sale of corporate bonds,…

Tim Paul Peyton, of Gretna, Louisiana, a stockbroker registered with Crown Capital Securities L.P., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $750,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Peyton made unsuitable recommendations in non-traded REITs while he was associated with Crown Capital Securities L.P….

Eric Alexander Duncan, of Denver, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Moloney Securities Co. Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $196,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Duncan was negligent and engaged in unsuitable recommendations in direct investments and corporate bonds when Duncan…

John Spyro Demertzis of East Setauket, New York, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $700,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Demertzis made unsuitable recommendations in alternative investments, including real estate securities during the time that Demertzis…

Gilbert Russell Conrad of Lewiston, New York, a stockbroker associated with Cetera Advisors Networks, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $1,000,000.00 to $5,000,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Conrad made unsuitable investment recommendations of  alternative investments including direct…

Karen Shaw Cunningham (also known as Karen Conley Shaw), of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a stockbroker associated with Kestra Investment Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action in which the customer requested $150,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cunningham made an unsuitable recommendation of Noble Royalty Access Fund IV…

Thomas Ardavast Kudarauskas (also known as Tom Kudarauskas), of Atlanta, Georgia, a stockbroker associated with Woodbury Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $95,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Kudarauskas engaged in unsuitable recommendations and trading in…

Arni Jay Diamond (also known as Arni Jat Diamond), of Jacksonville, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Kalos Capital Inc., has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for four months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Diamond recommended and sold unregistered and unsuitable GPB Capital limited partnership interests to…

Kevin Thomas Dooley of Miami, Florida, a stockbroker associated with Equitable Advisors LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $98,400.00 in damages based upon allegations that Dooley made unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments between 2012 and 2014 when Dooley was…

Frank John Calise, of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker associated with Questar Capital Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $50,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Calise engaged in misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the…

James William Tausz (also known as Jim Tausz), of Clarion, Iowa a stockbroker associated with United Planners’ Financial Services of America, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $15,000.00 in damages based upon alleged unsuitable recommendations, breach of contract, fraud, breach…

Larry Richard Law, of Irvine, California, a stockbroker associated with JRL Capital Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $400,000.00 in damages based upon alleged unsuitable trading, misrepresentation and omission of material facts, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty…

Mark Alan Thompson of Atlanta, Georgia, a stockbroker associated with Arkadios Capital, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $172,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Thompson provided unsuitable recommendations, was negligent, and caused the customer’s account to be overconcentrated in certain…

Timothy Joseph Scanlon of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker associated with Arque Capital Ltd., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $230,208.89 in damages based upon alleged breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, negligence, and violation of state and federal securities laws,…

James Leroy Raper Jr., of Richmond, Virginia, a stockbroker and the Chief Compliance Officer of Wealthforge Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $552,535.65 in damages based upon allegations that Raper made misrepresentations and omissions of material fact, breached his fiduciary duties,…

Mark Wilkinson Richards (also known as Mark Dickey), of Albuquerque, New Mexico, a stockbroker registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $220,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Richards made omissions of material fact in…

James Thaddeus Walesa of Park Ridge, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Arkadios Capital, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Walesa made unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments during the time that Walesa was…

Robert Anthony Westropp Jr, of Chicago, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Sanford C. Bernstein Co. LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $110,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Westropp made unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments when Westropp was associated…

Tammie Lyn Farrell (also known as Tammie Burk and Tammie Brown), of Franklin, North Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Capital Investment Group Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Farrell committed fraud,…

Troy Thomas of Huntington Beach, California, a stockbroker registered with McDermott Investment Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Thomas committed fraud, failed to supervise certain representatives, was negligent, breached his fiduciary duties,…

David Harrison Miller of Atlanta, Georgia, a stockbroker registered with PeachCap Securities Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Miller failed to testify when FINRA investigated the stockbroker for possible violations of FINRA rules during the time that he was associated with PeachCap Securities…

Peter Dieter Nett of The Woodlands, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer was awarded $30,000.00 in compensatory damages because Ameriprise Financial Services LLC was held liable on the customer’s claims which included that its stockbroker made…

Bret Clinton Schaefer (also known as Bret Clinton Shaefer), of Greenville, Wisconsin, a stockbroker registered with Woodbury Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on May 24, 2023, for $53,114.00 in damages based upon allegations that Schaefer made unsuitable recommendations of variable annuities when Schaefer was…

Luke Michael Johnson, of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Coastal Equities Inc., is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Johnson based upon allegations that Johnson made unsuitable recommendations. Department of Enforcement v. Luke Johnson, Complaint No. 2019061213402 (July 12,…

Preston Jason Bellaire, of Orlando, Florida, a stockbroker registered with MSI Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $7,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Bellaire made misrepresentations of material fact about risks in connection with the sale…

Yuting Cheng, of Rowland Heights, California, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Investment Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $75,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cheng made unsuitable recommendations of direct investments (LP interests and DPP interests)…

Daniel Edward Brunette (also known as Dan Brunette), of Indianapolis, Indiana, a stockbroker registered with First Allied Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on June 24, 2022, for $12,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Brunette made unsuitable recommendations, failed to supervise certain representatives, committed fraud,…

Jeffrey Max Cohen of Henderson, Nevada, a stockbroker registered with Moloney Securities Co. Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Cohen failed to provide information and documents to FINRA when it investigated possible violations of FINRA rules. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No….

Marinos Ballas of Melville, New York, a stockbroker registered with Aegis Capital Corp., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $50,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Ballas was negligent and breached his fiduciary duties in connection with the recommendation and sale of alternative investments…

Eileen Law Cure (also known as Eileen Law Klein and Eileen Hall Law), of Nederland, Texas, a stockbroker registered with HD Investment Services, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $15,833.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cure made unsuitable recommendations of direct investments (limited…

Hagop Jack Nalbandian of Encino, California, a stockbroker registered with Western International Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $108,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Nalbandian made unsuitable recommendations of real estate investment trusts when Nalbandian was associated with Western International Securities…

Keith Craig Baron of Jericho, New York, a stockbroker registered with Equity Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Baron “misappropriated funds” in connection with the sale of oil and gas investments during the time that Baron…

Michael James Thaler of Henrico, Virginia, a stockbroker registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc., is the subject of a regulatory investigation that resulted from a customer’s complaint about the stockbroker during the time that Thaler was associated with Cambridge Investment Research Inc. Commonwealth of Virginia Investigation (November 17, 2022). Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public…

Morgan Darby Hill of Knoxville, Tennessee, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $60,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Hill made unsuitable investment recommendations of alternative investments. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration No. 22-02835…

Mark Alan Cline of Wildwood, Florida, a stockbroker registered with National Securities Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $20,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cline made unsuitable recommendations of real estate securities when Cline was associated with National Securities Corporation. Financial Industry…

Patrick Christopher Durst of Centennial, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Lifemark Securities Corp., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $300,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Durst made unsuitable recommendations of certain alternative investments during the time that Durst was associated with Lifemark…

Howard Hao-Chung Hsieh (also known as Hao-Chung Howard Hsieh), of Irvine, California, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Investment Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Hsieh made unsuitable recommendations of real estate securities when Hsieh was associated…

Delio Eduardo Londono (also known as Del Londono), of La Crescenta, California, a stockbroker registered with Sagepoint Financial Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on December 14, 2021, in which the customer requested $300,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Londono engaged in unauthorized trading, made misrepresentations of material…

George Ly of Los Angeles, California, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Investment Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $700,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Ly made unsuitable investment recommendations of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) during the period that Ly was…

Scott Erik Aabel (also known as Scott Eric Aabel), of Osprey, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Spire Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $300,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Aabel made unsuitable recommendations of variable annuities and alternative investments during…

Avi J. Bialo, of Los Angeles, California, a stockbroker registered with Arete Wealth Management LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $160,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Bialo made unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments during the time that Bialo was associated with…

Steven M. Netzel (also known as Steve M. Netzel), of Chandler, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Kalos Capital Inc., has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for four months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Netzel made unsuitable recommendations and caused the securities broker dealer to maintain false…

William Lapiana (also known as Bill Lapiana), of New York, New York, a stockbroker registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $14,999.00 in damages based upon allegations that Lapiana made unsuitable investment recommendations, made misrepresentations of material fact, and failed…

Donnie Eugene Ingram (also known as Don Ingram), of Winter Haven, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Centaurus Financial Inc., has been fined $15,000.00 and suspended for six months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Ingram made unsuitable investment recommendations. Department of Enforcement v. Ingram et al., Order…

Gary Walter Isler of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with David Lerner Associates Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $20,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Isler made misrepresentations and omissions of material fact, breached his fiduciary duties to the customer, and…

James Arthur Allen (also known as Jim Allen), of Lake Forest, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Sanctuary Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $95,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Allen made unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments during the time that Allen…

Mark Samuel Epps of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, a stockbroker registered with Michigan Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Epps violated FINRA rules, was negligent, and breached his fiduciary duties to the customer in connection with the…

Seth Barnes Stewart of Jeffersonville, Indiana, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $130,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Stewart made unsuitable investment recommendations of alternative investments when Stewart was associated with Center Street Securities Inc….

William Word Huthnance of Houston, Texas, a stockbroker registered with UBS Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $305,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Huthnance made unsuitable recommendations to the customer and made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with the sale…

Shawn Elizabeth Parker of Schaumburg, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Parker converted $25,000.00 from Ameriprise Financial Services. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2019064551501 (April 20, 2022). Parker hosted an  event for approximately…

James Arthur Allen (also known as Jim Allen), of Lake Forest, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Sanctuary Securities, Inc. (FKA David A. Noyes Company), was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $95,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Allen made unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments…

Hugh Ordway Barndollar III (also known as Hobby Barndollar), of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Crown Capital Securities L.P., has been fined $10,000.0 and suspended for two years from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Barndollar engaged in private securities transactions or selling away. Letter…

William John Braun (also known as Bill Braun), of Boca Raton, Florida, a stockbroker registered with National Securities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $200,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Braun made unsuitable investment recommendations of private placements during the time…

Leo Li-Yuan Chien of San Gabriel, California, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Investment Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $170,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Chien made unsuitable investment recommendations of direct investments and real estate securities or Real Estate Investment…

Christopher Warren Wright (also known as Chris Wright), of Prescott, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $135,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Wright made unsuitable recommendations of GWG L-bonds during the time that…

John Eugene Egan of Boca Raton, FL, a stockbroker registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $20,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Egan breached his fiduciary duties, breached a contract, and was negligent in connection with the recommendation and…

Peter Lewis Goffin of Boca Raton, FL, a stockbroker registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $32,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Goffin committed fraud, made unsuitable recommendations, breached a contract, and breached his fiduciary duties in connection with…

Eric Scott Felsenfeld of Bethesda, MD, a stockbroker registered with H. Beck Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $30,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Felsenfeld made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with the recommendation and sale of direct investments,  Real Estate…

Frank Louis Avallone of New York, NY, a stockbroker registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Avallone made unsuitable recommendations, breached his fiduciary duties, committed fraud, and violated FINRA rules in connection with the…

Robert D’Agosta of Cedar Rapids, IA, a stockbroker registered with Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $25,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that D’Agosta made unsuitable recommendations, made misrepresentations and omissions of material fact, and failed to perform…

Christopher John Shaw (also known as Chris Shaw), of Belmont, North Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Pruco Securities LLC, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Shaw engaged in unauthorized trading. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2020067955001 (November 7, 2022)….

Trevor Lee Gordon of Greenville, South Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Sandlapper Securities LLC, was sanctioned by FINRA based upon allegations that Gordon failed to comply with an arbitration award or otherwise confirm compliance with the regulator. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration No. 21-01008 (August 20, 2021). Gordon and Sandlapper Securities LLC were ordered to…

Rafael Golan (also known as Rafi Golan), of Delray Beach, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Crystal Bay Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer was awarded $1,300,803.00 in compensatory damages and $50,000.00 in punitive damages because Crystal Bay Securities Inc. was held liable…

Kyle Robert Franklin of Roseville, California, a stockbroker registered with First Allied Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $15,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Franklin made unsuitable recommendations, breached his fiduciary duties, breached a contract, was negligent, and failed to supervise…

Cynthia Ann Giovacchino, of Ansonia, Connecticut, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on February 11, 2022, to resolve allegations that Giovacchino made unsuitable recommendations of Real Estate Investment Trust or REIT during the time that Giovacchino was associated with LPL Financial…

Anthony Vultaggio Jr., of East Meadow, New York, a stockbroker registered with American Capital Partners LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $375,000.00 in damages resulting from the customer’s purchase of private placements during the time that Vultaggio was associated with American Capital Partners…

Luisa Gonzalez (also known as Mercado Luisa Gonzales), of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker registered with SunTrust Investment Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $130,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Gonzalez made unsuitable recommendations of Northstar Healthcare when Gonzalez was associated with…

Vincent Keith Annable of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $600,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Annable made unsuitable investment recommendations and overconcentrated the customer’s account in alternative…

Frank Briseno of Metairie, Louisiana, a stockbroker registered with FSC Securities Corporation, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled on July 21, 2020 for $3,500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Briseno made unsuitable recommendations concerning the sale of variable annuities and real estate securities during the course of…

Wenjinn James Chang of Rockville, Maryland, a stockbroker registered with Independent Financial Group LLC was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $85,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Chang made unsuitable recommendations and overconcentrated the customer’s account in real estate securities…

Jonathan Eric Ellefson (also known as Jon Ellefson) of Harker Heights, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Intervest International Equities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $373,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Ellefson breached his fiduciary duties, effected…

Tobin Carl Hoffmann of Lincoln, Nebraska, a stockbroker registered with Ameritas Investment Company LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Hoffmann made misrepresentations with regard to the recommendation and sale of alternative…

Peter David Maller of Hunt Valley, Maryland, a stockbroker registered with Lincoln Financial Advisors was is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that settled for $115,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Maller made the unsuitable recommendation and sale of variable annuities and real estate…

Walter James Reyna of McAllen, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Reyna made unsuitable recommendations relating to the sale of oil and gas…

William Charles Schumann of Rockville, Maryland, a stockbroker registered with H. Beck Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $87,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Schumann made unsuitable investment recommendations and failed to perform due diligence in connection with…

Yvonne Lara Silguero of McAllen, Texas, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $100,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Silguero was negligent, made misrepresentations and omissions of material fact, breached her fiduciary duties, and was unsupervised, in…

Edward Lawrence Turley (also known as Ed Turley) of San Francisco, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $55,615,696.00 in damages based upon allegations that Turley effected unauthorized and unsuitable transactions and made misrepresentations…

William Colie Johnson of Greenville, South Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $121,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Johnson made unsuitable transactions with regard to the recommendation and sale of real estate…

Craig Eugene Friedrichsen of Topeka, Kansas, a stockbroker registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested more than $100,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Friedrichsen made misrepresentations in connection with the recommendation and sale of alternative investments including real…

Bryon Edwin Martinsen of Kings Park, New York, a stockbroker currently registered with Centaurus Financial Inc., has been fined $10,000 and suspended for 15 months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because of Martinsen’s private securities transactions during the time that he was associated with Centaurus Finacnial Inc….

Ryan Thomas Fleming of Bellevue, Washington, a stockbroker formerly registered with Hornor Townsend Kent LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $50,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Fleming made unsuitable recommendations, breached a fiduciary duty, and acted negligently with regard to the recommendation and…

Jeffrey Daniel Basford of Westport, Connecticut, a stockbroker formerly registered with David Lerner Associates Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations that Basford refused to cooperate with a FINRA investigation regarding the unsuitable recommendation and sale of securities. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver,…

Robert Leo Luley (also known as Rob Leo Luley Junior) of Clover, South Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Luley made unsuitable recommendations in connection with the sale…

Michael Joseph Sievert (also known as Mike Sievert) of Jacksonville, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Triad Advisors LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $200,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Sievert made unsuitable recommendations in connection with real estate security transactions while he…

Michael J. Haffling of Orland Park, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was resolved for $13,803.26 in damages because of the alleged recommendation and sale of illiquid, risky alternative investments for the customer’s individual retirement accounts at Kalos Capital….

Christopher Neil Watkins of Louisville, Kentucky, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on June 2, 2022, where the customer sought compensatory damages based upon allegations that Watkins provided unsuitable investment recommendations in connection with the sale of alternative investments, including business development company…

Xiangyu Yu Zhang (also known as Sean Zhang) of Arcadia, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Investment Services, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested up to $99,999.99 in damages founded on allegations that Zhang provided unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning …

National Securities Corporation, a securities broker-dealer headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, has been censured and fined $3,600,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based in part on National Securities Corporation’s negligent omissions relating to GPB Capital Holdings and its failure to supervise the recommendation of non-traded real estate investment trusts (non-traded REITs) to customers. Letter…

James Travis Flynn (also known as Jim Flynn) of Greenville, South Carolina is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customers seek $1,500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Flynn made misrepresentations ccncerning investments made in a business development company and real estate investment trust by Flynn while…

David Michael Karandos of Indianapolis, Indiana, a stockbroker formerly registered with Dinosaur Financial Group LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Karandos failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of Karandos’ unsuitable recommendations in the account of a Dinosaur…

Anthony Baker Liddle (also known as Tony B. Liddle) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a stockbroker formerly registered with Landolt Securities and Western International Securities, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Liddle refused to comply with the regulator during an investigation into Liddle’s…

Gary David Ginsberg of West Orange, New Jersey, a stockbroker formerly registered with Royal Alliance Associates Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $65,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Ginsberg made  unsuitable alternative investment recommendations while associated with Royal Alliance. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Robert Douglas Armstrong of Boca Raton, Florida, a stockbroker currently registered with Dawson James Securities Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $123,000.00 in damages founded on accusations of unsuitable investment recommendations by Armstrong concerning limited partnership interests or direct participation program interests while Armstrong…

Vincent Anthony Virga of Bayonne, New Jersey, a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $150,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer received unsuitable investment recommendations from Virga concerning alternative investments while Virga was associated with Madison…

James Royal Kirchner of Chicago, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with David A. Noyes Company, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings of Kirchner falsifying documents concerning a customer’s purchase of a private placement while Kirchner was employed by David…

Robert Scott Ginsberg (also known as Bob Scott Ginsberg) of Wallingford, Connecticut, a stockbroker registered with Investors Capital Corp and Woodbury Financial Services Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $35,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of unsuitable investment recommendations by Ginsberg concerning real estate securities,…

Antoine Nabih Souma of Los Angeles, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with JP Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley, has been fined $20,000.00 and suspended for two months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Souma provided a customer with misleading and incorrect accounts reports…

Mark Charles Cohen of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with BCG Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $55,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of BCG Securities’ failure to supervise trading in the customer’s account, resulting in unsuitable real estate…

Walter Warren Parker of Addison, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Titan Securities, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought between $50,000.00 and $100,000.00 in damages founded on allegations of unsuitable alternative investments, including BDCs and real estate securities when Parker was associated with…

Brian Radoo of North Woodmere, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Next Financial Group Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $76,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer was provided bad advice by Radoo regarding purchases of non-traded real estate investment…

Noel Ray Vincent of Houston, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of unsuitable recommendations by Vincent when he was associated with Madison Avenue Securities. Financial…

Jeffrey Raymond Dixson of Vancouver, Washington, a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought compensatory damages supported by allegations of unsuitable alternative investment recommendations by Dixson, which included sales of limited partnership interests or direct participation program…

Vincent John Villani of New York, New York, a stockbroker currently registered with National Securities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $300,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer had been sold unsuitable private placements by Villani while he was employed by…

William Franklin Richardson (also known as Frank Richardson) of Houston, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Investacorp Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $90,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of unsuitable Business Development Company and Real Estate Investment Trust purchases  by Richardson while he…

Steven Andrew Greer of Charlotte, North Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with GF Investment Services LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related civil lawsuit where the customer requested $25,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of unsuitable recommendations by Greer concerning direct participation programs, business development corporations, real estate securities, and fixed annuities during…

Adam Gerard Belardino of Elmsford, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $13,431.00 on December 21, 2021, founded on accusations that unsuitable real estate investment trusts were sold to the customer by Belardino during the time that…

Christopher John Shaw (also known as Chris John Shaw), a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $25,000.00 on June 30, 2021, supported by accusations of breach of fiduciary duty relating to illiquid and risky alternative investments, including non-traded…

Richard Mark Braverman (also known as Rich Braverman) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with Geneos Wealth Management Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $275,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Braverman provided unsuitable advice to the customer regarding direct participation program…

Kevin Marshall McCallum of Birmingham, Alabama, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $725,650.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer was overconcentrated in a business development company (BDC) when McCallum was registered with LPL Financial LLC….

Dustin Paul Shafer of Springfield, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $45,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer was placed into unsuitable direct participation program interests or limited partnership interests when Shafer was employed…

Mark Allen Barrand of Denver, Colorado, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Advisors LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages founded on accusations of Barrand’s unsuitable investment advice as it pertained to real estate securities when Barrand was registered with…

Shawn Bruce Davis of Auburn, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Independent Financial Group, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought compensatory damages supported by accusations that REIT and interval fund transactions effected in the customer’s account by Davis were unsuitable for the customer during…

Bryon Edwin Martinsen of Kings Park, New York, a stockbroker currently registered with Centaurus Financial Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $15,801.50 in damages based upon allegations that the customer’s account had been overconcentrated by Martinsen in real estate securities in illiquid investments while…

James Andrew Geake (also known as Jim Geake) of Skokie, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim which was settled for $450,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of unsuitable recommendations by Geake regarding alternative investments, including Hospitality Investors Trust, during the time…

Dale Edward Wright of Henrico, Virginia, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 4, 2021, where the customer sought compensatory damages founded on allegations of unsuitable investment advice involving life insurance policies and investment strategies when Wright was registered with Cambridge…

Nicholas James Schiano of New York, New York, a stockbroker currently registered with Spartan Capital Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $350,343.10 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s account was churned and that unauthorized trades were made by Schiano during…

Marshall Owen Isaacson of Boca Raton, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim where the customer sought $75,000.00 in damages founded on allegations of negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty by Isaacson in regard to alternative investment transactions,…

Mark Alan Kemp of Corpus Christi, Texas, a stockbroker currently registered with McNally Financial Services Corporation, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $370,006.75 in damages based upon accusations of fraud and the violation of federal and Texas securities laws concerning mutual fund and direct…

James J. Mariani, of Mineola, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Aegis Capital Corp, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $291,100.00 in damages founded on accusations that Mariani provided unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer to purchase non traded real estate securites while…

John Dennis Lowry, of New York, New York, a stockbroker and Chief Executive Officer of Spartan Capital Securities, is referenced in another customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensatory damages supported by allegations including failure to supervise, unauthorized trading, misrepresentation, unsuitability, breach of fiduciary duty, and churning concerning…

Jorge Luis Alfonso, of Miami, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Infinex Investments Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought between $50,000.00 and $100,000.00 in damages founded on accusations of breach of fiduciary duty as it pertained to Northstar Financial Services Bermuda products when Alfonso…

Howell Gregory Ferguson (also known as Gregg Ferguson), of Bellville, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for two years from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings of forgery and false statements to the regulator by Ferguson during…

William Danny Chancellor (also known as Danny Chancellor), of Ridgeland, Mississippi, a stockbroker formerly registered with First Allied Securities Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $132,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that he made the unsuitable recommendation of alternative investments when he was associated…

Marcious Dickerson (also known as Marty Dickerson), of Livonia, Michigan, a stockbroker currently registered with Centaurus Financial Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was resolved for $39,500.00 in compensation to the customer founded on accusations that between March 23, 2020, and June 26, 2020, unauthorized trading of…

Darren Wayne Oglesby, of Monroe, Louisiana, a stockbroker currently registered with Money Concepts Capital Corp and Money Concepts Advisory Services, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim where the customer sought $191,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of Oglesby’s omissions of risks concerning alternative investments sold to the customer during the…

Kurt Anthony Stein of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with National Securities Corporation, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $300,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of unsuitable investment recommendations concerning non-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts or REITs while Stein was employed by National…

Willard Louis Pugh, of Boca Raton, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with National Securities Corp, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim which was settled for $60,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of an unsuitable private placement transaction by Pugh while he was associated with National Securities Corp. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Jonathan David Cummings, of Hurst, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Securities America Inc. and Investacorp Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $35,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of negligence as it pertained to alternative investments, including a real estate security transaction effected…

Raul Jorge Benitez of Miami, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with SunTrust Investment Services Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $218,707.00 in damages supported by accusations of unsuitable transactions involving Northstar. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration No. 21-01667 (July 6, 2021). The claim…

Arni Jay Diamond (also known as Arni Jat Diamond), of Charlotte, North Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $280,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that unsuitable real estate security transactions were effected in the…

Rebecca King Wah Ng-Tsang, of Bellevue, Washington, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Investment Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 21, 2021, in which the customer requested compensatory damages founded on allegations that Ng-Tsang made misrepresentations to them regarding real estate security products while she was…

CIM Securities LLC, a securities broker dealer headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, has been censured and fined $35,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) founded on findings that CIM Securities failed to supervise suitability requirements for private placement transactions. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2019060957101 (January 31, 2022). According to the AWC, from September…

Michael Carleton Boothe (also known as Carleton M. Boothe), a stockbroker formerly registered with International Assets Advisory LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of Boothe’s breach of contract and negligence relating to direct investments, including limited…

Kirk Badii, of Los Angeles, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with UBS Financial Services Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $3,000,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of mismanagement and unsuitable recommendations concerning alternative investments while Badii was associated with UBS Financial Services. Financial…

Sean Joseph Kelly, of Marietta, Georgia, a stockbroker formerly registered with Center Street Securities Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related, FINRA Securities Arbitration claim in which the customer sought $160,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of misrepresentations and unsuitable investments by Kelly regarding alternative investments sold to the customer while Kelly was…

Barry David Abrams, of Marlton, New Jersey, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 10, 2020, where the customer requested compensatory damages founded on allegations of Abrams providing an unsuitable investment recommendation to the customer concerning FS Energy Power Fund…

Scott Anthony Lanza of Boca Raton, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related, FINRA Securities Arbitration claim where the customer requested compensatory damages founded on accusations of Lanza recommending unsuitable investments to the LPL Financial customer. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration No. 20-03871. (November…

Michael Scott Androulakis (also known as Mike Andrews), of New York, New York, a stockbroker currently registered with Alexander Capital LP, is identified in a customer initiated investment related, FINRA Securities Arbitration claim which was settled for $8,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of Androulakis’ breach of contract and negligence concerning a non-traded real estate…

Daniel George McPherson (also known as Dan McPherson), of Idaho Falls, Idaho, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Advisors LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA Securities Arbitration claim which was resolved for $57,500.00 in damages supported by accusations of McPherson making unsuitable recommendations to the customer regarding private placements, real…

Shimshon Plotkin (also known as Shim Plotkin), of Chevy Chase, Maryland, a stockbroker currently registered with Independent Financial Group LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA Securities Arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensatory damages supported by allegations that they were sold unsuitable investments including real estate investment trusts (non-traded…

Charles Lewis Bloom, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Chelsea Financial Services and International Assets Advisory, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim which was settled for $40,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was defrauded by investing in direct investments including direct participation programs…

Andrew Montgomery Costa, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with GF Investment Services LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensatory damages founded on allegations of unsuitable recommendations by Costa concerning alternative investments, including direct participation programs (DPPs), limited partnerships (LPs), and real…

Michael Patrick Nixon, of Tampa, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Paulson Investment Company, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for four months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Nixon made unsuitable investment recommendations to customers during the time that he was employed by Paulson…

James Marten Lamont, of San Francisco, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Whitehall Parker Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $100,000.01 in damages supported by accusations that Lamont provided unsuitable recommendations to them as it pertained to real estate security products…

Peter Jerome Mersberger (also known as Pete Mersberger), of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $25,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of Mersberger misrepresenting alternative investments, including a business development company and real estate security,…

Heath Geoffrey Grossman, of Weathersfield, Connecticut, a stockbroker formerly registered with Silver Oaks Securities and investment adviser representative registered with JB Capital LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related AAA arbitration claim where the customer requested $30,000.00 supported by allegations of Grossman’s failure to consider tax consequences in a customer’s investment plan which…

Joseph Albert Ambrosole, of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Joseph Stone Capital LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 30, 2021, where the customer sought $853,231.33 in damages founded on accusations of unsuitable trading of over-the-counter equities by Ambrosole between February of 2021 and May…

William Colie Johnson, of Greenville, South Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action where the customer sought compensatory damages founded on accusations of the customer being sold unsuitable alternative investments because of Johnson during the time that he was associated with Voya…

John R. Mateyko, of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with World Equity Group, Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Mateyko made misrepresentations regarding business development programs and real estate investment trusts between 2014 and 2018…

John Michael Cione of San Diego, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Independent Financial Group, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $105,000.00 in damages based on allegations of Cione providing unsuitable recommendations concerning alternative investments during the time that he was employed by Independent…

James Travis Flynn (also known as Jim Flynn), of Greenville, South Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $300,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of Flynn misrepresenting information about alternative investments during the time that…

Brian Stanley Pearce of Winter Haven Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with FSC Securities Corporation has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for seven months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Pearce engaged in private securities transactions without getting approval from FSC Securities Corporation. Letter…

Frederick Peter Baerenz (also known as Fred Baerenz) of Great Falls Virginia a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment complaint which was settled for $14,000.00 in damages on August 20, 2020, based upon accusations that Baerenz provided unsuitable recommendations regarding alternative investment transactions during the time that…

Robert Mark Star of Bluffton South Carolina a stockbroker currently registered with IBN Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $500,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of a breach of fiduciary duty by Star during the period that he was registered with…

Mark Sam Kolta of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with National Securities Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought compensatory damages based on accusations of them being placed into unsuitable real estate security products by Kolta when he was employed by National…

Arthur Stewart Hoffman (also known as Art Hoffman) of Glendale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $358,183.00 in damages founded upon accusations of them being placed into Zima Digital Assets because of Hoffman’s unsuitable investment…

Noel Ray Vincent of Houston Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages based on accusations of breach of fiduciary duty relating to direct participation program and limited partnership transactions…

Jimmy Yang Driggers (also known as James Yang Driggers and as Jim Driggers) of Sarasota Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $200,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of Driggers’ unsuitable trading or recommendations of alternative investments including…

Norman Arnold Robbins (also known as Norman Arnold Rosenberg) of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Summit Brokerage Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of an overconcentration of their account in commodity funds, real estate…

Steven Andrew Greer (also known as Andrew Greer) of Charlotte North Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with GF Investment Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim on September 3, 2020, in which the customer sought compensatory damages founded on accusations that alternative investments had been recommended by Greer…

Stephen John Ferencik (also known as Stephen John Ferencilz) of Atlanta Georgia a stockbroker currently registered with Arkadios Capital is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $200,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of unsuitable alternative investment transactions by Ferencik and Arkadios Capital between 2017 and…

Kimberly Ann Barentsen (also known as Kimberly Ann Berentsen, Kimberly Ann Bietema, and Kimberly Ann Bielema) of Walnut Creek California a stockbroker formerly registered with First Allied Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages based on allegations…

Daniel G. Dillard of Austin Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Sagepoint Financial Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $1,500,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that Dillard provided unsuitable investment recommendations regarding direct participation program interests or limited partnership interests during the period that…

William Aubrey Morrow (also known as W. Aubrey Morrow) of San Diego California a stockbroker and investment adviser representative of Independent Financial Group (IFG) is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages founded upon allegations that they were placed into unsuitable direct investments…

Vincent Anthony Virga (also known as Vincenzo Anthony Virga) of Bayonne New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $495,000.00 in damages based on allegations that Virga provided unsuitable advice to them regarding alternative investments including…

Mark Andrew Trewitt of Plano Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with VFG Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 15, 2020 where the customer requested $4,000,000.00 in damages based on accusations that unsuitable alternative investments were recommended by Trewitt while he was associated with VFG Securities as…

Adam Gerard Belardino of Elmsford New York a stockbroker formerly registered with MML investors Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based on a Decision containing findings that Belardino refused to cooperate with a FINRA investigation in regard to customer complaints. Department of Enforcement…

Mark Charles Cohen of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with BCG Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought compensatory damages based upon accusations of Cohen selling unsuitable direct participation program interests and limited partnership interests during the period that he…

Donald Stephen Woods of Louisville Kentucky a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 30, 2021 where the customer sought $69,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of Woods making unsuitable recommendations of business development companies and real estate securities when he was…

Michael Joseph Sievert (also known as Mike Sievert) of Jacksonville Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Triad Advisors is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $78,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer had been placed into unsuitable direct investments when Sievert was associated…

Walter Warren Parker of Rowlett Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Titan Securities is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $95,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of negligence regarding the sale of interests in a private placement and the sale of a real estate security…

Christopher John Shaw (also known as Chris Shaw) of Belmont North Carolina a stockbroker of Kalos Capital and investment adviser representative of Kalos Management is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $175,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that Shaw breached a fiduciary duty to the…

Luke Michael Johnson of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Coastal Equities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $76,500.00 in damages founded on allegations that Johnson provided unsuitable recommendations concerning real estate security transactions at Coastal Equities. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration…

Jeffrey Raymond Dixson of Vancouver Washington a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested compensatory damages founded on allegations including elder abuse in regard to alternative investments that had been sold to the customer during the period that…

Hugh Ordway Barndollar III (also known as Hobby Barndollar) a stockbroker currently registered with Crown Capital Securities is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that they had been sold an unsuitable non-traded business development company and…

Christopher Thomas Tolmacs of Portage Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Triad Advisors is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $225,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of the violation of securities rules and the breach of fiduciary duty by the stockbroker as it pertained to…

Angelo Talebi of Sherman Oaks California a stockbroker formerly registered with Independent Financial Group LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $150,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer had been placed into unsuitable alternative investments because of Talebi at Royal Alliance Associates….

James Arthur Allen (also known as Jim Allen) of Chicago Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with David A. Noyes is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $160,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer had been sold an unsuitable alternative investment by Allen through David…

Independent Financial Group LLC a securities broker dealer headquartered in San Diego California has been censured and fined $200,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by findings that it failed to supervise a stockbroker who made unsuitable recommendations to customers. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2018059223401 (Apr. 8, 2021). According to the…

Arni Jat Diamond (also known as Arni Jay Diamond) of Jacksonville Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved on January 18, 2021 for $17,749.00 in damages based upon allegations that Diamond’s alternative investment advice or handling of the customer’s…

James Royal Kirchner of Indianapolis Indiana a stockbroker formerly registered with David A. Noyes Company is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer had been placed into alternative investments that failed to be suitable for them…

JW Cole Financial Inc. a securities broker dealer headquartered in Tampa Florida has been censured and fined $50,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon findings that the securities broker dealer failed to supervise its stockbrokers’ recommendations of alternative investments. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2019061764801 (Mar. 18, 2021). According to the…

Shawn Bruce Davis of Auburn California a stockbroker formerly registered with Independent Financial Group is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested compensatory damages supported by allegations that their assets had been concentrated in non-traded real estate investment trusts by Davis during the time that he was…

John F. Riccardi Jr of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Windsor Street Capital LP is named in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer was awarded $250,000.00 in damages based on Riccardi and Windsor Street Capital being found liable on the customer’s causes of action…

Jeremy Seidman of Boston Massachusetts a stockbroker currently registered with UBS Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $6,500,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer had been recommended an unsuitable options overlay strategy by Seidman between 2016 and 2019 when he…

Mark Allen Barrand of Denver Colorado a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $25,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer had been advised by Barrand to invest in Business Development Corporation of America when Barrand was…

Charles Abad Santos Bonilla of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with David Lerner Associates Inc. has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for five months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Bonilla made unsuitable recommendations to customers concerning alternative investments. Letter of Acceptance…

Kyle Robert Franklin of Cameron Park California a stockbroker formerly registered with First Allied Securities is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon accusations of negligence and breach of contract as it pertained to real estate investment trusts and variable annuities purchased…

Gerald Lee Repasz (also known as Jerry Repasz) of East Peoria Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with Ausdal Financial Partners is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that they had been placed into unsuitable investments including real estate securities…

Joseph Patrick Roop (also known as Joe Pat Roop) of Belmont North Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $25,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer received unsuitable investment recommendations from Roop concerning real estate…

James Gregory McKinney (also known as Greg McKinney) of Tulsa Oklahoma a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Advisors LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on November 3, 2020 where the customer sought unspecified damages supported by allegations that they were provided with unsuitable investment recommendations from McKinney during the time…

Andrew James Pravlik of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with Prospera Financial Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $27,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that five unsuitable alternative investments had been recommended by Pravlik during the time that he was associated with…

Aaron Paul Brodt of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Accelerated Capital Group is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $430,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of Brodt’s failure to undertake due diligence prior to recommending that the customer purchase direct investments including direct…

Kevin Douglas Houser of Allentown Pennsylvania a stockbroker and investment adviser representative of LPL Financial is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $358,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer had been provided unsuitable investment recommendations regarding business development companies and real estate…

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Guiliano Law Group, P.C. has filed a Statement of Claim against Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC on behalf of investors before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA seeking damages for fraud, the breach of fiduciary duty, the failure to supervise, negligence and in violation of the federal securities laws and…

Samuel Ray Head of Columbia South Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $85,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer had been sold unsuitable business development company investments and real estate securities during…

Eric Peter Weschke of Setauket New York a stockbroker currently registered with Kalos Capital Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $718,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of Weschke overconcentrating the customer’s investments in limited partnership interests and alternative investments during the period…

Scott Michael Barber of Dubois Pennsylvania a former stockbroker and investment adviser representative of Cetera Advisor Networks LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 30, 2020 in which the customer requested $130,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that real estate security transactions executed in the customer’s Cetera Advisor…

Jonathan Todd Pyne of Minneapolis Minnesota a stockbroker formerly registered with Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $250,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that Pyne cause pain or damages as the result of misrepresentations made to the customer regarding certain alternative…

Gopi Krishna Vungarala (also known as Gopi Krishan Vungarala) of Midland Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments has been isnamed in arbitration claim an Opinion by Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) who affirmed a decision by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to bar Vungarala from associating with any FINRA member in any…

Ronald Patrick Cameron of Fayetteville Arkansas a stockbroker and investment adviser representative of Raymond James Financial Services has been isnamed in arbitration claim an Order by Arkansas Securities Commissioner where he was fined $8,000.00 based upon findings that he settled a customer complaint away from Raymond James. Case No. S-19-0033 (Apr. 8, 2019). According to…

Jonathan David Cummings of Hurst Texas a stockbroker of Investacorp Inc. and investment adviser representative of Investacorp Advisory Services Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested unspecified damages supported by allegations that the customer had been placed into alternative investments including real estate investment trusts and…

Darren Michael Kubiak of Alpharetta Georgia a stockbroker formerly employed by Kalos Capital Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that a contract had been breached and that a fiduciary duty that was owed to the customer had been breached…

Jeffrey Raymond Dixson of Vancouver Washington a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $225,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer had been provided with unsuitable recommendations of alternative investments including GPB which led the customer to experience…

Luke Michael Johnson of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Coastal Equities Inc. and investment adviser representative of Coastal Investment Advisers is identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer received unsuitable alternative investment recommendations from Johnson in 2016 in…

Scott Thomas Wolfrum of Indianapolis Indiana a stockbroker formerly registered with Huntleigh Securities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $449,300.00 on April 9, 2019 based upon accusations that the customer was placed into a private placement without authorization in January of 2018 when Wolfrum was…

Sean Joseph Kelly of Marietta Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with Center Street Securities is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $225,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of unsuitable alternative investments being sold to the customer during the period that Kelly was associated with Center Street…

Kevin Joseph Schaefer of San Francisco California a stockbroker and investment adviser representative of Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $1,000,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of Schaefer making misrepresentations and providing unsuitable investment advice with respect to the…

Daniel Todd Levine of Greenwood Village Colorado a stockbroker formerly employed by Morgan Stanley has been issued an Order from Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which he has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative or otherwise barred from associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisors based upon accusations of…

James Royal Kirchner of Chicago Illinois a stockbroker formerly employed by David A. Noyes is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim that was resolved for $90,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer had been placed into unsuitable alternative investments including direct participation program interests and limited partnership interests during…

Shawn Bruce Davis of Auburn California a stockbroker formerly associated with Independent Financial Group LLC and Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $206,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer had been unsuitably concentrated in illiquid investments including real…

Kevin Richard Wilson of New York New York a stockbroker formerly associated with Laidlaw Company (UK) Ltd. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $1,600,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer had been placed into unsuitable private placements from 2011 to 2017 during the…

Gaetano Magarelli (also known as Guy Magarelli) of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $130,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that contractual obligations to the customer were breached and that the customer’s losses were attributed…

Alvery Anthony Bartlett Jr. of Saint Louis Missouri a stockbroker formerly employed by Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in estimated damages founded on accusations that customers were placed into unsuitable alternative investments and that Berthel Fisher’s negligence…

Charles Thomas Stevens of Saint Augustine Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with DH Hill Securities LLLP is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $35,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that negligence and the breach of an investment agreement resulted in the customer’s losses on alternative investments sold by…

John William Carroll of Maumee Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services has been identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 13, 2020 where the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer had been placed into illiquid alternative investments including oil…

James Marten Lamont of San Francisco California a stockbroker formerly associated with Whitehall Parker Securities Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $2,000,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer had been placed into bad investments including real estate securities and direct investment products…

Mark Andrew Trewitt of Plano Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with VFG Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $150,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer had been placed into bad alternative investments and that misrepresentations had been made to the customer…

Michael Robert Greenfield of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly associated with Oppenheimer Co. Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of the violation of FINRA rules by Greenfield concerning oil and gas master limited partnership transactions that were…

Hugh Ordway Barndollar III (also known as Hobby Barndollar) of Land O’ Lakes Florida a stockbroker currently registered with Crown Capital Securities LP is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $125,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer had been sold illiquid alternative investments during the…

Kevin Thomas Doyle of Mineola New York a stockbroker formerly associated with Aegis Capital Corp and Newbridge Securities Corp has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $125,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that alternative investment recommendations made by Doyle had failed to be suitable as they…

Michael Joseph Sievert (also known as Mike Sievert) of Jacksonville Florida a stockbroker currently employed by Arkadios Capital has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $500,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer had been placed into bad direct investments including GPB Automotive and GPB Holdings…

Yvonne Lara Silguero of McAllen Texas a stockbroker currently associated with LPL Financial LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that a fiduciary duty that was owed to the customer had been breached by Silguero as it pertained to…

Satya Brata Shaw (also known as Satyabrata Shaw) of Wesley Chapel Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Center Street Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $140,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that unsuitable alternative investments and real estate investment trusts were sold to the…

Mark Katz of San Diego California a stockbroker formerly associated with Hilltop Securities Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on February 18, 2020 in which the customer requested $357,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of unauthorized and excessive trading in the customer’s account by Katz which caused the Hilltop Securities…

Kevin Mark Nevin of Edina Minnesota a stockbroker formerly associated with Sandlapper Securities LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $400,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer had been placed into direct participation program interests or limited partnership interests that failed to be…

Andrew Raymond Scheirer II (also known as Andy Haas) of Lake Mary Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with First Allied Securities Inc. and Kovack Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $49,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that a fiduciary duty that was owed to…

Jerry Dewayne McCutchen Sr. of Mobile Alabama a stockbroker formerly associated with Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services and NEXT Financial Group has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $168,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that misrepresentations and omissions had been made to the customer concerning equipment…

Michael Packman of Westbury New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Axiom Capital Management Inc. has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $99,999.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer had been sold unsuitable alternative investments from Packman during the period in which the stockbroker was…

David Richard Geake of Northbrook Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) misrepresentations and omissions had been made by Geake regarding alternative investments (2) due diligence was not…

Ricardo William Cabrera (also known as Rick Cabrera) of Henderson Nevada a stockbroker formerly associated with GF Investment Services LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $14,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that Cabrera’s recommendations of alternative investments including business development companies and real estate securities…

Peter David Maller of Hunt Valley Maryland a stockbroker registered with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought unspecified damages based upon accusations that the customer fell victim to deceptive and unsuitable practices by Maller as the customer’s life savings had been placed…

Anthony Sica of New York New York a stockbroker registered with Joseph Gunnar Co. LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $750,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that private placements were sold by Sica without reasonable supervision from Joseph Gunnar and that those investments failed…

Jonathan Eric Ellefson (also known as Jon Ellefson) of Harker Heights Texas a stockbroker registered with Intervest International Equities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought unspecified compensatory damages based upon accusations that the customer was sold inappropriate real estate security, mutual fund and equipment leasing…

Noel Ray Vincent of Southfield Michigan a stockbroker registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $125,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of bad investment advice and misrepresentations being made to the customer in reference to mutual funds and equipment leasing securities…

Bruce Albert Slater of Northville Michigan a stockbroker associated with Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer had been advised to allocate an excessive portion of funds in risky limited partnerships which failed…

James Gregory McKinney (also known as Greg McKinney) of Tulsa Oklahoma a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Advisors LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a Default Decision containing findings that the stockbroker neglected to testify or produce documentation for FINRA personnel while…

Jody Ethan Thompson of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Alexander Capital L.P. has been suspended for five months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that (1) Thompson provided unsuitable investment recommendations to customers concerning promissory notes and Regulation D offerings and…

Jason Paul Daugherty of Woodstock Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with TCM Securities Inc. (also known as Taylor Capital Management) is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $150,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer was placed into speculative and illiquid real estate investment trust products…

Luke Michael Johnson of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly employed by Coastal Equities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $509,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that investment recommendations made by Johnson between June of 2017 and June of 2018 failed to be suitable for…

Dean Robert Nowak of Winter Park Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with TCM Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on April 22, 2019 where the customer sought $66,666.67 in damages based upon accusations of misrepresentations and omissions of investment information being made by the stockbroker when advising the customer…

Douglas Keith Hyer (also known as Doug Hyer) of Great Neck New York a stockbroker currently associated with First Allied Securities Inc. and NEXT Financial Group Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which has been settled for $15,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) purchases of real estate…

Wesley Justin Foltz of Alexandria Louisiana a stockbroker formerly associated with Prospera Financial Services Inc. and LPL Financial LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on February 15, 2019 in which the customer requested $50,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that direct investments including a real estate investment trust sold by…

Murray Bee Roark (also known as Pap Roark) of Dallas Texas a stockbroker currently employed by B. Riley Wealth Management (formerly known as Wunderlich Securities) has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $300,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) the customer was inappropriately advised to purchase…

Thomas H Lawrence III of Chapel Hill Tennessee a stockbroker formerly employed by Ameritas Investment Corp has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $150,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) false or misleading statements had been made in regard to the terms and conditions of alternative…

Steven Joseph Case (also known as Steve Case) of National Planning Corporation a stockbroker formerly registered with National Planning Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 24, 2019 in which the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by accusations that the National Planning Corporation customer had…

Joseph Patrick Roop (also known as Joepat Roop) of Belmont North Carolina a stockbroker formerly employed by Kalos Capital Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $450,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that between November of 2012 and May of 2017, the customer had been placed into…

Joel Vincent Flaningan of Fort Wayne Indiana a stockbroker formerly employed by NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action brought in the Superior Court of Indiana in which the customer requested $29,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that (1) unfounded statements had been made by the stockbroker concerning…

Marshall Owen Isaacson of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with National Securities Corporation and Newbridge Securities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested unspecified damages based upon accusations that (1) contractual obligations had not been complied with by the stockbroker (2) fiduciary duties were…

Angelo Talebi of Sherman Oaks California a stockbroker formerly employed by Independent Financial Group LLC and Royal Alliance Associates Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) false or misleading statements had been made by…

David Francis Faline of St. Augustine Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by Newbridge Securities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) the customer’s investments were overconcentrated in alternative investments and common and preferred stocks and…

Michael Robert Greenfield of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Oppenheimer Co. Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $200,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) fiduciary duties owed by the stockbroker were breached (2) contractual obligations had not been complied with (3)…

Lloyd Mark Johnston of Spokane Washington a stockbroker formerly employed by Capital Financial Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on October 22, 2018 in which the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by allegations that the customer had been sold an unsuitable alternative investment while Johnston was associated with…

Wilfredo Felix Jr. of New York New York the President and Chief Executive Officer of Primex is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought unspecified damages founded on accusations that the customer had been placed into UpREIT – a real estate security which was not appropriate or suitable….

Shimshon Plotkin (also known as Shim Plotkin) of Chevy Chase Maryland a stockbroker currently registered with Independent Financial Group is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought as much as $1,000,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer had been placed in alternative investments including real…

Joseph John Weinrich Sr. of Overland Park Kansas a stockbroker formerly registered with Moloney Securities Co. Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action brought in the Circuit Court of Jackson County Missouri where the customer sought $225,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of (1) nondisclosures concerning the risks of venture capital…

James Travis Flynn of Greenville South Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on August 26, 2019 in which the customers requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by allegations that (1) real estate security and direct investments failed to comport with…

Gregory Scott Young of Columbia South Carolina a stockbroker formerly employed by Voya Financial Advisors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought between $50,000.00 and $100,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer had been placed into structured steepener notes and alternative investment products that failed…

Daniel John Dunn a stockbroker currently employed by Woodbury Financial Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on March 29, 2019 in which the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer was provided poor investment advice concerning real estate security and equipment leasing interests sold by…

Christopher David Sadaka of Jupiter Florida a stockbroker currently employed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought unspecified damages supported by accusations that between May of 2014 and March of 2017: (1) false or misleading statements had been made concerning oil…

Shawn Bruce Davis of Auburn California a stockbroker formerly employed by Independent Financial Group LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action brought in the Superior Court of the State of California in which the customer requested unspecified damages founded on accusations that (1) false or misleading statements had been made…

Donald Stephen Woods of Louisville Kentucky a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on June 3, 2019 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by accusations that (1) bad recommendations of alternative investments including business development companies had been made to the…

Kalos Capital, a securities broker dealer headquartered in Alpharetta Georgia, and Darren Michael Kubiak of Lawrenceville Georgia, a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital, have been sanctioned by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon findings that (1) leveraged inverse exchange traded funds (LIETFs) had been recommended to the firm’s customers without Kalos Capital or…

Scott Lindsay Reed of Indianapolis Indiana a stockbroker registered with David A. Noyes Company is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $395,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) false or misleading statements and omissions had been made to the customers concerning the terms of non-traded real estate…

Edward Allen Davig of Holmen Wisconsin a stockbroker currently registered with Packerland Brokerage Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action which was settled for $32,500.00 in damages based upon accusations that Davig gave customers bad investment advice about illiquid alternative investments including oil and gas master limited purchases which declined…

Noel Ray Vincent of Southfield Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Madison Avenue Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) the customer’s assets were handled in a negligent manner (2) fiduciary duties were breached…

Jonathan Douglas Freeze (also known as Jon Freeze) of Canonsburg Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with Fortune Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $330,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Freeze solicited and obtained the customer’s funds for purposes of a direct investment in…

Carlos Antonio Rodriguez of Plano Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with UBS Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought more than $3,600,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that (1) the customer had been placed into oil and gas master limited partnerships and mutual funds…

Jonathan Todd Pyne (also known as Jon Pyne) of Minneapolis Minnesota a stockbroker currently registered with Berthel Fischer Company Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which settled for $9,500.00 in damages based upon accusations that between 2007 and 2015: (1) false or misleading statements had been made…

Edward Barnett Woll (also known as Ed Woll) of Atlanta Georgia a stockbroker and chief compliance officer formerly registered with J.P. Turner Company LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $200,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that between January of 2013 and March 2016: (1) misleading…

Clement Lancelot Chichester (also known as Clement Ignatius Chichester) of Westlake Village California a stockbroker formerly registered with Western International Securities Inc is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $100,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) misrepresentations and omissions were made to the customer concerning the terms…

Michael Allen Kamperman of Waco Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by HD Vest Investment Services has been fined $20,000.00 and suspended for eighteen months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Kamperman poorly advised customers of HD Vest Investment Services in regard to energy sector…

Charles Chester Kulch of Nashua New Hampshire a stockbroker currently employed by Next Financial Group Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 11, 2017 in which the customer requested $150,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was inappropriately advised by Kulch in regard to real estate…

Nina Sue Jessee (also known as Nina Campbell Jessee) of Abington Virginia a stockbroker formerly employed by Cetera Advisors LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Jessee neglected to comply with FINRA during its investigation into accusations of (1)…

Anthony Diaz of Scotrun Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with IBN Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought unspecified damages founded on allegations that the customer had been placed into unsuitable investments including (1) real estate security (2) promissory note (3) oil and gas…

Richard Eric Poston (Rick Eric Poston) of Plano Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by H. Beck Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $25,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that while Poston was associated with H. Beck Inc. (1) Poston gave the customer bad investment advice…

David Bruce White of Bloomfield Hills Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by Centaurus Financial Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled to resolve the customer’s accusations that the customers were placed into an unsuitable oil and gas investment and had been induced to purchase the investment by way…

Mark Nelson Holloway of Edmond Oklahoma a stockbroker formerly registered with WFG Investments Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $10,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) Holloway made omissions and misrepresentations to the customer concerning oil and gas direct investments and mutual funds and (2)…

James Andrew Geake (also known as Jim Geake) of Skokie Illinois and Schaumburg Illinois a stockbroker currently employed by Madison Avenue Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $12,500.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer suffered unwarranted losses on alternative investments including real estate…

Stephen Skeffington Eubanks of Las Vegas Nevada a stockbroker formerly employed by Bright Trading LLC has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment adviser or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories according to an Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings Pursuant to Investment Advisers Act of 1940…

William Joseph Kielczewski of Toledo Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with The Huntington Investment Company has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that (1) Kielczewski partook in private securities transactions without notifying the firm beforehand and (2) Kielczewski falsified information to the firm concerning the private…

Tamara Rae Steele of Pendleton Indiana a stockbroker formerly employed by Comprehensive Asset Management and Servicing (now known as APW Capital Inc.) and Chief Operating Officer of Steele Financial has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a Complaint alleging that Steele and Steele Financial made fraudulent investment recommendations to investors. Civil Action…

Kerri Lynn Wasserman of New York New York president of Portfolio Advisors Alliance LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought unspecified damages founded on allegations that between July of 2013 and August of 2017: (1) inappropriate stock and over-the-counter equities trades were effected in the customer’s…

Bryon Edwin Martinsen of Kings Park New York a stockbroker currently employed by Centaurus Financial Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $127,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Martinsen gave the customer bad advice concerning real estate securities held in the customer’s investment portfolio between…

John Dale Ernst of San Diego California a stockbroker formerly employed by Foresters Equity Services Inc. has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for nine months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Ernst engaged in private securities transactions involving the sale of Woodbridge promissory notes….

George Mackley Robertson of Darien Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with Kestra Investment Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that (1) Robertson sold away from Kestra Investment Services (2) Robertson engaged in outside business activities without disclosing them…

Lee Dana Weiss of San Juan Puerto Rico a stockbroker formerly employed by MP Global Inc. and owner of Family Endowment Partners LP (FEP) has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a broker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with brokers or investment advisories according to an SEC Order Instituting Administrative…

Thomas Edward Burns III of Orange California a stockbroker currently registered with Crown Capital Securities LP has been fined $7,500.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he was negligent in his confirmation of customer assets on customers’ alternative investment account…

Yosef Yehuda Fox (also known as Joseph J. Fox) of Chicago Illinois the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer employed by Ditto Trade Inc. has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on allegations that Fox failed to pay an Arbitration Award after having been…

Aaron Robert Parthemer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida has been fined $160,000.00 and barred from being a broker or investment adviser or otherwise associating with any brokers or investment advisories according to an Order Making Findings and Imposing Sanctions Pursuant To Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Section 15(b), Investment Advisers Act of 1940 Section 203(f) and…

Julie Ann Smith of Durham North Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was resolved on November 16, 2018 for $115,966.29 in damages supported by allegations that Smith utilized an unsuitable market-timing investment strategy involving non-traditional investments which included (1) derivatives…

Sean Joseph Kelly of Marietta Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with Center Street Securities Inc. and the Chief Executive Officer of Lion’s Share Financial has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a Complaint alleging that Kelly defrauded twelve investors who provided him money through Lion’s Share to invest in alternative investments. Securities…

Robin Dewayne Walls of Shakopee Minnesota a stockbroker formerly registered with Capital Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which settled for $95,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that Walls sold the customer unsuitable and illiquid alternative investments including oil and gas products and direct participation program or…

Lloyd Mark Johnston of Spokane Washington a stockbroker formerly registered with Capital Financial Services Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by accusations that he failed to provide FINRA with information that had been requested of him. Case No. 2018057318201 (Sept. 4, 2018). According…

Bert Allen Cooper of Peoria Arizona a stockbroker formerly employed by WFG Investments Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $50,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning direct participation program and limited partnership interest risks at the time…

Antonio Ramirez of Aliso Viejo California a stockbroker formerly employed by RP Capital LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action that settled for $5,795,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that (1) alternative investment transactions were executed in the customer’s account that were not suitable for the customer (2) misrepresentations had…

Robert Scott Nathan of New York New York a stockbroker registered with TriPoint Global Equities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $150,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that misrepresentations and unsuitable investment recommendations were made in reference to the customer’s private placement investment in Advance Entertainment…

Richard Michael Stevens of Indianapolis Indiana a stockbroker currently employed by David A. Noyes Co. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $60,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that Stevens (1) failed to disclose risks of private placements (2) neglected to conduct adequate due diligence on alternative…

Robert Russell Tweed of San Marino California a stockbroker formerly employed by CapWest Securities Inc. has been fined $50,000.00 and barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon an Extended Hearing Panel Decision containing findings that Tweed (1) made misleading and false statements to hedge fund customers…

Alexis Lertora of Miami Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by CP Capital Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Lertora (1) made omissions and misrepresentations to customers (2) made unsuitable investment recommendations and (3) lacked an adequate basis to…

Christopher Todd Wendel of Celina Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with SA Stone Wealth Management Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he sold away from his employer and falsified testimony in a FINRA investigation into accusations of his…

Rafael Golan of Delray Beach Florida a president and chief compliance officer currently employed by Crystal Bay Securities Inc. is referenced in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation launched on November 30, 2017 pertaining to allegations that Golan committed violations of FINRA rules and federal securities laws. FINRA Public Disclosure reveals that Golan potentially…

Michael Evan Eckstein of Garden City New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Gould Ambroson Associates Ltd. has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that Eckstein (1) effected unsuitable transactions (2) made omissions and misrepresentations to customers when making investment recommendations and (3) engaged in a fraudulent investment scheme….

Aaron Paul Brodt of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Accelerated Capital Group is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $340,000.00 in damages supported by allegations including (1) omissions and misrepresentations (2) breach of contract (3) breach of fiduciary duty (4) negligence and (5) over-concentration of…

Richard Philip Hohol of Roselle Illinois is a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Advisors Networks LLC who has been fined five thousand dollars and suspended for two months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity by consenting to findings that he enabled one of the firm’s former registered representatives…

James Craig Chesser II, of Champaign, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with the O.N. Equity Sales Company, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, where the customer requested $6,900,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that Chesser inappropriately managed the customer’s investment portfolio of mutual funds, insurance products, equities and variable annuities….

Stephen Douglas Pizzuti, of Altamonte Springs, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrimac Corporate Securities, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint, in which the customer sought $90,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that inappropriate equity and direct investment products were effected in the customer’s account. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Michael Brian Walk of Longwood, Florida, a stockbroker currently registered with Kestra Investment Services, LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, in which the customer requested $72,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that Walk made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer in regard to real estate security and direct investment…

PHILADELPHIA (OCTOBER 30, 2017) – The Guiliano Law Group, P.C. filed an arbitration action before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Office of Dsipute Resolution against Newbridge Securities Corporation, based upon the conduct of its former Registered Representative, Austin R. Dutton, Jr.,  alleging the violation of the federal securities laws, the Pennsylvania Securities Act,  the…

Abed Adam Darwish, of North Royalton, Ohio, a stockbroker formerly registered with Key Investment Services, has been fined $7,500.00 and suspended for eighteen months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he utilized customers’ information without consent to create investment accounts and effected…

James Andrew Geake, of Skokie, Illinois, a stockbroker currently registered with Madison Avenue Securities, LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, which settled on March 1, 2017, for $60,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Geake negligently managed the customer’s investments, breached his contractual duties, and made unsuitable investment recommendations…

Adam S. Fritzsche, of Atlanta, Georgia, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been fined and suspended for one year from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he made unsuitable investment recommendations to customers and made misrepresentations on firm documentation concerning…

Garland Wayne Benton Jr., of Richardson, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Reef Securities, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on April 14, 2014, in which the customer requested $946,670.00 in damages based upon allegations that Benton engaged in unauthorized investment solicitations, breached his contractual duties, omitted facts concerning…

Harris Wayne Kirk, or Richardson, Texas, a stockbroker currently registered with Reef Securities, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on February 11, 2016, in which the customer requested $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Kirk breached his contractual duties, and failed to conduct proper due diligence as well…

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy issued an Investor Bulletin concerning the potential risks associated with alternative mutual funds.  According to the Investor Bulletin: Alternative Mutual Funds Are Not Typical Mutual Funds Alternative mutual funds (sometimes called alt funds or liquid alts) are publicly offered, SEC-registered mutual funds that hold non-traditional investments or…

Daniel John Dunn, of Mission Viejo, California, a stockbroker currently registered with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 17, 2015, in which the customer requested $48,624.47 in damages based upon allegations that Dunn made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning the sale of…

Michael Timothy Dolan, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a stockbroker currently registered with Dougherty & Company LLC, was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that Dolan effected unauthorized private securities transactions. Department of Enforcement v. Dolan, No. 2013039306601 (Dec. 14, 2016). According to the Complaint, from October of 2010 to October…

The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, William F. Galvin, issued an administrative complaint against Stephen S. Eubanks for operating a text book Ponzi scheme According to the Complaint, since approximately October 2011, Eubanks presented himself as a successful hedge fund manager of Eubiquity Capital. According to the Complaint, Eubanks, sold approximately $562,000 of his hedge…

Mickey Long, of Plano, Texas, a stockbroker with VSR Financial Services, Inc., was suspended by Texas State Securities Board after being found to have made unsuitable investment recommendations of real estate investments and other alternative investments. Order No. REG16-SUS-03 (Oct. 4, 2016). According to the Order, Long was responsible for advising a seventy-year-old customer who…

Charles Geraci, of The Woodlands, Texas, a stockbroker for VSR Financial Services, Inc., is subject to a pending customer dispute from July 25, 2016, in which the customer has requested $500,000.00 in damages after alleging that Geraci made unsuitable investment recommendations in alternative investments and private placement investments. According to FINRA Public Disclosure Records,  Geraci…

Jerry McCutchen, of Mobile, Alabama, a stockbroker for Berthel, Fisher & Company Services, Inc., was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that he obstructed a FINRA investigation into allegations that McCutchen made unsuitable alternative investment recommendations. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent,…

Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith, Inc. headquartered in New York, New York, was censured and fined $5,000,000.00 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to properly disclose costs associated with strategic return notes. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2012032967901 (June 23, 2016). According to the…

Gary Lee Rathbun and Douglas Scott Miller, both of Toledo Ohio, and stockbrokers for Triad Advisors, Inc., were permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any capacity after engaging in unauthorized outside business activities. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014041919401 (May 17, 2016). According to the AWC,…

Steven A. Larson, of Saint Louis, Missouri, a stockbroker with Oakbridge Financial Services, Inc., was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that Larson made material omissions and false statements to clients concerning investments. Department of Enforcement v. Larson, No. 2014039174202 (May 11, 2016). According to the Complaint, Larson…

Brett I. Friedberg, of New York, New York, a stockbroker with HFP Capital Markets LLC, was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any capacity per an Extended Hearing Panel Decision containing findings that Friedberg made unsuitable securities recommendations and negligently misrepresented information to customers. Department of Enforcement…

Walter Francis Grenda, Jr., of Buffalo, New York, a stockbroker with Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation was barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any and all capacities per an Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that he engaged in fraudulent omissions and misrepresentations, engaged in improper loans from the…

Wade James Lawrence was a stockbroker at Dallas Fort Worth area offices of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.and Southwest Securities. Mr. Lawrence is now headed to jail for a three year prison term, and was ordered to pay restitution of $1,454,384.48, by a North Texas Federal Judge, See Case No. 3:15-cr-374- M: United States of America…

Jason Bryce Vanclef fist became registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in 2006, and since that time, he has been the subject of no less that seven customer initiated investment related complaints alleging fraud, and most recently on February 6, 2016, a FINRA regulatory action also alleging fraud in connection with the sale of…

Brian Lewis Pittman of Miami, Florida, a stockbroker with Sabadell Securities USA, Inc., was fined $10,000 and suspended for six months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in all capacities after consenting to findings that he engaged in unauthorized private securities transactions. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2016048480901 (Feb….

Timothy Steven Dembski of Buffalo, New York, a stockbroker for Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation, was barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in connection with an Office of Hearing Officers Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that Dembski made fraudulent omissions and misrepresentations to investors, engaged in improper loans from customers, and falsified testimony…

James J. Nixon of Westport, Connecticut, a stockbroker with Terranova Capital Equities, was fined $15,000 and suspended for three months in all capacities from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member after consenting to findings that he engaged in unauthorized private securities transactions and made misleading statements to investors. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver…

William B. Fretz, Jr., and John P. Freeman, both of Oaks, Pennsylvania, were found by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement to have engaged in business-related conduct that is inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade as a consequence of providing misleading information to FINRA and filing a false Form U4….

Aon D. Miller of Chattanooga, Tennessee, a stockbroker with Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, was fined $50,000 and suspended for two years from association with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member per an FINRA Extended Hearing Panel Decision which contained findings that Miller engaged in private securities transactions without providing prior written notice to…

North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) released its annual list of top investor threats.  The top investor threats were compiled from a survey from the various state securities regulators to identify the five most problematic schemes.  Following the launch of the Investment Fraud Bingo Program, it is uncertain whether the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of…

J. P. Morgan Securities LLC is the securities broker-dealer subsidiary of J.P. Morgan, and as a broker-dealer sells securities and investment services through approximately 2,800 financial advisors located in Chase bank branches nationwide. As of the end of last year, J.P. Morgan, the bank, has $2.6 trillion in assets and J.P. Morgan Asset Management also…

Today, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York unsealed a seven-count indictment Martin Shkreli and his lawyer with securities fraud. According to the indictment, between September 2009 and January 2011, Shkreli falsely represented to potential investors his company MSMB Capital was a transparent investment vehicle for sophisticated investors with monthly liquidity,…

Jeffrey B. Risinger of Carmel, Indiana, a registered representative with PIN Financial, LLC, was barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that he had failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of Risinger’s participation in a Ponzi scheme. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver…

John S. Matthews of New York, New York, the former owner of Global Arena Capital Corporation, was fined $25,000 and suspended for six months from association with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member after consenting to findings that he engaged in unauthorized private securities transactions. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2013037235012 (Dec….

Dennis P. Van Patter of Dallas, Texas, a registered representative with VSR Financial Services, Inc., was fined $10,000 and suspended for forty-five days from association with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in all capacities after consenting to findings that he made unsuitable recommendations to firm customers. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No….

On November 5, 2015, by consent, the Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a judgment against George P. Brown, age 81, in connection with an action against George P. Brown and his son Kevin C. Brown, age 49, both of Pennsylvania, and their related entities, for fraud in connection with the sale of various unregistered securities…

Stockbroker J. Michael Casas was barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in any and all capacities and ordered to pay restitution in connection with an Extended Hearing Panel Decision containing findings that Casas had fraudulently sold securities issued by his company on the basis of false statements of material fact and that Casas converted…

John Thomas Oates, Jr., a Stockbroker with Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, was suspended from association with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any and all capacities for six months and fined $10,000 after consenting to findings that Oates engaged in outside business activities in violation of his firm’s policies. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver,…

UBS Financial was censured, fined $7,500,000.00, and ordered to pay restitution to 165 customers in the amount of $10,978,402.00 after the firm consented to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) findings that it failed to establish and maintain a supervisory system and procedures reasonably designed to ensure suitability of transactions in closed end funds. Acceptance, Waiver,…