Alternative Investments

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 […]

Dennis Shane McMillan (also known as Shane McMillan), of Englewood, Colorado, a stockbroker formerly registered with Arete Wealth Management, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $150,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that between November of 2016 and June of 2017, McMillan provided unsuitable […]

Jeffrey Scott Larson, of Kirkwood, Missouri, a stockbroker formerly registered with Arete Wealth Management LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought compensatory damages founded on accusations that Larson provided unsuitable recommendations concerning alternative investments when he was registered with Arete Wealth Management LLC. Financial Industry […]

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 […]

Andrew W. Topka of Mount Pleasant South Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Kalos Capital Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $152,923.00 in damages based on accusations that the customer’s account had been overconcentrated in alternative investments by Topka when he was employed […]

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 […]