Maria De Los Angeles Leon (also known as Maria Del Real), of Grand Rapids, Michigan, a stockbroker registered with PNC Investments, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Leon refused to provide information and testimony requested by FINRA during an investigation into allegations of the…

John Abraham Perez-Cubero, of Short Hills, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Perez-Cubero refused to provide documents and information requested by FINRA. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2023078273201 (September 11, 2023). FINRA Rule 8210…

Mehdi Ahmad El Sayed Mohamad, of Astoria, New York, a stockbroker registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Mohamad refused to provide information and documents requested by FINRA during an investigation into allegations of unauthorized transactions. Letter of Acceptance,…

Robert Joseph Earls Jr., of Roanoke, Virginia, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested damages based upon the alleged unsuitable investment recommendation of real estate securities when Earls was associated with LPL Financial…

Jeffrey Thomas Higgins, of Baker City, Oregon, a stockbroker registered with Western International Securities Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacities because Higgins did not appear for testimony and refused to produce documents and information that FINRA requested during its investigation into Higgins’ potential misappropriation…

Brian Scott Graham, of Plainfield, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, has been permitted to resign on April 11, 2024, based upon allegations that Graham made “unauthorized withdrawals” from a customer’s bank account. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure shows that Graham is also referenced in a customer initiated investment related…

Ronnie Rindon Dumag (also known as Ronnie R. Dumag), of Sacramento, California, a stockbroker registered with PFS Investments Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Dumag refused to comply with FINRA investigators in connection with its inquiry into his potential conversion of funds from…

Rosaline Alam (also known as Rosaline Alrachid), of Claremont, California, a stockbroker registered with Lincoln Investment, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Alam refused to provide information and documents requested by the regulator during an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of customer funds. Letter…

Andrew Joseph Egber (also known as Andy Egber), of Rockville, Maryland, a stockbroker registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Egber refused to cooperate with an investigation into whether he misappropriated or “stole money from a customer.” Letter…

Michael Joseph DiSilvio, of Garden City, New York, a stockbroker registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action that was settled for $25,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that DiSilvio approved inappropriate withdrawals from the customer’s account when DiSilvio was associated with Wells Fargo Clearing…

John Douglas Engler Sr. of Martinez, Georgia, 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 Engler failed to testify in a FINRA investigation into allegations of misappropriation during the time that he was associated with Ameriprise Financial Services…

Juan Carlos Sosa of Studio City, California, a stockbroker registered with SagePoint Financial Inc. (now known as Osaic Services Inc.), has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Sosa engaged in the unauthorized transfer and use of customer funds during the time that he was associated with…

John Luis Torres (also known as Juan Luis Torres), of Woodland Hills, California, a stockbroker registered with JP Morgan Securities LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action that was settled for $1,200,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Torres aided and abetted a $1.85 million theft during the time that…

Matthew James Chimento, of Alpharetta, Georgia, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Chimento failed to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation into allegations that he transferred funds out of a customer’s account into an account for his benefit without customer…

Paul Francis Trimber, of Alexandria, Virginia, a stockbroker registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Trimber failed to cooperate in a FINRA investigation into whether he potentially made “unauthorized transfers of customer funds” to recipients outside of the…

Julie Anne Darrah (also known as Julie Banuelos), of Orcutt, California, a stockbroker registered with Mutual Securities Inc. and President of Vivid Financial Management Inc., is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Darrah based upon allegations that Darrah defrauded her…

Marion Strickler Adams III (also known as Ma’on Adams), of Mobile, Alabama, a stockbroker registered with Raymond James Associates Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because he failed to cooperate with an investigation into allegations of his potential misappropriation of funds. Letter of Acceptance,…

Sally Ann Weger (also known as Sarah Ann Weger), of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $350,000.00 in damages based upon alleged unauthorized withdrawals from an individual retirement account during…

Keith Michael Curtis, of Tampa, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Aegis Capital Corp., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Curtis failed to comply with the regulator’s requests during its investigation into allegations of Curtis’ possible conversion or misappropriation of funds. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver,…

Forrest Addington Wester of Midland, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Wester refused to provide information and documents requested by the regulator in an investigation into his possible misappropriation of funds from customers. Letter…

Patrick Noel Thayer of Lebanon, Ohio, a stockbroker previously registered with LPL Financial LLC and Parkland Securities LLC and owner of Broadway Financial Solutions, has been permanently barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from associating with any investment adviser, broker, dealer, or other related entities and from participating in any penny stock offerings, because…

John Petrone of Willowick, Ohio, a stockbroker registered with Farmers Financial Solutions LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in any capacity because Petrone refused to provide information and documents during an investigation into his potential misappropriation of funds from an elderly investor. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent…

Andrew Charles Grezlak, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations that he failed to respond to FINRA requests for information. Case No. 2022076824801 (September 25, 2023). According to FINRA Rule 9552(h),…

Ronald Ernest Filoramo (also known as Ron Ernest Filoramo), of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a stockbroker previously registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred as a stockbroker and investment adviser representative by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) because Filoramo misappropriated customer funds. In the Matter of Ronald E. Filoramo, Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings, Case No. 3-21781…

John Jay Kersey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, a stockbroker registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on September 19, 2023, in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon allegations that Kersey instructed the customer to write personal checks to him and misled the customer…

Damian Mark Baird of Boston, Massachusetts, a stockbroker registered with Moors Cabot Inc., is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Baird based upon allegations that Baird failed to provide information and documents and had failed to testify in an investigation….

Ethan Christopher Martin, of Austin, Texas, a stockbroker associated with Charles Schwab Co. Inc., has been permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Martin converted or stole or misappropriated funds from a brokerage account belonging to an older married couple. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent…

Kwame Adusei, of Poughkeepsie, New York, a stockbroker associated with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (MSWM), was permitted to resign on July 24, 2023. This resignation was based on a customer alleging that Adusei encouraged her to take part in an outside residential property investment. The customer reportedly claimed that Adusei conducted “unauthorized trading” in her…

Matthew Thomas Lawson, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, a stockbroker associated with Raymond James Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $62,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Lawson made misrepresentations of material fact about a trust account. The customer…

Nicholas Randolph Radke Jr. (also known as Randy Radke), of Lake Oswego, Oregon, a stockbroker registered with American Independent Securities Group LLC, has been fined $60,000.00 by Oregon Division of Financial Regulation because Radke made omissions and misrepresentations of material fact. Consent Order No. S-19-0040 (May 11, 2021). The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation initiated…

Mary Ann Dineen (also known as Mary Ann Rose and Mary Ann Hicks), of Bonita Springs, Florida, a stockbroker registered with UBS Financial Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $540,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Dineen…

LPL Financial, a securities broker dealer now headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, was censured and fined $3,000,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) because LPL Financial failed to supervise certain representatives, resulting in their conversion of customer funds. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2020067897601 (July 25, 2023). Between May of 2018 and…

Conrad Aaron Coggeshall of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Packerland Brokerage Services Inc., was the subject of an enforcement action initiated by SEC in which the regulator barred Coggeshall based upon allegations that Coggeshall committed fraud. In the Matter of Conrad A. Coggeshall, Administrative Proceeding No. 3-20142 (May 10, 2023). Coggeshall was accused of…

Joseph Michael Todd of Crystal River, Florida, a former Centaurus Financial Inc. stockbroker and an owner of Todd Financial Services LLC, is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by SEC in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Todd based upon allegations that Todd misappropriated funds and committed fraud. SEC v. Joseph Michael Todd, Complaint…

Eugene Hyunwook Kim (also known as Gene Kim), of Red Bank, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with National Securities Corporation, is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Kim based upon allegations that Kim “misappropriated” funds. Department of Enforcement v. Eugene…

Wray Rodgers of Memphis, Tennessee, a stockbroker registered with Vining Sparks IBG LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Rodgers failed to testify when FINRA investigated the stockbroker for possible violations of FINRA rules. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2023078315401 (June 7,…

Jermaine Kahlil also known as Jermaine Benjamin, of Tampa, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Pruco Securities LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Benjamin failed to provide information and documents to FINRA when it investigated possible violations of FINRA rules. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver,…

John Nicholas Terzis of Skokie, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Terzis borrowed customer funds. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2022073846901 (December 23, 2022). According to the AWC, Terzis borrowed $200,000 from an elderly…

David Sheldon Wells of Chicago, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Fifth Third Securities Inc., is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Wells based upon allegations that Wells misappropriated funds. SEC v. David Sheldon Wells, No. 1:22-cv-05113 (September 20, 2022). According…

Jason Lee Pintus of Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with Monmouth Capital Management LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Pintus failed to testify during the time that FINRA investigated the stockbroker for possible violations of FINRA rules on excessive and…

Jeffrey Dampf of Totowa, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with PFS Investments Inc., has been barred as a stockbroker by New Jersey Bureau of Securities because Dampf was the subject of a different regulatory enforcement action resulting in his expulsion from the securities industry. New Jersey Bureau of Securities Order (October 19, 2022). Specifically, Dampf…

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…

Stephenie Ashley Collins (also known as Stephenie Ashley Purvine), of Cordell, Oklahoma, a stockbroker registered with State Farm VP Management Corporation, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Collins converted funds. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2023078014501 (April 13, 2023). According to the…

Chingyuan Chang (also known as Gary Chang), of Cupertino, California, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Chang failed to testify when FINRA investigated the stockbroker for possible misappropriation. Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2022075871401 (December 19, 2022). On…

Michael Patrick Raineri of Seattle, Washington, a stockbroker registered with KMS Financial Services Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Raineri converted customer funds. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2023078057401 (April 18, 2023). According to the AWC, starting in August of 2018,…

Miche D. Jean of Rockville, Maryland, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by FINRA in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Jean based upon allegations that Jean failed to provide information and documents and failed to testify during the time that FINRA investigated the stockbroker for…

Roderick Len Whited of Gainesville, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Whited stole funds belonging to a pediatric cancer charity. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2020065505201 (November 15, 2021). On January 25,…

Eric Shea Hollifield, of Dacula, Georgia, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC  is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by SEC in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Hollifield based upon allegations that Hollifield committed securities fraud. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Eric S. Hollifield, Civil Action No. 2:22-CV-129-RWS (June 30, 2022)….

John Nicholas Terzis of Skokie, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Terzis “borrowed” customer funds from an elderly customer. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2022073846901 (December 23, 2022). According to the AWC, in December…

William Jeffrey Michero (also known as Jeff Michero), of Fort Worth, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc., is the subject of a fraud investigation initiated by Texas Department of Insurance on May 17, 2022. This is not the first time that Michero has been the subject of a regulatory matter concerning Michero’s…

Roger Allan Duval of Spokane, Washington, a stockbroker registered with MML Investors Services LLC, 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 Duval failed to repay customer funds that Duval “borrowed” when he was associated with MML Investors Services…

Sean Daniel McDevitt of Chappaqua, New York, a stockbroker registered with Campfire Capital, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that McDevitt solicited an outside investment arrangement in which funds were potentially misappropriated. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Fernando Silva of Tucson, AZ, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Silva failed to provide information and documents to FINRA when it investigated possible violations of FINRA rules. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2022076360101 (December 6,…

Caz Craffy (also known as Carz Levinski Craffey), of Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, a stockbroker registered with Monmouth Capital Management LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Craffy failed to testify during the period that FINRA investigated the stockbroker for possible violations of FINRA…

Hector Anthony May of New City, New York, a stockbroker registered with Securities America Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $9,500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that May converted funds, committed fraud, made omissions of material fact, breached his fiduciary duties, and was…

Wilfred Rodriguez Jr. (also known as Wil Rodriquez), of Boca Raton, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on December 23, 2020, for $2,550,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Rodriguez committed forgery, made unauthorized withdrawals from the customer’s…

Anthony Vincent Didonna, a stockbroker registered with Equitable Advisors has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Didonna failed to respond to FINRA’s request for information. Case No. 2021071227201 (Mar. 17, 2022). According to FINRA Public Disclosure, FINRA issued Didonna a Notice of Suspension on December…

Thomas H. Laws of Silver City, New Mexico, a stockbroker registered with Avantax Investment Services, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $65,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Laws misappropriated funds and made unsuitable recommendations of direct investments (DPPs and LPs) when Laws was…

Michael Barry Carter (also known as Mike Carter), of McLean, Virginia, a stockbroker registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or an investment advisor representative based upon allegations that Carter misappropriated funds. In the Matter of Michael Barry Carter, Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings, Administrative Proceeding…

Marion Strickler Adams III (also known as Ma’on Adams), of Mobile, Alabama, a stockbroker registered with Raymond James Associates Inc., has been permitted to resign on October 7, 2021, based upon allegations by the executor of an estate that Adams may have misappropriated client assets. Public Disclosure shows that Adams was also referenced in a…

Apostolos Nicolas Pitsironis (also known as Paul Pitsironis), of Melville, New York, a stockbroker registered with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, 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 Pitsironis borrowed but failed to repay customer funds when Pitsironis was…

Mark Smith, of Greenwood Village, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which settled for $40,000.00 in damages resulting from a crypto currency deal recommended by Smith when he was associated with Transamerica Financial Advisors. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Jeffrey Scott Anderson of Bloomington, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with NYLife Securities,  has been  barred from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity based upon allegations that Anderson misappropriated or converted a customer’s funds. FINRA Enforcement (AWC) No. 2020067888701 (Aug. 2, 2021). Anderson was also subsequently barred by as a stockbroker in the Illinois…

Timothy Jay Fazzone (also known as TJ Fazzone), of Dublin, Ohio, a stockbroker registered with NYLife Securities LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Fazzone converted a customer’s funds.  FINRA Enforcement (AWC) No. 2019064698601 (Aug. 2, 2022). According to the AWC, in June 2018,…

Joshua Nathan Helmle of Monterey Park, California, a stockbroker and Chief Compliance Officer of Integrity Brokerage Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $489,862.00 in damages based upon allegations that Helmle failed to supervise  the customer relating to…

Suresh V. Kumar of New York, New York, a stockbroker registered with T3 Trading Group LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Kumar engaged in private securities transactions. FINRA Enforcement (AWC) Case No. 2020066434701 (May 23, 2022). According to the Order, during the time…

Anthony Baker Liddle (also known as Tony Liddle) of Wausau, Wisconsin, a stockbroker registered with Western International Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration filed on August 26, 2022 seeking  $1,755,189.31 in damages based upon allegations that Liddle stole or converted the customer’s funds during Liddle’s association with…

Joshua David Nicholas (also known as Josh Nicholas), of Stuart, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Nicholas converted a customer’s funds and engaged in private securities transactions. Case No. 2020067572701 (Jan. 24, 2022)….

Ernest Grey Frerking (also known as Ernie Frerking) of Austin, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated, has been barred from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity based upon allegations that Frerking failed to cooperate in a FINRA investigation. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2020067267701 (Aug….

Dusty Lynn Sternadel (also known as Dusty Lynn Veitenheimer) of Wichita Falls, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity based upon allegations that Sternadel failed to cooperate in a FINRA investigation. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2022076046801 (Sept….

Doug Marshall McKelvey of Southlake, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon accusations that McKelvey refused to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of McKelvey’s possible misappropriation and unauthorized transactions. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and…

Amanda Yvonne Berry (also known as Amanda Yvonne Coleman and as Amanda Yvonne Oostrum) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on May 27, 2022, for $82,967.79 in damages based upon accusations that Berry made unsuitable…

Michael D. Dorband of Blue Springs, Montana, a stockbroker registered with Berthel Fisher Company Financial Services Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations that Dorband failed to respond to FINRA’s request for information. FINRA Case No. 2021071383001 (December 27, 2021). Public Disclosure…

Ronald Terrence Molo of Joliet, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones, has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with stealing approximately $800,000.00 from customers, at least one of which included an Edward Jones customer. SEC v. Ronald T. Molo, Civil Action No. 21-cv-06286 (November 23, 2021). According to SEC’s Complaint, between…

Kenneth Andrews Welsh of Fairfield, New Jersey, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $1,857,001.59 in damages based upon allegations of unsuitable indexed annuity contracts for the customer when Welsh was associated with Wells Fargo Advisors. Financial…

James Kenneth Couture of Worcester, Massachusetts, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint that was settled for $270,179.42 in damages on May 19, 2022, supported by accusations of misappropriation of the customer’s funds by Couture while he was registered with LPL Financial. On September…

Kristian M. Gaudet of Cut Off, Louisiana, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameritas Investment Corp, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $450,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of negligence and breach of fiduciary duty while Gaudet was employed by Ameritas Investment Corp. Financial Industry…

Arieh Israel of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Israel misappropriated customer funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2020065370301 (June 23, 2021). According to the AWC, on June…

James Earl Simpson of Toledo, Ohio, a stockbroker formerly registered with Equitable Advisors LLC, is identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $51,500.00 on January 28, 2022, founded on allegations that the customer was sold an unsuitable variable annuity through Simpson when he was employed by Equitable Advisors. According…

Peter J. Fetherston of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Principal Securities Inc., has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint that alleges Fetherston’s misappropriation and conversion of funds belonging to two customers of Principal Securities. Department of Enforcement v. Peter J. Fetherston, Disciplinary Proceeding No. 2020065396501 (May…

Shawn Edward Good of Wilmington, North Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley, has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with operating a Ponzi scheme causing $2,000,000.00 in losses to investors. SEC v. Shawn Good, Case No. 7:22-cv-00060 (April 18, 2022). According to the Complaint, between December 2012 and February of 2022,…

Philip Anthony Riposo of Cave Creek, Arizona, a stockbroker formerly registered with United Planners’ Financial Services of America, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that he failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation concerning allegations of his creation of fake account statements…

John Scott Winslow of Gig Harbor, Washington, a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Winslow failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation concerning accusations of his failure to return funds provided to him from an…

Chad Mackland of Council Bluff, Iowa, a stockbroker formerly registered with Lion Street Financial and MML Investors Services, has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or an investment adviser representative supported by findings of Mackland pleading guilty to a charge of Ongoing Criminal Conduct. Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings File…

Marianne Oshee Smith of Avon, Connecticut, a stockbroker formerly registered with Cetera Advisors LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that she converted funds from elderly customers of Cetera Advisors. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2021071670001 (April 5, 2022). According…

Dan Edward Droeg (also known as Dan Edwards Droeg) of Mesa, Arizona, a stockbroker formerly registered with United Planners Financial Services of America, a Limited Partner, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings of conversion (misuse of investor funds) when Droeg was registered…

Stephen Gregory Whitman (also known as Steve Whitman) of Chesterfield, Missouri, a stockbroker formerly registered with Oppenheimer Co. Inc., has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement with failing to provide information to FINRA when it investigated him for a customer complaint. Department of Enforcement v. Stephen G. Whitman, Disciplinary Proceeding…

Lester William Burroughs (also known as Chad Burroughs) of Torrington, Connecticut, a stockbroker formerly registered with Lincoln Investment Planning LLC (Lincoln Investment), is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought compensatory damages supported by accusations of misrepresentations relating to fixed and variable annuities when Burroughs was employed…

Dan Edward Droeg (also known as Dan Edwards Droeg) of Mesa, Arizona, a stockbroker formerly registered with United Planners Financial Services of America, a Limited Partner, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings of conversion (misuse of investor funds) when Droeg was registered…

Paul Warren Vizanko of Duluth, Minnesota, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations that Vizanko failed to respond to FINRA’s request for information regarding the borrowing and misappropriation of customer funds. Case No….

Anthony Glenn Hall of Dayton, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 18, 2020, in which the customer requested $300,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that funds were “improperly removed” from the customer’s account when Hall was registered with Edward Jones. The…

William Forrest Winchester (also known as Bill Woods), of Chattanooga, Tennessee, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC and Raymond James Financial Services Inc., is identified in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $3,000,000.00 in damages based upon accusations of misrepresentation and conversion during the time…

Joshua David Nicholas, of Stuart, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Nicholas converted a customer’s funds when he was associated with Merrill Lynch. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent…

Mark Smith, of Greenwood Village, Colorado, a stockbroker formerly registered with Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Smith failed to cooperate in a FINRA investigation regarding allegations of his unauthorized transactions in customer accounts when he was…

Christopher Thomas Hildebrandt, of Cape May Court House, New Jersey, a stockbroker formerly registered with Principal Securities Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 5, 2021, where the customer sought compensatory damages founded on allegations of Hildebrandt’s unsuitable recommendations of real estate investment trusts during the time that he was…

Jesus Rodriguez, of El Paso, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that he failed to comply with FINRA investigators regarding allegations of his misuse of a customer’s credit line. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and…

Keith Todd Ashley, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a stockbroker formerly registered with Parkland Securities LLC, has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement with failing to comply with FINRA’s investigation, which focused on accusations of Ashley’s private securities transactions, outside business activities, and misappropriation of Parkland Securities customer funds. Disciplinary Proceeding…

Kenneth Andrews Welsh, of Fairfield, New Jersey, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with fraudulently misappropriating funds while he was associated with Wells Fargo Clearing Services. Civil Action No. 2:21-cv-19387 (Oct. 28, 2021). According to the Complaint, more than $2,860,000.00 had been…

Roderick Len Whited, of Gainesville, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings of his misuse of funds while he was associated with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No….

Aaron L. Austin of Bel Air Maryland, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on accusations that he failed to cooperate with FINRA’s request for information. Case No. 2018058669301 (January 29, 2019). According to FINRA Public Disclosure,…

James Earl Simpson, of Toledo, Ohio, a stockbroker formerly registered with Equitable Advisors LLC, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Simpson failed to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation, which focused on allegations of him making unsuitable investment recommendations during the time that…

Herbert H. Hafen (also known as Elias Herbert Hafen, Elias Niggebrugge, and E. Herbert Niggebrugge), of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $20,000.00 in damages on October 13, 2020, based upon allegations of unsuitable…

Jaime Michael Westenbarger of Grand Rapids Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Securities America Inc. and First Allied Securities Inc. has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative supported by findings of Westenbarger misusing investor funds. In the Matter of Jaime M. Westenbarger Administrative Proceeding File…

Jeffrey Dampf of Totowa New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with PFS Investments Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that he did not respond to FINRA’s instructions when he was investigated for possibly misappropriating customer funds while he was registered with…

Eric Shea Hollifield of Dacula Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that he did not cooperate with FINRA investigators during an investigation into his possible conversion of an elderly customer’s funds during the…

Jorge A. Reyes (also known as Jorge Quiroz and as George Reyes) of Miami Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with CP Capital Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a FINRA National Adjudicatory Council Decision containing findings of Reyes converting funds, making fraudulent…

Ronald Scott Daley of West Chester Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with WS Brokerage Services Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that he did not comply with the regulator’s investigation into allegations of his misuse of customer funds during the time…

David Sheldon Wells of Chicago Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with Fifth Third Securities Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that he failed to provide documents to FINRA and failed to testify when he was investigated for misconduct while registered with…

Elizabeth Ann Sollars (also known as Elizabeth Ann Cole, Elizabeth Ann Gore, Elizabeth Ann Shaw, and as Beth Sollars) a stockbroker formerly registered with Allstate Financial Services has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based on a FINRA Office of Hearing Officers Default Decision containing findings…

Christopher Bryan Black (also known as Chris Bryan Black) of Statesboro Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 21, 2021, where the customer sought $84,166.22 in damages based upon accusations that Black provided unsuitable recommendations to them concerning municipal bonds…

William Jeffrey Michero (also known as Jeff Michero) of Fort Worth Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that he converted funds as a trustee. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2021072162901 (Sept….

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…

James Thomas Booth of Norwalk Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is named in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit in which SEC obtained a judgment which restrains and enjoins Booth from further violating federal securities laws based upon findings of Booth defrauding investors. Case No. 3:19-cv-01535 (Feb. 19, 2021). SEC…

Leonard Voris Fox Jr. of Marlton New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with FSC Securities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was resolved for $150,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s funds had been misappropriated and that Fox misled them during the time that…

Jeffrey Scott Anderson of Bloomington Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Anderson converted a customer’s funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2020067888701 (Aug. 2, 2021). According to the AWC, Anderson’s…

John Joseph Cahill of Upper Saddle River New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC is referenced in a New Jersey Bureau of Securities Summary Revocation Order in which his stockbroker and investment adviser representative registrations have been revoked based on him violating FINRA rules and the policies of Janney Montgomery Scott….

Christopher Lee Hibbard (also known as Chris Hibbard) of Louisville Kentucky a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated has been barred as stockbroker and as investment adviser representative according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order based on findings of Hibbard committing fraud. In the Matter of Christopher Lee Hibbard…

John Henry Swon IV of Bloomington Minnesota a stockbroker formerly registered with Royal Alliance Associates Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that he chose not to provide documents and information to FINRA when it investigated him for possibly misappropriating a customer’s…

Tyler Michael Rigsbee of Sacramento California a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Rigsbee refused to provide FINRA with documents and information in an investigation into his possible misuse of customer funds….

Ronald Joseph Giovino Jr. of Clearwater Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with GWN Securities Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that he failed to comply with FINRA’s request when he was investigated for conversion of customer funds at GWN Securities. Letter…

James Kenneth Couture of Worchester Massachusetts a former stockbroker of LPL Financial LLC and former investment adviser representative of Private Wealth Management Group has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with taking part in a scheme to misappropriate $2,900,000.00 from investors. Civil Action No. 1:21-CV-10908 (D. Mass June 1, 2021). According to the…

David Wayne Kraft of Palm Beach Gardens Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $716,528.06 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s funds had been “removed from their account without the customer’s authorization”  during the…

Kimberly Pine Kitts of Palmer Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Royal Alliance Associates Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was resolved for $232,761.77 in damages on October 17, 2019 based upon accusations that the customer had been defrauded by the stockbroker during the time that she was associated…

Edward Earl Matthes of Milwaukee Wisconsin a stockbroker formerly registered with Mutual of Omaha Investor Services has received a 63-month jail sentence based on him pleading guilty to violating federal securities laws as 27 victims had been defrauded in his $2,600,000.00 investment scheme. United States v. Edward E. Matthes 20-cr-0220-bhl (E.D. Wis. May 20, 2021)….

Thomas John Marino of Lake Worth Beach Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with RM Stark Co. Inc. has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by allegations that Marino did not comply with a FINRA Arbitration Award. Case No. 19-00968 (Oct. 27, 2020). This is not…

Rand Alan Heckler of Glen Cove New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Benjamin Jerold Brokerage I LLC has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with defrauding investors. SEC v. Rand Heckler and Rand Heckler Inc. Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-04654 (Sept. 30, 2020). According to the Complaint, in 2015, a senior investor’s securities…

Eric John Vici of Melbourne Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with PFS Investments Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Vici hindered FINRA’s investigation into accusations of his misuse of customer funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2021069176201 (May…

Gregory Jon Mancuso of El Segundo California a stockbroker formerly registered with BMA Securities 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 Mancuso lied to FINRA investigators while he testified about his involvement with two customers’ fund transfers….

Matthew O. Clason of Glastonbury Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which settled for $1,000,000.00 in damages on February 22, 2021 based upon accusations that the customer’s assets had been converted by Clason between 2015 and 2020 while Clason…

Erin Lynn Verespy of Trumbull Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with HD Vest Investment Services has been issued a Cease and Desist Order by the Banking Commissioner of the State of Connecticut founded on allegations of Verespy engaging in outside business activities, failing to disclose lawsuits, and borrowing funds from a customer of HD Vest…

Chad T. Mackland of Council Bluff Iowa a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Mackland neglected to provide information and documents to FINRA when it investigated him for accusations of fraud. Letter of Acceptance…

Mark Joseph Boucher of Carlsbad California a former stockbroker of Raymond James Financial Services and former investment adviser representative of SCF Investment Advisors Inc. has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with engaging in a fraudulent scheme during the period that he controlled Strategic Wealth Advisors Group (SWAG). Securities and Exchange Commission v….

Jaime Michael Westenbarger of Grand Rapids Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Securities America Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of the breach of both a contract and fiduciary duty by the stockbroker in reference to real…

Michael Barry Carter (also known as Mike Carter) of McClean Virginia a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley has been fined $220,000.00 and barred by the State of Maryland from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative supported by allegations that he defrauded investors. Case No. 2019-0176 (Dec. 15, 2020). According to the Consent Order,…

Mark Lewton Hopkins of Grand Blanc Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with American Portfolios Financial Services has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with misappropriating $1,150,000.00 from customers who held accounts at American Portfolios Financial Services. SEC v. Mark L. Hopkins Case No. 20-cv-11980 (July 24, 2020). According to the Complaint, in 2017,…

Shlomo Strugano (also known as Shlomy Strugano and as Solomon Strugano) of Reseda California a stockbroker formerly registered with First Allied Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $750,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of elder abuse and misappropriation. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Michael Paul Francoeur of Somersworth New Hampshire a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that he failed to comply with FINRA’s investigation into accusations of his misappropriation. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2019064967501…

Sam Peter Paolini of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Hornor Townsend Kent Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 13, 2020 where the customer requested $141,222.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer had been told to buy a whole life insurance policy…

Jonathan H. Dudley of Atlanta Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with Centaurus Financial has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Dudley failed to comply with FINRA while he was under investigation for potentially misusing a customer’s funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and…

James Vincent Marino of Pompano Beach Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones has been barred as a stockbroker and investment adviser representative by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) according to an Order that is based on Marino’s conviction of theft. In the Matter of James Vincent Marino Administrative Proceeding File No. 3-20061 (Sept….

Eugene Arthur Riggio Jr. of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Score Priority Corp (formerly known as Whotrades Inc.) is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $10,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of unsuitable recommendations being made by the stockbroker as it…

Gerald Allan Eaton of Acton Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Commonwealth Financial Network has been barred in various capacities including stockbroker and investment adviser representative according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order based on findings of Eaton defrauding investors and stealing $3,700,000.00 from them. In the Matter of Gerald Allan Eaton Administrative…

Gregory Antonius Lewis of New York New York a stockbroker currently registered with Stockkings Capital LLC is referenced in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation regarding allegations of Lewis possibly misusing customer funds and effecting unsuitable transactions in customer accounts. Case No. 20190606487 (Dec. 16, 2019). FINRA Public Disclosure reveals that Department of Enforcement…

Najib Hossain Khan of Richmond Hill New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Citigroup Global Markets Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Khan neglected to cooperate with FINRA personnel during the period that he was investigated for theft of customer…

David Alan Stateman of Miami Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Allstate Financial Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that he did not comply with FINRA personnel while he was under investigation for taking funds from a customer and for…

Barry Franklin Connell of Ridgewood New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $1,350,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer’s funds had been misappropriated by the stockbroker’s actions at Morgan Stanley. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Lynn Dale Cawthorne of Shreveport Louisiana a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a Decision and Order of Offer of Settlement containing findings of Cawthorne failing to comply with FINRA during an investigation concerning Cawthorne’s…

Kathleen Marie Bott (also known as Kathy Bott) of Spokane Washington a stockbroker formerly employed by DA Davidson Co. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Bott neglected to comply with FINRA when she was under investigation for committing theft. Letter of…

David John Volpe of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker employed by First Financial Equity Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer’s funds had been converted by the stockbroker. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration No. 20-02492…

Pratul Victor Agnihotri (also known as Pratol Victor Agnihotri) of Melville New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Aegis Capital Corp. and Spartan Capital Securities LLC has been fined $7,500.00 and suspended for twelve months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Agnihotri engaged in…

Steven Dale Rodemer of Pueblo Colorado a stockbroker formerly registered with Stifel Nicolaus Company Incorporated is the subject of a Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Administrative Order in which he has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative and has been barred from being employed by any securities broker dealer or investment advisory…

Sean Michael Refsnider of Haddon Heights New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a FINRA Office of Hearing Officers Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings of Refsnider failing to cooperate with a…

Michael Joseph Clarke of Jersey City New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with MARV Capital Inc. and Tradition Asiel Securities Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a National Adjudicatory Council Decision containing findings of Clarke’s conversion of investor funds and of his…

Brian Keith Decker of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Legend Securities Inc. has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon accusations that Decker failed to comply with a FINRA Arbitration Award in which he was ordered to compensate a customer who…

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…

Matthew O. Clason of Glastonbury Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded upon findings that he did not honor FINRA requests which had been made during the time that he was under investigation for violating FINRA…

Roger Allan Duval of Bellevue Washington 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 founded upon findings that he converted funds belonging to three customers of the securities broker dealer. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2019062789901…

Andrew Markman Arthur (also known as Andy M. Arthur) of Summit New Jersey a stockbroker formerly employed by Guggenheim Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that he converted investor funds and had provided false statements to FINRA. Letter of Acceptance Waiver…

Ramon Arturo Herrera of Jersey City New Jersey a stockbroker and financial advisor formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is the subject of a New Jersey Bureau of Securities Order dated October 18, 2019 in which Herrera’s stockbroker and investment adviser representative registrations in the State of New Jersey have been revoked based…

Jose Giraldo (also known as Tomas Giraldo) of Chula Vista California a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon accusations that Giraldo neglected to cooperate with FINRA’s request for his information following the point in…

Adam Michael Lopez of Springfield Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with Country Capital Management Company is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 16, 2019 in which the customer requested $2,000,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer’s assets were converted and that the customer had been defrauded as…

Benjamin Frank Bourgeois Jr. of Metairie Louisiana a stockbroker formerly employed by Commonwealth Financial Network has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $15,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s check had been misused by Bourgeois and that the customer received bad investment recommendations while Bourgeois…

Ronald James Knight (also known as Ramone Knight) of Timonium Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $128,351.26 on April 10, 2018 based upon allegations of the stockbroker having failed to repay a NYLife Securities LLC customer after borrowing funds…

Kevin Donald Wanner of Bismarck North Dakota a stockbroker formerly employed by Questar Capital Corporation has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment advisor representative or otherwise associating with a securities broker dealer or investment advisor representative according to an Order pertaining to findings of Wanner defrauding investors….

Erik Patrick Pica (also known as Eric Patrick Pica) of Joseph Stone Capital LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a Default Decision concerning findings that (1) a customer’s funds were converted by Pica (2) the customer was provided with misleading and false…

E. Herbert H. Hafen (also known as Elias Herbert Hafen and as Elias Herbert Niggebrugge) of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC has been barred from being a stockbroker or an investment adviser representative according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order based on findings of…

Mark L. Hopkins of Grand Blanc Michigan, a stockbroker formerly registered with American Portfolio Financial Services was charged by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission with the theft of $1.2 million from five of his customer accounts.  United States Securities and Exchange Commission v. Mark L. Hopkins (E.D. Michigan). According to the Complaint, bginning…

Mitchell Toby Yanow of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly associated with Stifel Nicolaus Company Incorporated has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative or otherwise associating with any securities broker dealer or investment advisory according to an SEC Order based on Yanow pleading guilty to wire fraud. In the Matter of…

Jefferey William Dyra of Naperville Illinois a stockbroker formerly associated with Bankers Life Securities Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 21, 2019 in which the customer requested $47,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that unauthorized transactions were facilitated in the customer’s account. The complaint alleges that the…

Wilfred Rodriguez Jr. of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly associated with Wells Fargo Advisors has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 14, 2019 in which the customer requested $3,600,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of misappropriation and unauthorized transactions during the period in which Rodriguez was employed by…

Robert Gerard Merlo (also known as Robert Gerald Merlo) of Midland Park New Jersey a stockbroker formerly associated with Allstate Financial Services has been barred as a stockbroker in the State of New Jersey according to an Order issued by New Jersey Bureau of Securities that was based on Merlo pleading guilty to fraudulent activities….

Cadaret Grant a securities broker dealer headquartered in Syracuse New York has been censured and fined $200,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based on findings that Cadaret Grant failed to supervise its stockbrokers who engaged in private securities transactions one or more of which was a Ponzi scheme. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent…

Wesley James Evans of Seattle Washington a stockbroker formerly registered with JP Morgan Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he obstructed a FINRA investigation concerning allegations of his misappropriation of a customer’s funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver…

Dain F. Stokes of Bedford, New Hampshire was a registered representative of LPL Financial, LLC. Stokes is 60 years old and resides in Fremont, New Hampshire, where he also has his own LPL Financial independent office. According to FINRA Public Disclosure, In addition to being a registered representative, Stokes also spends time writing fictional novels….

Chris Kubiak of Brookfield Wisconsin a stockbroker formerly employed by Freedom Investors Corp and Calton Associates Inc. has been identified in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings in which he has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment advisor representative and barred from associating with any securities broker dealer or…

Lester William Burroughs (also known as Chad Burroughs) of Torrington Connecticut a stockbroker formerly employed by Lincoln Investment and an investment advisor representative with Capital Analysts LLC is the subject of a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings in which Burroughs has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment advisor representative…

David Harry-Nelson Austin of Grand Rapids Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with JP Morgan Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he converted funds belonging to three customers of JP Morgan. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2020066576401…

Gustavo Alberto Trujillo Franco of Old Bridge New Jersey a stockbroker formerly employed by Global Strategic Investments 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 Franco failed to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation into accusations of a fraudulent transfer…

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 arbitration claim where the customer sought $50,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that (1) due diligence was not properly performed prior to Cohen having recommended or sold direct investments to…

Karen Denise Clark-Kocinski of Bloomingdale Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with State Farm VP Management Corp. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that she failed to comply with FINRA personnel during the period that she was being investigated for misappropriating funds belonging…

Laura Ortega Shean (also known as Laura O. Provost and as Laura Ortega Provost) of Medford Oregon a stockbroker registered with LPL Financial LLC has been barred from working as a stockbroker or investment adviser representative and fined $30,000.00 by Oregon Division of Financial Regulation based upon allegations which include the stockbroker’s misappropriation of a…

Sean Michael Refsnider of Haddon Heights New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that she converted funds belonging to a customer of Ameriprise. Department of Enforcement v. Sean Michael Refsnider Disciplinary Proceeding No. 2019063790901 (Apr….

Albert Harkless III of Temple Hills Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with PFS Investments Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he converted a customer’s funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2018060290901 (Apr. 20, 2020). According to…

Steven Pagartanis (also known as Steve Pagartanis) of Setauket New York a stockbroker registered with Lombard Securities Incorporated has been sentenced by a United States District Judge to 170 months behind bars as a result of the stockbroker pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud as part of carrying out a securities…

Marcus E. Boggs of Chicago Illinois a stockbroker registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative or associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories based upon a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order based upon allegations of Boggs stealing $1.7 million investor funds….

Christine Louise Cantone (also known as Christine L. Gefken) of Eatontown New Jersey a Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Cantone Research Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was resolved on February 14, 2019 for $42,500.00 in damages based upon accusations of Christine Cantone’s failure to supervise a…

Edward Joseph Bosch Sr. of Florence Kentucky a stockbroker formerly registered with Signator Investors Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that misrepresentations were made to the customer about a variable annuity that Bosch sold during the…

Northwestern Mutual Investment Services a securities broker dealer headquartered in Milwaukee Wisconsin has been censured and fined $350,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon findings that Northwestern Mutual failed to supervise a stockbroker who converted customer funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2017054642101 (Apr. 7, 2020). According to the AWC, five…

Mark Joseph Boucher of Carlsbad California a stockbroker formerly registered with Raymond James Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled on January 24, 2020 for $542,444.83 in damages based upon allegations that (1) the customer’s signature had been forged by Boucher and (2) the customer’s…

Christopher Thomas Tolmacs (also known as Chris Tolmacs) of Portage Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Triad Advisors Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $95,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) the customer was placed in bad alternative investments including business development company (BDC)…

Mark Angelo Senofonte of Toms River New Jersey a stockbroker registered with Cetera Investment Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on September 6, 2019 in which the customer requested $75,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer’s fixed annuity had been liquidated without the customer’s consent and that the…

Pratol Victor Agnihotri of Melville New York a stockbroker associated with SW Financial has been referenced in an investigation initiated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) on October 18, 2019 in which he may face disciplinary action for possibly converting funds belonging to investors and for engaging in undisclosed outside business activities. FINRA Investigation No….

Steven Dale Rodemer of Pueblo Colorado a stockbroker formerly registered with Stifel Nicolaus Company Incorporated has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he failed to cooperate with FINRA while he was the subject of an investigation into allegations of his…

Demaurio Cortez Clark of Acworth Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that he converted an elderly Wells Fargo customer’s funds. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2019064268201 (Mar. 27, 2020)….

Derek Michael Nierman of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly employed by UBS Financial Services Inc. has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $98,750.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer was steered by Nierman towards investing in a real estate investment but the customer’s funds had…

James Thomas Booth of Norwalk Connecticut a stockbroker employed by Invest Financial Corporation and LPL Financial LLC is the subject of an Order to Cease and Desist by the Banking Commissioner of the State of Connecticut based upon allegations that Booth engaged in fraudulent activities and had misappropriated funds belonging to customers of Invest Financial…

David Lance Hall of Bakersfield California a stockbroker formerly registered with State Farm VP Management Corp. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Hall avoided cooperating with FINRA during the time that he was investigated for failing to comply with State Farm’s…

Brenda Ann Smith (also known as Brenda Smith Peterman) of West Conshohocken Pennsylvania a stockbroker and investment advisor formerly associated with CV Brokerage Inc., Broad Reach Capital LP and Bristol Advisors LLC is named in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Complaint alleging that Smith and the companies she controlled had defrauded investors who purchased…

Jill Marie Cody (also known as Jill Marie Tramontano) of Spring Lake New Jersey a stockbroker associated with Westminster Financial Securities Inc. and Concorde Investment Services LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which has been settled for $125,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) misrepresentations were made to…

Gustavo Trujillo Franco of Old Bridge New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Global Strategic Investments LLC (now known as Gentem Capital LLC and LevelX Capital LLC) has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that he neglected to provide recorded testimony to the regulator during the time that it…

Edward Earl Matthes (also known as Ed Matthes) of Oconomowoc Wisconsin a stockbroker associated with Mutual of Omaha Investor Services Inc. has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories according to an Order based on allegations of…

Louis Cook (also known as Lou Cook) of Knoxville Tennessee a stockbroker formerly registered with National Planning Corporation and Securities Service Network LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that customer funds were improperly used by Cook and that misrepresentations were made…

Eric Patrick Pica of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Joseph Stone Capital LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a FINRA Office of Hearing Officers’ Default Decision containing findings that Pica misused and converted an investor’s funds. Department of…

Michael Barry Carter (also known as Mike Carter) of McLean Virginia a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was resolved on October 18, 2019 for $3,193,500.00 in damages based upon accusations of unauthorized withdrawals being effected from the customer’s account when Carter…

Karen McKinley (also known as Karen Ann Boggess) of Manchester New Hampshire a stockbroker formerly employed by Morgan Stanley is the subject of administrative proceedings initiated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which the regulator is determining whether to bar McKinley from being a stockbroker or investment advisor based on McKinley pleading guilty to…

Ronald Walter Hannes (also known as Ron Hannes) of Spokane Washington a stockbroker formerly registered with Woodbury Financial Services Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon his consent to findings that he failed to cooperate with FINRA personnel’s request for his information and…

Martin David Batstone (also known as Marty David Batstone) of San Diego California a stockbroker formerly registered with Independent Financial Group LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon a FINRA Office of Hearing Officers Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that Batstone…

John Greg Schmidt of Dayton Ohio a stockbroker formerly associated with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network 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 based upon allegations of Schmidt…

Sonya D. Camarco (also known as Sonia D. Fatchett and as Sonya D. Fatchett-Camarco) of Colorado Springs Colorado a stockbroker formerly employed by LPL Financial LLC has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which has been resolved for $4,200,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s funds were misappropriated or…

Gregory John Lane of Belleville Illinois a stockbroker formerly employed by Raymond James Associates Inc. has been barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity founded on accusations of the stockbroker neglecting to provide recorded testimony or documentation to FINRA personnel during the time that he was…

Taek Man Chong of Mercer Island Washington a stockbroker associated with Raymond James Financial Services Inc. was the subject of a customer initiated investment related which was settled for $1,091,070.30 in damages based upon allegations that the stockbroker “misused” the customer’s funds. Chong has also been referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on…

John William Cutshall of Woodsboro Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with RBC Capital Markets and Lombard Securities has been fined $100,000.00 and barred from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative based upon accusations that Cutshall violated securities laws or regulations of the State of Maryland as withdrawals were effected from customers’ accounts by the…

Jonathan Douglas Freeze of Canonsburg Philadelphia a stockbroker formerly associated with Fortune Financial Services Inc. has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $175,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of bad promissory notes transactions effected through Freeze during the time that he was registered with Fortune Financial….

Ryan Owen Tarjanyi of Kettering Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by Bankers Life Securities Inc. has been identified in a customer initiated investment related complaint which has been resolved on September 13, 2019 for $32,500.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) the customer’s funds were misappropriated and (2) the customer’s signature had been forged…

Zachary Scott Wagner of Gilbert Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with OneAmerica Securities Inc. and Merrill Lynch has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Wagner failed to comply with a FINRA investigation into allegations of his (1) engagement in outside business activities…

Christopher Lee Hibbard (also known as Chris Hibbard) of Louisville Kentucky a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which has been resolved on October 24, 2019 for $175,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that (1) the customer was poorly advised (2)…

Jimmy Oswald Moscoso of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker employed by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on March 8, 2019 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on accusations that false or misleading statements had been made in regard to the terms and…

Thomas H. Laws of Silver City New Mexico a stockbroker formerly associated with HD Vest Investment Services and Santa Fe Gold Corporation has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from associating with any securities broker dealer or investment adviser founded on accusations against the stockbroker of misappropriation and forgery. In the Matter of…

Vaughn Lee Andrews-McKay of Shelton Connecticut a stockbroker formerly employed by Pruco Securities has been barred from working as a stockbroker or investment adviser representative founded on accusations that (1) funds had been misappropriated or stolen by the stockbroker from two customers (2) the stockbroker was sanctioned by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for his…

Royal Alliance Associates a securities broker dealer headquartered in Jersey City New Jersey has been censured and fined $400,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon consenting to findings that the securities broker dealer neglected to supervise its business practices to protect against theft of customer assets. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No….

John Cochran Maccoll of Birmingham Michigan a stockbroker registered with UBS has been stripped of his stockbroker license or investment adviser representative license based upon accusations that (1) the stockbroker violated securities laws or regulations  and (2) the stockbroker was expelled by a securities regulator based upon accusations of his misconduct in the securities industry….

John Joseph Cahill of Upper Saddle River New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he failed to furnish information and documentation to FINRA during the time that he was…

Ernest Julius Romer III of Sterling Heights Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by CoreCap Investments Inc. is the subject of an enforcement action initiated by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where the regulator is seeking sanctions against Romer based upon accusations that the stockbroker has been convicted of embezzlement. Regulatory Action No. 3-19006 (Feb. 22,…

John A. Chrysadakisof Norwalk Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with Northwestern Mutual 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 he neglected to cooperate with FINRA while he was investigated for engaging in fraudulent conduct. Letter of Acceptance…

David Oscar Braeger of Milwaukee Wisconsin a stockbroker formerly employed by Newport Coast Securities Inc. is the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) National Adjudicatory Council Decision which affirmed a FINRA Extended Hearing Panel Decision barring Braeger from associating with any member in any capacity based upon findings that (1) Braeger made misrepresentations…

Jorge A. Reyes (also known as Jorge Quiroz and as George Reyes) of Miami Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with CP Capital Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to a FINRA Extended Hearing Panel Decision containing findings that (1) Reyes made investment recommendations…

James Robert Schaedler Jr. of Anaheim California a stockbroker formerly employed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. and Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $964,872.23 in damages based upon accusations that funds provided to Schaedler for the customer’s mutual fund…

Christopher Michael Zelesnick of Nashville Tennessee a stockbroker formerly employed by Impactive Advisors LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action in which the customer sought $7,250,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that between 2013 and 2017: (1) the customer had been defrauded and (2) the customer’s funds had been misappropriated…

Matthew Earl Peregoy of Brick New Jersey a stockbroker formerly employed by Investors Capital Corp. has been assessed a $39,000.00 civil monetary penalty by New Jersey Securities Bureau according to a Consent Order containing findings that (1) Peregoy engaged in unethical and dishonest practices in the securities business (2) Peregoy is the subject of an…

Joseph Viet Duy Phan of Irvine California a stockbroker formerly registered with Pruco Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Phan failed to comply with FINRA when he was investigated for (1) borrowing customers’ funds without authorization from…

Gerald Allan Eaton of Action Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly employed by Commonwealth Financial Network has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Eaton obstructed a FINRA investigation into allegations of his “unauthorized distributions” from accounts owned by customers of Commonwealth Financial Network. Letter…

James Edward Knee (also known as Jim Knee) of Concord New Hampshire a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 26, 2019 in which the customer requested $20,615.79 in damages based upon allegations that unfounded statements had been made concerning an…

James S. Polese of Boston Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories according to an Order founded on findings of Polese pleading guilty to fraud. In the Matter…

Jefferey William Dyra of Naperville Illinois a stockbroker formerly employed by Bankers Life Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Dyra refused to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into accusations of his misappropriation of customer funds. Letter of Acceptance…

Douglas P. Simanski of Altoona Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by Next Financial Group Inc. has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories according to an Order containing findings that Simanski engaged in securities fraud. In the…

Chad Daniel Hornaday of Carlsbad California a stockbroker formerly registered with AXA Advisors LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 7, 2019 in which the customer requested unspecified damages founded on allegations that the customer was placed into a real estate investment trust product that failed to be suitable….

James Michael Casey of Palm Desert California a stockbroker formerly registered with Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 20, 2019 in which the customer sought $2,300,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments failed to supervise Casey’s activities which resulted in the…

Ma Rosa Linan Abrego (also known as Marosa Linan) of McAllen Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Abrego refused to comply with FINRA’s requests while being investigated for allegedly…

Paul Wescoe Smith of Wayne Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by Bolton Global Capital has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories according to an Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings containing findings of Smith committing securities fraud. In…

Walter Dale Crossley Jr. of Merritt Island Florida a stockbroker currently registered with Raymond James Financial Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $1,519,773.22 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s account was administered negligently; fiduciary duties had been violated; and the customer’s funds had…

Daniel Joseph Arcuri Jr. of Greensburg Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with Thrivent Investment Management Inc. has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that he neglected to provide recorded testimony to FINRA personnel for its investigation into allegations that (1) Arcuri misappropriated a customer’s funds and (2) Arcuri engaged…

Erik Patrick Pica (also known as Eric Patrick Pica) of New York New York a stockbroker currently registered with Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. has been charged in a Complaint brought by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority which alleged that Pica converted funds from a customer during the period in which he was associated with Joseph Stone…

Kristian M. Gaudet of Cut Off Louisiana a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameritas Investment Corp. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $538,500.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) the customer’s account was administered negligently (2) Ameritas Investment Corp. failed to supervise Gaudet’s activities and (3) private…

Adam Michael Lopez of Springfield Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with Country Capital Management Company is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $359,846.25 on June 11, 2019 founded on accusations that Lopez embezzled nearly all of the customer’s assets during the period in which he was employed by…

Michael Barry Carter of McLean Virginia a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Carter failed to comply with FINRA personnel when an investigation was commenced by the regulator into allegations of Carter’s misappropriation…

Herbert H. Hafen (also known as Elias Herbert Hafen and as E. Herbert Niggebrugge) of New York New York a stockbroker and investment adviser representative formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Morgan Stanley has been charged by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a Complaint alleging that Hafen engaged in a fraudulent…

Martin David Batstone (also known as Marty Batstone) of San Diego California a stockbroker formerly registered with Independent Financial Group has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that Batstone converted a customer’s funds and engaged in securities transactions away from the securities broker dealer. Department of…

Martin David Batstone (also known as Marty David Batstone) of San Diego California a stockbroker formerly employed by Independent Financial Group is the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investigation in which the regulator determined that disciplinary action should be taken by FINRA Department of Enforcement against the stockbroker founded on allegations of…

James Cornelius Bylenga of Portage Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by LPL Financial LLC is the subject of a Notice and Order to Cease and Desist issued by the State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau based upon findings that Bylenga defrauded Michigan residents. In the Matter…

Jesse Gil III of Corpus Christi Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Allstate Financial Services LLC has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint containing accusations that (1) Gil converted funds belonging to an elderly widow whom Gil advised outside Allstate Financial Services’ auspices (2) Gil failed to…

Matthew Donald Kerby of Paoli Indiana a stockbroker formerly employed by Edward Jones has been permanently barred by the Indiana Securities Division from engaging in securities business in the State of Indiana according to an Order containing allegations of Kerby’s violation of the Indiana Uniform Securities because of being barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Kari Ann Buckles of Olean New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Allstate Financial Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that (1) Buckles converted a customer’s funds and (2) Buckles failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of…

Lawrence James Rizer of Boardman Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings of his conversion of funds while engaging in an outside business activity. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2017054157401…

William Andrew Hightower of Houston Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Legacy Asset Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought unspecified damages supported by accusations that (1) the customer’s account had been liquidated by Hightower without the customer’s authorization and (2) funds were improperly used to…

Rita Marie Dulya (also known as Rita Marie Masluk) of Port St. Lucie Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Kovack Securities Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by allegations of Dulya failing to cooperate with a FINRA inquiry. Case No. 2017055835001 (Nov. 19,…

Daniel Joe Wilson of Columbus Junction Iowa a stockbroker formerly registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services has been terminated on February 5, 2018 based upon allegations of (1) Wilson engaging in unauthorized activities in a customer’s account and (2) Wilson engaging in unapproved activities during a time that he was suspended by Financial Industry Regulatory…

James Marc Unger of Cleveland Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by Financial America Securities has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment advisor representative or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisories according to an SEC Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings based in part on Unger misappropriating funds belonging to one of his…

Ronald Dale Broadstone of New Albany Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by UBS Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a Division Order in which he was ordered to cease and desist from engaging in conduct violative of Ohio Securities Act based on the Division’s findings that (1) Broadstone engaged in manipulative and deceptive acts…

William Roy Kimberlin of Dallas Texas a stockbroker registered with MetLife Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $15,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that securities laws had been violated by way of false and misleading statements being made to the customer about an…

John Douglas Wade of Fullerton California a stockbroker employed by U.S. Bancorp Investments Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $58,566.91 on June 19, 2018 founded on allegations that the customer’s funds had been improperly removed from a money market account and relocated to a mortgage…

Li-Lin Hsu (also known as Yilin Hsu) of Los Angeles California a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on allegations that Hsu failed to comply with paying a customer $675,000.00 in damages after being found liable…

Jonathan Spencer Williams of Timonium Maryland a stockbroker formerly employed by NYLife Securities pled guilty to one count of felony wire fraud (18. U.S.C. § 1343) as part of a scheme which caused customers of NYLife Securities to incur approximately $2,800,000.00 in losses. Criminal Action No. 1:18cr183 (D. Md. Apr. 29, 2019). Evidently, customers were…

Robert Frederico Montes of Palm Harbor Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by Morgan Stanley has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Montes failed to comply with FINRA’s investigation into allegations of him misappropriating funds belong to an elderly customer of Morgan Stanley….

Timothy Francis Dufresne of Bamberg South Carolina a stockbroker formerly employed by SagePoint Financial Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action brought in the Bamberg County South Carolina Court of Common Pleas in which the customer sought unspecified damages based upon accusations of the embezzlement of the customer’s funds by Dufresne…

Alpine Securities Corporation a securities broker dealer headquartered in Salt Lake City Utah has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that (1) Alpine charged unfair commissions and prices to customers who held investment accounts with the firm (2) Alpine misused securities and converted customers’ assets and (3) Alpine effected…

Thomas John Marino of Delray Beach Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with R.M. Stark Co. Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Marino neglected to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of his misappropriation of funds belonging to a customer…

Joe Don Treece of Bentonville Arkansas a stockbroker formerly employed by Arvest Wealth Management has been barred from being a stockbroker in the state of Oklahoma according to an Order issued by the Oklahoma Department of Securities containing accusations that (1) Treece borrowed funds from a customer in an unethical and dishonest fashion (2) Treece…

Philip Earl Brunson (also known as Phil Brunson) a stockbroker formerly employed by Wells Fargo Advisors is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was resolved for $28,929.99 in damages on August 24, 2018 based upon accusations that the customer’s funds had been misappropriated by Brunson during the time that he was…

Brenda Ann Smith (also known as Brenda Smith Peterman) of West Conshohocken Pennsylvania a stockbroker and principal formerly registered with CV Brokerage Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Smith neglected to cooperate with FINRA personnel during an investigation…

James Thomas Booth of Norwalk Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Booth converted funds belonging to customers of the securities broker dealer. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2019062787101…

Michael Alan Siegel of Edison New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with National Securities Corporation is the subject of a Summary Penalty and Revocation Order in which Siegel has been fined $100,000.00 and his stockbroker registration in the State of New Jersey was revoked based upon the New Jersey Bureau of Securities Bureau Chief’s findings…

Fred Ronald Brown Jr. of Montgomery Alabama a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. has been fined $12,500.00 and suspended for ten months from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity based upon allegations that (1) Brown took possession of customers’ funds through an unapproved customer loan arrangement and (2)…

David Lee Reynolds of Modesto California a stockbroker formerly registered with Principal Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 6, 2019 where the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) Reynolds committed elder abuse (2) Reynolds placed the customer in investments including private placements…

Michael Roy Blueweiss of Melville New York a stockbroker formerly registered with UBS Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $600,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that between 2014 and 2017: (1) the customer’s funds had been stolen or otherwise misappropriated by Blueweiss (2)…

Gregory John Lane of Belleville Illinois a stockbroker formerly employed by Raymond James Associates Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Lane declined to comply with requests made by FINRA as part of its investigation into Lane’s possible mishandling of trust…

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…

Rand Alan Heckler of Glen Cove New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Benjamin Jerold Brokerage I LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Heckler failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of (1) Heckler misappropriating funds…

Fred Ronald Brown Jr. of Montgomery Alabama a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which had been resolved for $55,000.00 on January 8, 2018 founded on allegations that the customer was solicited for purposes of a loan where the customer’s…

Claus Christoph Foerster of Greenville South Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Raymond James Associates Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $27,500.00 on May 18, 2017 supported by accusations that (1) the customer’s signature had been forged on documentation to effect investment transactions and (2) the…

James “Jim” Booth of LPL Financial and Booth Financial in Norwalk Connecticut has been named in a customer initiated, investment related claims filed before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority that Booth stole or misappropriated funds from his customers. According to FINRA Public Disclosure, Booth appears to have been terminated by LPL on June 26, 2019….

Sumitro Pal of Bethesda Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought unspecified damages supported by accusations that the customer’s funds had been misappropriated through an investment held by the customer outside the firm’s auspices between 2013…

Francesco Puccio of Pittsford New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Cambridge Investment Research Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $130,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) Puccio placed the customer in annuities and life insurance products that were not suitable for the customer…

Liam Gerard O’Keeffe of Danbury Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with Triad Advisors is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $65,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that between 2001 and 2016: (1) bad investment recommendations were made to the customer and (2) misrepresentations had been made concerning the…

Charles Caleb Fackrell of Yadkinville North Carolina a stockbroker formerly employed by LPL Financial LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought compensatory damages founded on accusations that (1) penny stock and equities trades were placed in the customer’s account by Fackrell even though Fackrell lacked…

Alejandro Ariel Torres of Miami Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Global Strategic Investments LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $32,500.00 in damages founded on accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer by Torres in regard to the customer’s investments and (2) investments…

John Sherman Jumper of Memphis Tennessee a stockbroker formerly registered with Alluvion Securities LLC is the subject of a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Section 15(b) and Investment Advisers Act Section 203(f) in which SEC is considering barring Jumper from being a securities broker…

Benjamin Frank Bourgeois Jr. (also known as Ben Bourgeois) of Metairie Louisiana a stockbroker formerly registered with Commonwealth Financial Network has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on allegations that Bourgeois failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into accusations that (1) Bourgeois converted funds…

Michael Jeffrey Oppenheim of New York New York a stockbroker formerly employed by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisory firms according to an Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings pursuant to Securities Exchange…

Mark Lewton Hopkins of Grand Blanc Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with American Portfolios Financial Services Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Hopkins failed to comply with a FINRA investigation into allegations of (1) Hopkins taking possession of…

Frederick Eugene Monroe Jr. (also known as Fred Monroe) of Albany New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action brought in the Supreme Court of the State of New York where the customer sought $665,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that Monroe…

Dean Harrison Grant of Milledgeville Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with M Holdings Securities Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Grant failed to cooperate with FINRA in an investigation concerning Grant’s conversion of funds from customers of the…

Zachary Scott Wagner of Gilbert Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with OneAmerica Securities Inc. is referenced in a Arizona Securities Division investigation on March 26, 2019 founded on accusations that Wagner engaged in violations of the Arizona Investment Management Act and the Arizona Securities Act by (1) soliciting securities sales in the state without Wagner…

Jesse Gil III of Corpus Christi Texas a stockbroker currently registered with Allstate Financial Services LLC is the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Wells Notice which indicated that FINRA Department of Enforcement should take disciplinary action against Gil supported by accusations that (1) Gil engaged in outside business activities without disclosing them…

Oscar Nunez of New York New York a stockbroker formerly employed by J.H. Darbie Co. Inc. is the subject of a FINRA Investigation in which FINRA determined that disciplinary action should be taken by FINRA Department of Enforcement against Nunez founded on accusations of (1) Nunez taking a loan from a customer (2) Nunez falsifying…

Sampson Pearson Jr. of Charlotte North Carolina a stockbroker formerly registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by accusations that Pearson declined to cooperate with a FINRA information request. Case No. 2017054269301 (Sept. 22, 2017). According to FINRA Public…

Jon Brett Schmidhammer of Dublin Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by Stifel Nicolaus Company Inc. has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisors according to an Order Instituting Administrative Proceedings Pursuant To Securities Exchange Act of…

Anselmo Contreras Jr. of Angleton Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by Cambridge Investment Research has been barred from associating with any Financial industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Contreras converted a customer’s funds while he was associated with Cambridge Investment Research. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent No. 2018057254501…

Joshua Alexander Stephens-Anselm of Valley Stream New York a stockbroker formerly registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by allegations that Stephens-Anselm declined to respond to FINRA’s request for information possibly relating to Stephens-Anselm being terminated by J.P. Morgan…

Erin Lynn Verespy of Trumbull Connecticut a stockbroker formerly employed by HD Vest Investment Services has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Verespy neglected to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into accusations that funds belonging to a customer had been…

Brian Michael Berger of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Newbridge Securities Corporation has been barred from being a stockbroker or investment advisor or otherwise associating with securities broker dealers or investment advisors according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Initial Decision of Default containing findings that Berger defrauded investors. In the…

John William Cutshall of Frederick Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member according to an Order Accepting Offer of Settlement based on findings that (1) Cutshall converted a customer’s funds and (2) Cutshall improperly utilized a customer’s funds. Department of Enforcement…

Devin Lamarr Wicker of New York New York the majority owner, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Bonwick Capital Partners LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to an Extended Hearing Panel Decision containing findings that Wicker converted a customer’s funds. Department…

Edward Earl Matthes (also known as Ed Matthes) of Oconomowoc Wisconsin a stockbroker formerly registered with Mutual of Omaha Investor Services Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he failed to cooperate with FINRA in an investigation into accusations…

Kimberly Pine Kitts of Palmer Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Royal Alliance Associates Inc. was sentenced by a federal district court judge to more than seven years in prison, three years of supervised release and required to pay restitution of $3,085,939.00 according to the United States Attorney’s Office based upon Kitts pleading guilty to…