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

Julie Lan Cohen of Camarillo, California, a stockbroker registered with Mutual Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action in which the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cohen breached her  fiduciary duties, was negligent, and made misrepresentation and omissions, in violation of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Charles Frederik Lek of Weston, Connecticut, the owner of Lek Securities Corp., is the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) enforcement action in which the regulator is seeking sanctions against Lek based upon allegations that Lek failed to comply with an prior Order in connection with the sale of microcap securities.  FINRA Enforcement…

Robert Douglas Armstrong (also known as R. Douglas Armstrong) of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Dawson James Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 12, 2021 where the customer sought $2,000,000.00 in damages based on accusations of Armstrong’s failure to sell the customer’s penny…

Gary Alan Meier of Vancouver Washington a stockbroker formerly employed by Cambridge Investment Research Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $15,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer by the stockbroker as it pertained to low priced securities including penny…

Frank Anthony Dinucci Jr. of New York New York a stockbroker associated with AOC Securities LLC has been barred by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from being a stockbroker or investment adviser representative or otherwise associating with any securities broker dealers or investment advisers according to an SEC Order founded on Dinucci pleading guilty to…

James William Flower (also known as Jim Flower) of Garden City New York a stockbroker currently registered with Spartan Capital Securities is the subject of an investigation initiated by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) on October 15, 2019. According to Public Disclosure, the investigation concerns allegations that the stockbroker recommended excessive trades to a customer….

Peyton Nelson Jackson of New York New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Alexander Capital is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $280,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that (1) unsuitable recommendations or trades had been made by the stockbroker (2) fiduciary obligations were violated concerning restricted…

Eugene Lee Webb (also known as Gene Webb) of Lake Oswego Oregon a stockbroker currently registered with Paulson Investment Company LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $47,597.23 on May 3, 2019 based upon accusations that the customer’s instructions of liquidating Biotricity penny stock positions had…

Steven Eric Erickson of Vancouver Washington a stockbroker formerly employed by LPL Financial LLC has been discharged by the firm on December 31, 2018 founded on accusations that (1) Erickson failed to comply with the policies and procedures of the firm by soliciting customers’ investments in unlisted and low-priced securities and (2) Erickson placed trades…

Michael John Kurka of Alexandria Virginia a stockbroker employed by Morgan Stanley is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 5, 2018 where the customer requested $200,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that bad penny stock and equity trades had been effected in the customer’s account evidencing an abuse of Kurka’s…

Alexander Kibrik of New York New York a stockbroker registered with Garden State Securities Inc. has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations of Kibrik failing to comply with the terms of a FINRA Arbitration Award. Case No. 16-03304 (June 12, 2018). FINRA Public…

John William Hoekman of New York New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Wells Fargo Advisors LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $390,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) omissions had been made to the customer during a time that the customer was steered by…

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…

Craig Daniel Price of Stuart Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with UBS Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $20,500.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) misrepresentations or omissions had been made to the customer by Price concerning Cardero Resources equities held in…

Revere Securities LLC a brokerage firm headquartered in New York New York and Kurt Alfred Hurst (the firm’s branch manager) have been sanctioned by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon FINRA finding in part that the firm failed to supervise its penny stock transactions to ensure compliance with federal securities laws. Letter of Acceptance…

John Belesis of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Portfolio Advisors Alliance Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested unspecified damages supported by allegations that between July of 2013 and August of 2017: (1) the customer’s account was churned (2) transactions were negligently…

Craig Scott Taddonio of New York New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Craig Scott Capital LLC is referenced in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) National Adjudicatory Council Decision which affirms FINRA’s Hearing Panel’s barring of Taddonio in all capacities based upon (1) Taddonio failing to reasonably supervise the firm and (5) Taddonio failing…

Christopher Vincent Paul of Mineola New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on allegations that Paul failed to comply with FINRA’s request for information potentially relating to Paul’s employment separations after being subject of…

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC a brokerage firm headquartered in New York New York has been censured and fined $10,000,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based in part upon the firm’s consent to findings that it failed to supervise its penny stock sales to ensure compliance with federal securities law. Letter of Acceptance Waiver…

Thomas Milo Ayer of Oakland California a stockbroker formerly registered with SA Stone Wealth Management Inc. has been discharged on August 25, 2017 founded on accusations that Ayer solicited low-priced securities in violation of SA Stone Wealth Management’s policies. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure additionally confirms that on May 10, 2017, a customer…

Stephen Mark Kiront of Garden City New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Woodstock Financial Group Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested damages estimated at $100,000.00 founded on accusations including (1) negligent unjust enrichment (2) breach of contract (3) suitability (4) breach of fiduciary duty…

TriPoint Global Equities LLC a FINRA member brokerage firm headquartered in New York New York has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that it effected unlawful sales of penny stocks. Department of Enforcement v. TriPoint Global Equities LLC et. al. Disciplinary Proceeding No. 2015048172801 (Sept. 7, 2018). According to…

Robert Bruce Cline of Rochester Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by Oppenheimer Co. Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that between 2007 and 2017: (1) fiduciary obligations to the customer were breached (2) the customer’s penny…

Scottsdale Capital Advisors Corp a brokerage firm headquartered in Scottsdale Arizona as well as its director John Joseph Hurry and chief compliance officer Timothy Brian DiBlasi and president Darrel Michael Cruz have been subject of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) National Adjudicatory Council Decision affirming FINRA’s Extended Hearing Panel’s findings that (1) the firm effected…

Ian Charles Kass, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wilson-Davis & Co., Inc., has been identified in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order Instituting Administrative and Cease-And Desist Proceedings based upon allegations that Kass aided and abetted securities fraud and facilitated the sale of unregistered securities. In the Matter of Delaney…

Craig Lansing Hayward, of Lafayette, Colorado, a stockbroker currently registered with Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation, has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on April 11, 2016, in which the customer requested $707,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that between 2007 and 2014, Hayward negligently handled the customer’s account, breached his fiduciary…

ACAP Financial Inc., a broker-dealer headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been expelled from Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) membership per an Office of Hearing Officers’ Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that ACAP Financial, inter alia, facilitated unregistered securities sales. Department of Enforcement v. ACAP Financial, et al., No. 2012030459101 (Dec. 6,…

The  Office of Investor Education and Advocacy of the United States Securities & Exchange Commission has issued an Investor Bulletin regarding microcap stocks or  as penny stocks.  The Investor Bulletin provides a general information and  a list of “red flags” of fraud and other important factors generally associated with microcap stock fraud. The SEC Investor…

TradeSpot Markets, Inc., headquartered in Davie, Florida, and Mark B. Beloyan (president, chief operating officer, and chief compliance officer) were censured by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement per an Order Accepting Offering of Settlement containing findings that the firm and Beloyan failed to effect compliant penny stock transactions, and failured to adequately…

Gary Donovan of Newark, Ohio, a stockbroker with Sagepoint Financial, Inc., was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member after consenting to findings that engaged in stock price manipulation. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2015045600101 (May 27, 2016). According to the AWC, on August 28, 2014, Donovan had effected an…

Terry L. Haggerty, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, president and chief executive officer of Penvest Securities, Inc., was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that he engaged in securities fraud; and failed to supervise his and his firm’s trading conduct to prevent fraudulent trading…

Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., headquartered in New York, New York, was censured, fined $6,000,000 and disgorged of $1,285,561 plus interest after consenting to findings that the firm had failed to adequately supervise sales of microcap securities pertaining to due diligence and identifying red flags with unlawful distributions of unregistered securities. The firm’s executive managing director…

Lincoln Financial Advisors, located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was censured and fined $90,000 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to adequately supervise the activities of a registered representative who engaged in unsuitable penny stock trading. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2011029739902 (Dec. 8, 2015). According…

J.H. Darbie & Co, Inc. (“Darbie”), a FINRA member since 1998 headquartered in New York City, offers securities business via 59 registered reps between its NY and NJ locations. Wolf A. Popper, Inc. (“Popper”), a FINRA member since 1998 located in NY, is an affiliate of Darbie which share Darbie’s ownership and control. On August…

About eight months after stockbroker Gregg M.S. Berger was indicted for conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud for his role in an international pump and dump stock scheme, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, has settled failure to supervise charges against Berger’s former employer, Gilford Securities Inc. of New York. Berger, 47,…