Lacey Elizabeth Buteyn (also known as Lacey Elizabeth DePue), of Plano, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Level Four Financial LLC, was permitted to resign on November 3, 2023, based on allegations that Buteyn violated regulatory standards in connection with the sale of variable annuities. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure additionally shows that on…

Rakesh Raj Bansal (also known as Rakesh Ransal), of Princeton, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with NYLIFE Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on October 20, 2023, in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon allegations that Bansal made the unsuitable investment recommendation of variable annuities when…

Joshua Lofton Baker (also known as Joshua Baker Ford), of Hoover, Alabama, a stockbroker registered with MML Investors Services LLC, has been permitted to resign on November 7, 2023, based upon allegations that Baker was the subject of customer complaints alleging sales practice violations in connection with the sale of whole life insurance and variable…

Cary Joel Cowan Sr., of Saint Augustine, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Next Financial Group Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on October 30, 2023. The customer requested compensatory damages based on allegations that Cowan did not identify excess annual withdrawals, leading to an unexpected reduction of guaranteed benefit…

Ronnie Lynn Cochran, of Blacksburg, Virginia, a stockbroker registered with NYLIFE Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on July 24, 2023. In this complaint, the customer alleged that Cochran made the unsuitable recommendation of variable annuities when Cochran was associated with NYLIFE Securities LLC. The complaint alleges that…

Matthew E. Loverine of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a stockbroker registered with Sagepoint Financial Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on March 11, 2023, in which the customer requested compensation based upon allegations that Loverine made misrepresentations of material fact and made the unsuitable recommendation of certain variable annuities during the…

Rene’ Tapia Espinoza of Scottsdale, Arizona, a stockbroker registered with Ameriprise Financial Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on July 20, 2023. The customer requested $13,871.90 in damages based upon allegations that Espinoza made misrepresentations of material facts in connection with the sale of variable annuities while associated…

Scott William Norvell of Omaha, Nebraska, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Advisors LLC and LPL Financial LLC, has been fined $10,000 and suspended for 2.5 months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Norvell made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with annuity exchanges . Letter of Acceptance,…

John D. Cimino of Naples, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Advisors is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $648,745.00 in damages based upon allegations that Cimino engaged in unsuitable trading in variable annuities when Cimino was associated with Wells Fargo Advisors…

William Wade Godfrey (also known as Bill Godfrey), of Tampa, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with Thrivent Investment Management Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Godfrey failed to cooperate in an investigation into his variable annuity sales practices. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and…

William Marc Rankin, of Columbia, South Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with Woodmen Financial Services Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Rankin refused to provide information and documents to the regulator during an investigation into his investment recommendation that a customer liquidate a…

Douglas Harry Chapman, of Clark, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with Securian Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on November 15, 2021, in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon allegations that Chapman made misrepresentations of material fact about a living benefit rider on a variable…

David McDonald Wilson of Gulf Shores, Alabama, a stockbroker associated with Hancock Whitney Investment Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on September 4, 2020, for $103,673.33 in damages based upon allegations that Wilson provided the customer with misleading information to encourage the purchase of a variable…

David Wayne Trusler, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a stockbroker associated with NYLIFE Securities LLC, has been discharged by the securities broker dealer on March 23, 2023, based upon allegations that Trusler submitted life insurance applications with inaccurate financial information. The securities broker dealer referenced that a fraud report was filed with Oklahoma Department of Insurance. FINRA…

John James Forster, of Washington, DC, a stockbroker associated with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $272,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Forster failed to act in the customer’s best interest and…

Ralph Siegfried Waller, of Peachtree City, Georgia, a stockbroker associated with Woodbury Financial Services, was referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on January 23, 2022, in which the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Waller failed to act in the customer’s best interest when recommending a variable annuity redemption…

Alexis Ann Intili of Staten Island, New York, a stockbroker registered with Allstate Financial Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on July 16, 2020, for compensation based upon allegations that Intili misled the customer about the rate of return on variable annuities when Intili was associated…

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

Steven Christopher Lovell of Columbus, Ohio, a stockbroker registered with Key Investment Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on March 17, 2023, for compensation based upon allegations that Lovell made omissions of material fact about the surrender charges on variable annuities during the time that Lovell…

Philip Norris Smith (also known as Philip Norris Smith), of Woodland Hills, California, a stockbroker registered with Equitable Advisors LLC, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Smith made unsuitable investment recommendations to an Equitable Advisors customer in connection…

Eric M. Jenson of Greenwood Village, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $9,500.00 in damages based upon allegations that Jenson made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with the sale of variable annuities during the…

Jeffrey Bruce Kantar of Northfield, New Hampshire, a stockbroker registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on October 26, 2022, for $383,232.90 in damages based upon allegations that Kantar made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with the sale of variable annuities…

Adam S. Feierstein of Redondo Beach, California, a stockbroker registered with Concourse Financial Group Securities Inc. (FKA ProEquities), is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $400,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Feierstein made the unsuitable investment recommendation of variable annuities when Feierstein was…

Douglas Eugene Keller (also known as Douglas Eugene Savery), of Red Bank, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with Equitable Advisors LLC (AXA Advisors LLC), was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on December 9, 2020, for $5,396.04 in damages based upon allegations that Keller made misrepresentations of material fact…

Eric Stephen Pasquini of Fort Wayne, Indiana, a stockbroker registered with CUNA Brokerage Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on August 18, 2021, in which the customer requested $19,156.70 in damages resulting from excessive assets in variable annuities when Pasquini was associated with CUNA Brokerage Services Inc. This…

Michael Giokas of Clarence, New York, a stockbroker registered with Fortune Financial Services Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim that was settled for $15,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Giokas breached his fiduciary duties, was negligent, breached a contract, violated state securities laws, and violated FINRA…

Kerry Thomas Cassell of Charlotte, North Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint filed on February 2, 2022, seeking damages based upon allegations that Cassell made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with the recommendation and sale of variable annuities when…

Todd Kevin Marone of Troy, Michigan, a stockbroker registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer requested $53,995.91 in damages based upon allegations that Marone made misrepresentations of material fact in connection with the recommendation and sale of variable annuities…

Francis Joseph Velten Jr., of New Port Richey, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Summit Brokerage Services Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity because Velten failed to provide information and documents to FINRA when it investigated possible violations of FINRA rules. Department of Enforcement v….

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

Eric Peter Burton of Orland Park, Illinois, a stockbroker registered with Cetera Advisors LLC, has been suspended for three months by Florida Department of Financial Services based upon allegations that Burton received a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) suspension. Case No. 294028-22-AG (Apr. 15, 2022). On June 21, 2021, Burton was fined $5,000.00 and suspended…

Gerald Thomas Coyne (also known as JT Coyne) of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker registered with CUSO Financial Services L.P., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) securities arbitration claim that was settled for $181,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Coyne made misrepresentations relating to the recommendation and…

Steven S. Maher Sr. of Oradell, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with Next Financial Group Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action that was settled for $20,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Maher breached a contract, made misrepresentations, was negligent, and breached his fiduciary duties in connection with the …

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

Steven Ronald Morgan of Roseville, California, a stockbroker registered with NYLife Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on December 28, 2021 in which the customer requested $38,658.06 in damages based upon allegations that Morgan made unsuitable recommendations in connection with the sale of variable annuities when Morgan was associated…

Philip Norris Smith of Woodland Hills, California, a stockbroker registered with Equitable Advisors LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on September 20, 2022 in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon allegations that Smith made misrepresentations relating to the recommendation and sale of variable annuities when Smith was associated…

John Charles Vasu, of Brandon, Florida, a stockbroker registered with Allstate Financial Services LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on May 12, 2021 in which the customer requested compensatory damages based upon allegations that Vasu made misrepresentations in connection with the recommendation and sale of variable annuities when Vasu was…

Larry Glenn Boggs of Atlanta, Georgia, a stockbroker formerly registered with First Allied Securities Inc., was the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim which was settled for $99,000.00 based upon allegations that Boggs made misrepresentations with regard to the recommendation and sale of variable annuities when Boggs was associated with…

Charles William Wodrich of Goodyear, Arizona, a stockbroker formerly registered with Hornor Townsend Kent LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on August 8, 2022, for $17,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Wodrich made unsuitable transactions with regard to the recommendation and sale of variable annuities when…

Marc Jacob Jacobson of Northbrook, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Sagepoint Financial Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on May 18, 2022, in which the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Jacobson made misrepresentations with regard to the recommendation and sale of variable annuities when Jacobson…

Everett Bryant Ellis (also known as Rett Ellis) of Gulf Breeze, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with BBVA Securities Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on March 3, 2022, where the customer requested $100,000.00 or more in damages based upon accusations that Ellis made unsuitable recommendations in connection with the recommendation…

Camille Cordova of Woodland Hills, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Equitable Advisors (formerly known as AXA Advisors), has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Cordova made an unsuitable recommendation to the customer regarding a variable…

Andrew Benjamin Edenbaum of Aventura Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with National Securities Corporation, has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Edenbaum participated in private securities transactions while he was registered with National Securities Corporation. Letter…

Michael Gerard Tate (also known as Mike Tate) of San Mateo, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Securian Financial Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA arbitration claim which was settled for $37,500.00 in damages supported by accusations of Tate making an unsuitable sale of a variable annuity to the…

Richard Harris Sall of Duluth, Minnesota, a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 10, 2020, where the customer sought $22,792.85 in damages based upon allegations of the customer being misled in regard to a variable annuity purchase that subjected the customer…

Robert Hayes Hoffmann, of Greenwood, Indiana, a stockbroker formerly registered with Woodbury Financial Services Inc., is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages based upon the alleged unsuitable recommendations to purchase variable annuities during the time that Hoffmann was registered with Woodbury Financial…

Nicholas Richard Palumbo (also known as Nick Palumbo), of Armonk, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Park Avenue Securities LLC, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought $220,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of omissions and misrepresentations by Palumbo relating to a variable annuity that…

Charla Cynthia Kabana, of Huntington Beach, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Sagepoint Financial Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 27, 2021, in which the customer requested $5,500.00 in damages founded on accusations of an unsuitable annuity sale by Kabana while she was employed by Sagepoint Financial….

Nathan Gersteen Katz, of Largo, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with American Independent Securities Group, is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 28, 2021, in which the customer sought damages supported by allegations of an unsuitable annuity rider being placed on the customer’s annuity, which was intended for the benefit…

James Edward Kelly Sr., of Owings Mills, Maryland, a stockbroker formerly registered with Pruco Securities LLC, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for two weeks from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that he engaged in unauthorized commission-sharing arrangements relating to his sales of variable annuities….

Brenda Louise Labar, of Redlands, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services, is identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled on May 12, 2020, to resolve accusations of Labar’s misrepresentations to the customer relating to a variable annuity sale when Labar was employed by MSI Financial Services. Financial…

Brandie June Becker Osburn (also known as Brandie Becker Osburn) of Glen Allen Virginia a stockbroker currently registered with Pruco Securities is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 3, 2020, in which the customer sought $142,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that an unauthorized transaction was effected in their…

Charles Jonathan Evan of Wellesley Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 11, 2021, in which the customer requested compensatory damages founded upon accusations of unsuitable recommendations by Evan relating to life insurance and annuity products that were sold by Evan…

Robert Nathan Schultz of Houston Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on July 14, 2020, in which the customer requested $35,000.00 in damages founded upon allegations that they had been placed into aggressive investments by Schultz during the time that he was…

Robert Joseph Boyer III (also known as Bob Boyer) of Wayne Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that he obstructed a FINRA investigation into a customer initiated investment related complaint regarding accusations…

Shirley Ellen Washam (also known as Shirley Ellen Davis and as Shirley Ellen Mazzanti) of Little Rock Arkansas a stockbroker formerly registered with Raymond James Associates Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $45,000.00 in damages on December 9, 2020 founded on allegations of an unauthorized annuity…

Michael John Libmann (also known as Mike Libmann) of Quincy Illinois a stockbroker currently registered with Pruco Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $91,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that unsuitable transactions were made by Libmann when he was registered with Pruco Securities LLC….

Joffre Salazar (also known as Jeff Salazar) of Staten Island New York a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for one year from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on findings that Salazar forged signatures of customers on documents to effect…

Adam S. Feierstein of Redondo Beach California a stockbroker formerly registered with Woodbury Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages supported by accusations of misrepresentations as it pertained to a variable annuity purchased by them when Feierstein was associated…

Robert Willis Lester of Rockville Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with H. Beck Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 16, 2019 where the customer requested $32,135.00 in damages founded on allegations that Lester made misrepresentations to the customer regarding the fees and risks relating to an annuity…

Farmers Financial Solutions LLC a securities broker dealer headquartered in Westlake Village California has been censured and fined $100,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by findings that the securities broker dealer failed to supervise its mutual fund business and its variable universal life insurance business. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent No. 2017052173001…

Eric Peter Burton of Orland Park Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings of Burton falsifying customers’ documents relating to variable annuity transactions that he effected. Letter of…

Daniel E. Jossen (also known as Dan Jossen) of Bethesda Maryland 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 Jossen failed to cooperate with FINRA’s requests when he was investigated by the regulator for unauthorized…

Chun Mei Zhu (also known as Ida Mei Zhu) of Bellevue Washington a stockbroker formerly registered with Waddell Reed is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 25, 2020 where the customer requested $26,774.00 in damages founded on allegations that they had been placed into an unsuitable Securian annuity when Zhu…

UnionBanc Investment Services LLC a securities broker dealer headquartered in Glendale California has been censured and fined $100,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) founded on findings that UnionBanc failed to supervise its variable annuity transactions. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2019062972401 (May 5, 2021). According to the AWC, between January of 2016…

Jeffrey Paul Weiner of Elmsford New York a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 14, 2021 in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in compensatory damages supported by allegations that Weiner made misrepresentations regarding a variable life insurance policy that…

ON Equity Sales Company Inc. (ONESCO) a securities broker dealer headquartered in Cincinnati Ohio has been censured and fined $275,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by findings that ONESCO failed to supervise sales of variable annuities resulting in a stockbroker having made unsuitable recommendations to customers of the firm. Letter of Acceptance Waiver…

Triad Advisors LLC a securities broker dealer headquartered in Atlanta Georgia has been censured and fined $150,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based on findings of Triad’s failure to supervise its stockbrokers’ transactions resulting in unsuitable trades being effected in customers’ accounts. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2017052330501 (Feb. 9, 2021). According…

James Ernest Joly of East Greenwich Rhode Island a stockbroker currently registered with Cantella Co. Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on April 21, 2020 where the customer sought $13,000.00 in damages supported by allegations of Joly causing an inappropriate asset transfer into an annuity. Joly has been identified in…

Lester William Burroughs (also known as Chad Burroughs) of Torrington Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with Lincoln Investment Planning LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on October 13, 2020 where the customer requested $126,380.00 in damages supported by allegations that the stockbroker concealed the surrender penalty on an annuity that…

Dean Harrison Grant of Milledgeville Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with M Holdings Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 12, 2019 where the customer requested compensatory damages founded on accusations that the customer had not been apprised of important investment information from Grant when making an…

Lisa Ann Brumm (also known as Lisa Ann Moon) of Portland Oregon a stockbroker formerly registered with AXA Advisors LLC has been fined $7,500.00 and suspended for six months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that she provided unsuitable recommendations to customers and made misrepresentations…

Gilberto Briseno (also known as Gilbert Briseno) of Boutte Louisiana a former stockbroker and investment adviser representative of LPL Financial is referenced in a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought compensatory damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on allegations that the customer received unsuitable investment recommendations from Briseno concerning…

Paul Rifaat Zakhary of Ocala Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with JP Morgan Securities LLC has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Zakhary provided unsuitable investment recommendations to customers of JP Morgan and he neglected to…

Lee Evan Rosenberg of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker and investment adviser representative of Cadaret Grant Co. Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim in which the customer sought $51,370.67 in damages based upon allegations that Rosenberg sold the customer a variable annuity that was unsuitable when Rosenberg…

Janine Marie Ruland (also known as Janine Marie Roupe and as Janine Salvadalena) a stockbroker currently registered with NYLife Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 29, 2020 in which the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer had been provided with…

Drew R. Mantel (also known as Drew R. Mentel) of Miamisburg Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by findings that Mantel executed trades in customers’ accounts on an unauthorized…

Francisco Javier Valenzuela of Tucson Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that investment recommendations made to the customer were not suitable and that misrepresentations had been made by…

Anthony John Leopizzi of White Plains New York a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled on July 20, 2020 for $27,586.23 in damages based upon allegations of stock being sold from the customer’s Ameriprise Financial Services account without the customer’s…

Charles Jonathan Evan of Wellesley Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with New England Securities and MML Investors Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 4, 2020 in which the customer requested unspecified damages supported by allegations that the customer had been provided with misrepresented information in regards to…

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

Glenn Patrick Lattz of Lady Lake Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with Gradient Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $65,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer’s annuity accounts had been liquidated which resulted in undue losses and penalties. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Douglas Eugene Keller (also known as Donald Eugene Savery) of Red Bank New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Equitable Advisors (also known as AXA Advisors) is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 10, 2020 in which the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been…

Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC a securities broker dealer headquartered in Saint Louis Missouri has been censured and fined $625,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by findings that Wells Fargo failed to supervise the suitability of customers’ switches from variable annuities to other investment products through transactions initiated by Wells Fargo stockbrokers. Letter…

Peter Vincent Ianace of Plano Texas 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 on findings that he failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of him engaging in undisclosed outside business activities during…

Robert Michael Gianchiglia of Worcester Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly employed by Ameritas Investment Corp is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $200,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that private placements had been misrepresented by Gianchiglia during the period in which he was associated with Ameritas investment…

John Patrick Priebe of Waseca Minnesota a stockbroker formerly associated with Principal Securities Inc. has been discharged on October 28, 2019 supported by concerns that Priebe had engaged in bad sales practices relating to mutual fund and variable annuity products and that Priebe failed to provide information to Principal Securities regarding his involvement in those…

Clinton Robert Hare of Marriottsville Maryland a stockbroker and investment adviser representative currently employed by Equitable Advisors LLC (AXA Advisors) has been identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 2, 2019 where the customer sought unspecified damages founded on accusations that the customer had been placed into an unsuitable variable life…

Adam Gerard Belardino of Elmsford New York a stockbroker formerly employed by MML Investors Services (Massachusetts Mutual life Insurance Company) has been identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved on May 8, 2020 for $51,133.06 in damages founded on accusations of misrepresentations as it pertained to a variable universal life…

Ryan Sanghak Lee of Wayne New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Fidelity Brokerage Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 15, 2019 where the customer sought $22,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Lee poorly advised the customer in regards to surrendering an annuity for managed account…

Pasquale Vitucci (also known as Pat Vitucci) of Walnut Creek California a stockbroker formerly registered with National Planning Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $1,350,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that a fiduciary duty was breached by Vitucci in regard to a variable annuity transaction….

Eli Jacob Sanchez of San Antonio Texas a stockbroker registered with Edward Jones is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on December 10, 2018 in which the customer requested unspecified damages based upon allegations of bad advice by Sanchez as it pertained to the Lincoln ChoicePlus Fusion O Share Annuity that was…

Piero Benjamin Dilorenzo of Melville New York 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 that he failed to cooperate with FINRA personnel during the period in which he was under investigation for engaging…

Gregory John Stouffer of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Gregory John Stouffer 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 when he was under investigation. Letter of Acceptance…

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…

Larry Glenn Boggs of Birmingham Alabama a stockbroker formerly employed by First Allied Securities Inc. has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought between $100,000.00 and $500,000.00 in damages founded on accusations of (1) the violation of Alabama Deceptive Trade Practices Act (2) breach of a contract pertaining…

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…

Jaime Michael Westenbarger of Grand Rapids Michigan a stockbroker formerly associated with First Allied Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on January 21, 2020 in which the customer requested $30,636.16 in damages based upon allegations of the stockbroker misrepresenting an annuity sold to the First Allied Securities customer. Westenbarger…

Edward Anthony Torres of Anaheim California a stockbroker currently employed by Ameriprise Financial Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 6, 2019 in which the customer requested $22,169.16 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was provided with poor investment advice by Torres in regards to the…

Christopher Stephen Jorgensen of Setauket New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Summit Brokerage Services Inc. has been identified in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which has been resolved for $70,000.00 in damages founded on accusations of unauthorized trading and overconcentration of the customer’s assets in investments including (1) exchange traded funds (2)…

Steven S. Maher Sr.of Oradell New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Next Financial Group has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for two months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings of Maher causing customers to provide him with signed but otherwise incomplete disclosure forms relating…

Michael Kenneth DePasquale (also known as Mikey DePasquale) of Cranford New Jersey a stockbroker associated with M Holdings Securities Inc. and 1717 Capital Management Company has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action which was settled for $7,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that misrepresentations were made by the stockbroker pertaining to…

Steven Farr Davis (also known as Steve Davis) of Wakefield Massachusetts a stockbroker registered with Royal Alliance Associates Inc. has been ordered to (1) cease and desist from violating securities laws or regulations (2) pay a $20,000.00 fine (3) disgorge ill-gotten gains and (4) refrain from seeking registration as a stockbroker or investment adviser representative…

Andrew Charles Berleth of Walnut Creek California a stockbroker currently employed by MML Investors Services has been identified in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 11, 2018 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on accusations that Berleth made misrepresentations about an annuity that he sold to the customer….

Taj Zachary Rohr of Parkersburg West Virginia a stockbroker formerly registered with BBT Investment Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which has been resolved on January 28, 2019 for $17,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer was poorly advised concerning variable annuities transactions effected when Rohr was…

Michael Brandon Stalcup of Little Rock Arkansas a stockbroker registered with Veritas Independent Partners is the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation into allegations of his termination from Veritas Independent Partners. FINRA Public Disclosure reveals that Stalcup was discharged by the securities broker dealer on July 18, 2019 based upon allegations that…

Jack Howard Owens Jr. of Lady Lake Florida a stockbroker associated with Gradient Securities LLC has been referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which has been resolved for $65,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that between December of 2017 and February of 2018, the customer was placed into bad variable annuities which…

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…

Anthony Edward Locascio (also known as Tony Locascio) of Clinton New Jersey a stockbroker currently employed by Kovack Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint which was settled on August 23, 2018 to resolve allegations that the customer had been sold a variable annuity which failed to be appropriate and which…

Robert Charles Wynn of Glendale California a stockbroker formerly employed by Park Avenue Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint where the customer requested unspecified damages founded on accusations that (1) the customer was placed into an unsuitable fixed indexed annuity during the time that he was associated with Park Avenue…

Gerald Thomas Coyne (also known as JT Coyne) of Harrisburg Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by CUSO Financial Services L.P. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Coyne obstructed a FINRA investigation into accusations of (1) his misconduct pertaining to customer accounts…

Charles Lawrence Doraine of Corpus Christi Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Next Financial Group Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $500,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that between 2012 to 2018: (1) the customer’s diminished capacity had been exploited by the stockbroker (2) mutual…

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…

Aaron Phillip Tellez of Las Vegas Nevada a stockbroker currently employed by Raymond James Financial Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 1, 2019 where the customer requested $123,670.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) Tellez provided the customer bad advice concerning a variable annuity and (2)…

Timothy Robert Millis of Okemos Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by NYLife Securities LLC has been suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Millis poorly advised customers of NYLife Securities LLC in regard to a short-term mutual fund trading…

Adam David Kaplan of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker currently employed by Voya Financial Advisors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 13, 2019 in which the customer sought $69,275.00 in damages supported by accusations that unfounded statements had been made to the customer concerning the terms and conditions of…

James Gregory McKinney (also known as Greg McKinney) a stockbroker formerly employed by Cetera Advisors LLC has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that he failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into accusations of him engaging in trading or other activities in violation of FINRA rules. Department of…

Leon Michael Almeida of Paramus New Jersey a stockbroker currently registered with MML Investors Services (also known as MetLife) is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on August 16, 2019 in which the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that false or misleading statements had been made in regard…

Roxann Geraldine Romano (also known as Roxann Geraldine Davanzo) of New York New York a stockbroker currently employed by Morgan Stanley is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $1,755,896.00 in damages based upon accusations that Romano gave the customer bad investment advice concerning the purchase of variable…

Todd Joseph Thompson of Atlanta Georgia a stockbroker currently registered with SunTrust Investment Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 27, 2019 where the customer requested $19,367.00 in damages founded on allegations that false or misleading statements were made about terms of an equity indexed annuity that…

James Joseph Beaupre (also known as Jim Beaupre) of Longmont Colorado a stockbroker formerly registered with BancWest Investment Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled on September 21, 2017 to resolve allegations that the customer had been inappropriately placed in annuity policies issued through Principal, Jackson and…

Elaine Marie Zito of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with Questar Capital Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $87,397.47 in damages founded on accusations of the customer being placed into investments including fixed and variable annuities which were not appropriate for the customer during…

Michael Andrew Norman of Reno Nevada a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 18, 2019 in which the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on accusations that the customer was placed into a variable annuity by Norman that failed to…

Richard Paul Martin of Wappinger Falls New York a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on April 29, 2019 where the customer requested $13,763.63 in damages based upon allegations of the customer being poorly advised by Martin in regard to the purchase of…

Christina Sabengsy (also known as Christina Ioana Colwell) of Deerfield Iowa 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 findings that the signatures of NYLife Securities LLC customers had been forged by her on documentation to effect…

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

Marc Ang of Sherman Oaks California a stockbroker formerly registered with Pruco Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 20, 2018 in which the customer requested unspecified damages founded on allegations of non-disclosures by Ang as it concerned the risks and guarantees of a variable annuity that had…

David Joseph Escarcega of Phoenix Arizona a stockbroker formerly employed by Center Street Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $20,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that CNL Lifestyle Real Estate Investment Trust and other mutual fund trades executed in customers’ accounts failed to be suitable…

Matthew Lee Geiser of Grand Island Nebraska a stockbroker formerly registered with Principal Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which has been settled for $63,653.28 in damages on January 22, 2018 founded on accusations that Geiser falsified information concerning the guaranteed returns of an annuity he sold to the…

Brad William McDowell of Niles Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $44,098.67 on July 17, 2017 founded on accusations that the customer was placed into an annuity that failed to be suitable for the customer during the…

Fred Shlesinger of Addison Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by Principal Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on October 14, 2018 regarding Shlesinger’s conduct where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon accusations that misrepresentations were made to the customer concerning the funding of a variable…

Sof New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 2, 2018 where the customer sought $97,140.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was placed into unsuitable annuity products between 2012 and 2016. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Planmember Securities Corporation a securities broker dealer with main offices in Carpinteria California has been censured and fined $90,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based in part upon findings that (1) Planmember Securities Corporation failed to supervise the execution of variable annuity exchanges to determine if they were appropriate for customers and (2) Planmember…

Amr Mostafa Amboulmagd of Horsham Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $15,834.58 in damages on May 30, 2017 founded on accusations that Amboulmagd made misrepresentations to the customer with respect to the fees and guarantees on a variable…

Jason Reed Nelson of Tremonton Utah 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 Nelson’s consent to findings that Nelson hindered a FINRA investigation concerning Nelson’s alleged misrepresentation of LPL Financial LLC customers’ financial information relating to…

Woodbury Financial Services Inc. a securities broker dealer headquartered in Oakdale Minnesota has been censured and fined $225,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon the firm’s consent to findings that it failed to supervise the suitability of annuities transactions placed in customers’ accounts to ensure that the transactions were complaint with FINRA rules…

AXA Advisors LLC a securities broker dealer headquartered in New York New York has been censured and fined $600,000.00 by Financial industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based on findings that (1) AXA Advisors made misrepresentations about the bonds sold to the firm’s retirement account customers and (2) AXA Advisors neglected to supervise its practices to ensure…

Peter Frank Valdez of Junction New York a stockbroker currently employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 19, 2018 where the customer sought $17,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that while Valdez was associated with Wells Fargo, omissions had been made to…

Frederick David Holloway of Easton Maryland a stockbroker formerly employed by Holloway Associates Inc. has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to an Amended Hearing Panel Decision containing findings that (1) Holloway made bad annuity recommendations to customers of the firm and (2) Holloway omitted…

Ray Gene Reese of Farmington Missouri a stockbroker formerly registered with Money Concepts Capital Corp is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on May 8, 2018 where the customer requested $75,000.00 in damages based upon allegations of misrepresentations being made to the customer concerning the liquidity of a real estate security sold…

James Frederick Sowerine of Billings Montana a stockbroker currently employed by RBC Capital Markets LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled for $80,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) Sowerine executed unauthorized trades in the customer’s account and (2) Sowerine inappropriately placed the customer in energy sector…

John L. Knight of Ann Arbor Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by Key Investment Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $13,932.48 on May 18, 2016 supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a fixed annuity issued by Great American Life Assurance…

Barry Matthew Rumpel of Neillsville Wisconsin a stockstockbroker formerly registered with Woodbury Financial Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 23, 2018 where the customer sought $35,055.39 in damages founded on accusations that the customer was placed in a variable universal life insurance policy that was not suitable…

Kirby Spencer McDonald of Omaha Nebraska a stockbroker currently registered with Cetera Advisors LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 7, 2018 where the customer requested $72,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer was poorly advised concerning a variable annuity transaction which led the customer to…

Judith Adele Johnston of Frisco Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by NYLife Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon findings that Johnston failed to cooperate with FINRA personnel in the course of an investigation into the complaints lodged against her from customers…

Peter Matthew Bakalis of Trenton Michigan a stockbroker formerly employed by Sigma Financial Corporation is the subject of an investigation launched by the State of Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services on December 12, 2018 concerning Bakalis’ possible involvement in the unsuitable surrender of three customers’ annuity contracts. FINRA Public Disclosure confirms that Bakalis…

Robert Ellsworth McMann of Lake Mary Florida stockbroker or supervisor currently registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 16, 2018 in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that funds were inappropriately taken from the customer’s tax-qualified annuity…

Barry Ronald Block of Arlington Heights Illinois a stockbroker formerly employed by World Equity Group Inc. has been fined $15,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that (1) Block made misrepresentations to customers concerning the expenses of variable annuities when advising…

Jonathan Rafe Rankin (also known as Jonathan Rafe Ranlein) a stockbroker and supervisor currently registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 8, 2017 in which the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on accusations that misrepresentations and omissions had…

John Thomas Alexander III of Charlotte North Carolina a broker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $93,052.21 on October 18, 2017 supported by accusations that (1) the customer had been provided poor advice concerning the insurance, mutual fund and annuity products purchased…

Ganesh Iyer (also known as Ganesh Ramachandran) of Houston Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which Iyer and Morgan Stanley were ordered by a FINRA Arbitration Panel to pay $54,954.04 in compensatory damages to the customer based upon the Panel finding:…

Sudesh Kumar Jain of Dayton Ohio a stockbroker currently registered with NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $11,487.91 on January 9, 2019 founded on accusations that (1) the customer was placed into a variable annuity that failed to align with the customer’s financial…

Randall George Skrabonja of West Palm Beach Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by MetLife Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 10, 2016 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon accusations that Skrabonja gave the customer bad advice about purchasing a variable annuity…

Thomas Cameron Oakes of Grand Rapids Michigan a stockbroker formerly registered with Royal Securities Company has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Oakes obstructed a FINRA investigation into accusations that he made unsuitable investment recommendations to customers of the firm….

Christopher Tucciariello of New Windsor New York a stockbroker currently employed by NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $15,000.00 on October 8, 2018 based upon accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer by Tucciariello with regard to the surrender fees paid…

Brian Patrick Wells of Philadelphia Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 1, 2017 in which the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was poorly advised concerning the purchases of a…

Peter Michael Terlecky III of Amherst New York a stockbroker formerly employed by MML Investors Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled on May 13, 2016 to resolve accusations that during the time Terlecky was associated with the firm he made misrepresentations to the customer concerning…

Bradley Scott Cooperman of San Diego California a stockbroker currently registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 14, 2016 in which the customer sought $11,060.56 in damages based upon accusations that (1) unauthorized trades were executed in the customer’s managed investment account (2) misrepresentations…

Christopher T. Dallas of Arlington Heights Illinois a stockbroker and supervisor currently employed by World Equity Group Inc. has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any supervisory capacity based upon consenting to findings that Dallas failed to supervise variable annuity transactions effected by the firm’s…

Leonard Charles Kinsman of Staten Island New York a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Networks LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $24,000.00 on February 22, 2017 founded on allegations that the customer was provided false or misleading information concerning the principal protection…

Dexter Leroy Thomas of Dallas Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by United Planners’ Financial Services of America A Limited Partner has been discharged from employment on August 2, 2018 supported by allegations that (1) Thomas maintained a number of private investments and loans with customers of United Planners’ Financial Services of America wherein those investments…

Thomas John Leone of Farmington Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled on May 10, 2018 to resolve accusations that (1) the customer’s assets had been inappropriately transferred a number of times between annuities and mutual funds and (2) the…

Erven Joseph Frericks Jr. of Chesterfield Missouri a stockbroker formerly employed by Royal Alliance Associates Inc. has been discharged by the firm on May 11, 2018 supported by allegations that Frericks urged a customer to designate him as the beneficiary of half of the assets held in the customer’s annuity account. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Mohsen Babaeian of Northridge California a stockbroker currently employed by Bankers Life Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 27, 2018 where the customer sought $12,750.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) Babaeian placed the customer in an Allianz Variable Indexed Linked Annuity contrary to the…

Jack Alan Quick of New Home Minnesota a stockbroker formerly employed by Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $214,180.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) Quick made investment recommendations to the customer that were not suitable regarding variable annuities, variable life insurance,…

James David Armer of Albuquerque New Mexico a stockbroker formerly registered with BBVA Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 7, 2018 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that while associated with BBVA Securities Inc. Armer failed to inform the customer about…

Chad T. Mackland of Omaha Nebraska a stockbroker formerly registered with Mass Mutual has been discharged by the firm on September 4, 2018 based upon Mass Mutual’s accusations that misrepresentations had been made to customers by Mackland in regard to the terms and conditions of traditional life insurance policies which had been sold by Mackland…

Robert L. Friederich of Lake Zurich Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was settled on September 22, 2017 for $18,827.28 in damages founded on allegations that Friederich made inappropriate investment recommendations concerning the customer’s sale of mutual funds and purchase of single…

Sherry Dee Johnson (also known as Sherry D. Sandwick) of Minneapolis Minnesota a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 22, 2016 where the customer sought $16,093.40 in damages founded on allegations that Johnson’s existing annuity was surrendered and transitioned into…

William Frank Welsh of Williamsville New York a stockbroker currently employed by LPL Financial LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 14, 2016 where the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on accusations that Welsh was placed into an indexed annuity that was not suitable for…

David Lane Gabay of Tarrytown New York a stockbroker currently employed by Cetera Advisors LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 12, 2018 in which the customer sought $52,500.00 in damages based upon accusations that Gabay was placed into a variable annuity that was not suitable for the customer…

Paul Dennis Benish of Janesville Wisconsin a stockbroker formerly employed by BMO Harris Financial Advisors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint on September 23, 2016 where the customer sought $44,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) the terms and conditions of a variable annuity investment sold to the customer had…

Gary T. Plessl of Allentown Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on February 28, 2017 where the customer sought $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that (1) misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning the customer’s investments in variable annuities and…

Richard William Schloss of Canton Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was settled to resolve allegations that Schloss inappropriately placed the customer’s assets in a variable annuity which exposed the customer to unnecessary surrender penalties and illiquidity. Financial…

CFD Investments Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in Kokomo Indiana has been censured and fined $125,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon the firm’s consent to findings that it failed to supervise variable annuity recommendations and exchanges made by CFD Investments Inc. brokers. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2016048224201 (Jan. 10,…

Nicola Ottavio Caporaso of Melville New York a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $20,000.00 on January 26, 2018 supported by allegations that (1) Caporaso inappropriately advised customers to surrender their annuity investments and use the proceeds for managed account investments…

John Jeffrey Clay of Washington District of Columbia a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 25, 2017 in which the customer sought unspecified damages based upon allegations that the customer was inappropriately sold a variable annuity investment in July of 2016….

Robert Wayne Warther of Akron Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 2, 2016 where the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by allegations that the customer was placed in a fixed annuity that was not suitable for…

Andrew Keith Jordan of Montgomery Alabama a stockbroker formerly employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $21,000.00 on January 11, 2018 supported by accusations that Jordan placed the customer in an equity indexed annuity on August 8, 2016 that was inappropriate…

Liju Varghese (also known as Joe Varghese) of Howard Beach New York a broker formerly registered with Pruco Securities has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Varghese failed to cooperate with FINRA personnel’s investigation of his possible unauthorized trading in…

Wayne Frederick Stutzer of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker formerly registered with RBC Capital Markets LLC has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations that Stutzer failed to respond to FINRA’s inquiry in regard to his activities. Case No. 2018059300001 (Nov. 5, 2018). According to…

Richard Allen Grenda of Downers Grove Illinois a stockbroker formerly employed by MML Investors Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $74,253.55 in damages based upon accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer about the terms and conditions of a variable annuity purchased…

Linda Almeida Jay of East Brunswick New Jersey a securities principal of Pruco Securities LLC has been terminated on October 30, 2018 based upon accusations that Jay submitted documents to effect a purchase of an annuity for a prospective customer who never applied for it. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure also confirms that…

Kevin Keith Carriere of Glastonbury Connecticut a stockbroker formerly employed by MSI Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $148,488.90 on May 22, 2017 founded on accusations that Carriere made misrepresentations to the customer in regard to the terms and conditions of a variable annuity…

Ronald Richard Blasczyk of Manitowoc Wisconsin a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that he made unsuitable recommendations for a customer to purchase a variable annuity, and then lied to his firm in regard to his business activities. Department…

Garry Charles Hill Jr. of Birmingham Alabama a stockbroker currently registered with Cambridge Investment Research Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $75,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) a variable annuity transaction was executed in violation of FINRA Rules (2) transactions were effected in the…

William Andrew Doran of Johnston South Carolina a stockbroker currently registered with NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $15,916.72 on June 29, 2017 based upon allegations that Doran forged the customers’ signatures on variable annuity and insurance documents to effect multiple policy purchases between June…

H. Beck Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in Rockville Maryland has been censured and fined $400,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) founded on accusations that (1) the firm failed to supervise the variable annuity recommendations made by its registered representatives and (2) failed to supervise consolidated reports that were disseminated to customers. Letter of…

Brian Clark Johnson of Sioux City Iowa a stockbroker formerly employed by Principal Securities Inc. has been discharged on July 25, 2017 supported by Principal Securities’ allegations that Johnson violated the firm’s policy by altering a customer’s fixed-annuity forms. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure additionally reveals that on December 21, 2012, a customer…

Bert Thomas Bowler of New Canaan Connecticut a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. was referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim by where the customer sought $50,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer was poorly advised with respect to the purchase of a variable universal life insurance policy….

Hema Joshi (also known as Hema Jerath) of Flemington New Jersey a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 3, 2017 where the customer sought $24,339.85 in damages based upon accusations that Joshi (1) placed the customer in an unsuitable variable…

Jerry Duane Holdsworth of Lincoln Nebraska a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $40,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) Holdsworth effected stock trades in the customer’s account that were not suitable for the customer and…

Mark John Evans of Mount Laurel New Jersey a stockbroker currently registered with RBC Capital Markets LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on April 13, 2017 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that the customer was placed in an annuity that did not conform…

John Wesley Conrad Robinson of Elizabethtown Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with MT Securities Inc. has been discharged on July 20, 2017 supported by the firm’s allegations that Robinson violated annuity policies and procedures when Robinson executed the replacement of customers’ existing annuity with another fixed annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure additionally…

Bradley John Freimark of Otsego Minnesota a stockbroker formerly registered with ProEquities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which settled for $100,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) misrepresentations were made to the customer and (2) the customer’s assets were inappropriately invested in D&L Energy 2010 Ltd. –…

Avalon Investment Securities Group a brokerage firm headquartered in Muscle Shoals Alabama has been censured and fined by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by allegations that the firm had failed to supervise its brokers’ sales of variable annuity products. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2016047823901 (Oct. 25, 2018). According to the AWC,…

Jude E. Offiah of Oklahoma City Oklahoma a stockbroker currently registered with Tandem Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 2, 2017 where the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that omissions had been made to the customer concerning variable annuity and mutual fund…

Patrick Dennis Farrell of Huntingdon Valley Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with Securian Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $146,677.22 on January 2, 2018 founded on allegations that Farrell misrepresented the terms and conditions of insurance and annuity products that had been sold to…

Richard Michael Jones of Pilot Mound Iowa a stockbroker formerly employed by NYLife Securities LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon allegations that Jones failed to comply with FINRA’s request for his information. Case No. 2016052252801 (June 23, 2017). FINRA Public Disclosure reveals…

Steven John Sosnowski of Bloomington Illinois a former State Farm VP Management Corp. registered representative has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for five months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he forged a customer’s signature on a life insurance policy. Letter of…

Robert Paul Friedman of Berwyn Pennsylvania a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $12,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) Friedman made investment recommendations to the customer that were not suitable and placed the customer in…

Robert Michael Henrici of Coral Springs Florida a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $20,000.00 on July 3, 2017 founded on accusations that Henrici placed an inappropriate insurance rider on the customer’s variable annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Christopher Michael Herrmann of Greenwood Indiana a stockbroker formerly registered with Key Investment Services has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for nine months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he made unsuitable investment recommendations to Key Investment Services customers and concealed information…

Chadwick Kingsley Watson of Annapolis Maryland a stockbroker currently registered with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $500,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) unsuitable investment transactions had been effected in the customer’s account and (2) there were inadequate disclosures made…

Mark William Chamberlain of Chesterton Indiana a stockbroker currently employed by First Allied Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint in which the customer requested $94,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer was not provided information about the tax liability pertaining to the activation of a rider that…

Richard Paul Martin of Wappinger Falls New York a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 23, 2017 where the customer sought $43,661.73 in damages based upon allegations that from June 2012 to August 2014, Martin sold the customer annuities that…

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

Wesley Justin Foltz of Alexandria Louisiana a stockbroker formerly employed by Prospera Financial Services Inc. has been fined $7,500.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Foltz lacked an adequation foundation to conclude that his variable annuity recommendations were suitable for…

Dean Robert Nowak of Winter Park Florida a stockbroker currently registered with Taylor Capital Management Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 11, 2018 in which the customer sought $6,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) Nowak placed the customer in stocks and annuity investments that were not…

Norman Paul Harres of Virginia Beach Virginia a stockbroker currently employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $62,199.32 on April 23, 2018 based upon accusations that Harres made false statements to the customer regarding the features on a variable annuity purchased…

Christina Sevilla Camiling of Glendale California a stockbroker currently registered with NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $63,807.56 on December 12, 2017 founded on allegations that the customer was inappropriately placed in variable universal life insurance products and a variable annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Kevin Paul Lemmon of Baton Rouge Louisiana a stockbroker currently registered with Bankers Life Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 18, 2017 where the customer sought compensatory damages supported by accusations that Lemmon effected the unauthorized purchase of a fixed annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Anthony Joseph Ferrara of St. Louis Park Minnesota a stockbroker formerly employed by Larson Financial Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 18, 2017 in which the customer requested unspecified damages based upon accusations that (1) omissions had been made to the customer regarding a variable universal life…

Sidney Joseph Dufresne Jr. of New Orleans Louisiana a stockbroker formerly registered with Signator Investors Inc. has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for three months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he engaged in outside business activities. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and…

Kyle Michael Marburger of Carmel Indiana a stockbroker formerly employed by Valic Financial Advisors Inc. has been discharged by the firm on December 27, 2016 founded on allegations that Marburger forged a customer’s signature on annuity documentation to establish an annuity contract. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that approximately one month before…

Paul William Morse of New York New York a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 18, 2017 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by allegations that misrepresentations or false statements had been made to the customer…

Gail Ann Kincannon of Austin Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 30, 2018 in which the customer requested $39,388.32 in damages supported by accusations that Kincannon had misrepresented the holding period and fees pertaining to a variable annuity purchased by…

Lincoln Investment a brokerage firm with headquarters in Fort Washington Pennsylvania has been censured and fined $35,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based on consenting to findings that it failed to supervise the rates in which registered representatives made variable annuity exchanges. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2017052410201 (Sept. 25, 2018). According…

Scott Alfredo Miozzi of New Windsor New York a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC has been suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity founded on accusations that he failed to provide a response to FINRA’s request for his information. Case No. 2018058244001 (Aug. 23, 2018). FINRA…

Mark Andrew Cramer of LaRue Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $456,990.00 on June 11, 2018 founded on allegations that (1) Cramer provided documentation containing forged customer signatures to an insurance company so that he could…

Becky Sue Lynch (also known as Becky Lynch Benfer) of Hagerstown Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with Raymond James Financial Services Inc. has been terminated by the firm on May 28, 2015 while under internal review of the suitability of transactions effected in Lynch’s customer’s annuity accounts. FINRA Public Disclosure reveals that this is not…

Martin Ross McClure of Columbia South Carolina a stockbroker formerly employed by BBT Investment Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $24,479.01 on September 18, 2018 based upon allegations that McClure effected unsuitable trades in the customer’s variable annuity accounts by placing the customer’s principal at…

Ira Gary Chernick of Woodbury New York a stockbroker currently employed by Cetera Advisors Networks LLC a is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on December 8, 2017 to resolve allegations that Chernick placed the customer in an inappropriate variable annuity product and made misrepresentations about the product. Financial…

Jon Saul Yasner of Edison New Jersey a current AXA Advisors LLC registered representative is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 30, 2018 in which the customer sought $8,069.85 in damages supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a rollover of the customer’s fixed…

Timothy Charles Mortellite of Lynnfield Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Brokers International Financial Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 5, 2018 where the customer sought $26,359.00 in damages based upon accusations that Mortellite failed to explain the terms and conditions of investing in variable annuity products….

Jacqueline L. Hanson of Washington D.C., a stockbroker formerly employed by CUSO Financial Services L.P. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 7, 2018 in which the customer sought $15,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Hanson failed to inform the customer about the tax treatment and surrender penalties…

Marc Salvatore Pico of Fort Lee New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 3, 2018 in which the customer requested $21,843.55 in damages founded on allegations that omissions had been made to the customer concerning the terms of the variable…

Securities America Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in La Vista, Nebraska, has been censured and fined $175,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon the firm’s consent to findings that it failed to supervise variable annuity recommendations made by the registered representatives of the firm. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2016048243101 (Sept….

Sonnie Lee Lehman of Milford Pennsylvania a stockbroker currently registered with Nationwide Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action in which the customer sought $500,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that the customer’s fixed and variable annuity purchases were not suitable for the customer. Case No. 2200-2012-CIVIL (Aug. 6, 2015)….

Charles Paul Buland of Tulsa Oklahoma a stockbroker currently employed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $18,000.00 on August 21, 2018 supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer between June of 2008 and August of…

Ion Valentin Cangea of New York New York a stockbroker formerly employed by Capital One Investing LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 11, 2017 where the customer requested unspecified damages founded on allegations that the customer’s fixed annuity purchase was unsuitable given the customer’s age when the annuity…

Henry Calvin McNeese of Alpharetta Georgia a former AXA Advisors LLC registered representative is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 13, 2017 where the customer sought unspecified damages founded on accusations that the customer’s variable universal life insurance policy had been misrepresented. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals…

Leonardo Max Garcia of Coral Cables Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by SunTrust Investment Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related complaint that was settled on August 28, 2018 for $17,875.00 in damages supported by accusations that (1) the customers were not provided information concerning the features and fees of variable annuity…

Nathan Walter Wangerin of Denver Colorado a stockbroker currently employed by Thrivent Investment Management Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 8, 2017 in which the customer sought $23,119.95 in damages founded on allegations that Wangerin misrepresented the rider selected by the customer in connection with the purchase of…

Charla Cynthia Kabana of Huntington Beach California a stockbroker formerly employed by 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 he failed to comply with FINRA’s investigation into her possible variable annuity sales practice violations. Letter of Acceptance…

World Equity Group Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in Arlington Heights Illinois has been censured and fined $100,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by accusations that the company failed to supervise its registered representatives’ variable annuities recommendations to ensure that they were suitable for customers in compliance with securities regulations and FINRA Rules….

Richard A. Kruithoff of Las Vegas Nevada a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $113,434.00 on October 20, 2017 founded on accusations that the customers were inappropriately placed into variable universal life insurance policies. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure…

Tyra Nelson Ellison of Farmington Connecticut a stockbroker currently employed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 12, 2017 in which the customer requested unspecified damages founded on allegations that (1) misrepresentations and omissions had been made to the customer in September…

Patrick R. McEvoy of New York New York a stockbroker currently employed by AXA Advisors LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 29, 2018 in which the customer sought $5,654.91 in damages based upon accusations that (1) misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a variable annuity…

Clay Gavin Erickson of Salt Lake City Utah a stockbroker formerly employed by Hornor Townsend Kent Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $13,006.40 on March 12, 2018 based upon allegations that the customer’s assets were allocated in sub-accounts of a variable annuity without the customer’s knowledge. Financial…

Jack Michael Hartnell of Mount Lebanon Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with National Planning Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 31, 2017 where the customer requested $26,204.00 in damages supported by allegations of suitability and misrepresentation concerning the customer’s investment in a variable annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Prentice Valiant Chevalier Jr. of Wall Township New Jersey a stockbroker formerly employed by MSI Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 25, 2017 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon accusations that Chevalier inappropriately advised the customer to apply variable annuity…

Michael Patrick Roche of Grand Blanc Michigan a stockbroker currently employed by UBS Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested up to $499,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a variable annuity and (2) annuity…

Stephen Andrew Kelly of Gainesville Georgia a stockbroker currently registered with SunTrust Investment Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 7, 2017 where the customer sought $6,140.00 in damages founded on accusations that Kelly was placed in a fixed annuity without the customer’s grant of authorization. Financial Industry…

Gary Stephen Radler of West Hartford Connecticut a stockbroker formerly employed by National Planning Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related civil action which was resolved for $272,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customers concerning the collateralization and other terms and conditions of life insurance policies…

Robert Charles Mulcahy of Invest Financial Corporation a customer initiated investment related complaint involving Mulcahy’s conduct was settled on July 27, 2015 for $15,681.33 in damages supported by accusations that Mulcahy failed to deliver the annuity contract to the customer or discuss the fees that the customer would be charged at the time that the…

Nghi Thanh Ho of Houston Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with IMS Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 13, 2017 where the customer sought $175,400.00 in damages based upon accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning investments in a variable annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Brian Charles McGeehan of Newtown Square Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by New England Securities is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 4, 2018 where the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that McGeehan made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning a variable life…

Judith Ann Tengler of Broadview Heights Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with Signator Investors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint that was settled on March 1, 2017 to resolve allegations that Tengler effected trades in the customer’s variable annuity account without procuring the customer’s authorization. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Charles James Mazac of Bastrop Texas a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 18, 2018 in which the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by accusations that Mazac inappropriately made investment recommendations to the customer concerning a Lincoln National Life Insurance…

Stephen Lee Wolferman of Montvale New Jersey a stockbroker currently registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer requested $500,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that between 2010 and 2016, the customer was placed in annuities that were not suitable for…

Michael John Osland of Scottsdale Arizona a stockbroker currently employed by Geneos Wealth Management Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $350,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that between 2008 and 2017, Osland made investment recommendations that were not suitable concerning (1) real estate securities (2)…

Donald Eugene Baxter of Wichita Kansas a stockbroker formerly registered with SII Investments Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved for $23,726.63 on May 31, 2017 based upon allegations that Baxter was placed into a variable annuity that was not suitable for the customer. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Frank William Libardoni Jr. of Salem Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Investors Capital Corp. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 1, 2017 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on allegations that Libardoni was placed in a variable annuity in 2015 that was not suitable…

Patrick John Ratz of Oakhurst New Jersey a stockbroker formerly employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $15,500.00 in damages on March 2, 2018 based upon allegations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning modifications to the customer’s portfolios within…

Todd Eugene Seeholzer of North Logan Utah a former Allegis Investment Services LLC registered representative has been discharged by the firm on December 13, 2017 founded on accusations that Seeholzer failed to abide by the firm’s policies and procedures. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that Seeholzer has been identified in three customer…

Kyle Robert Franklin of Roseville California a stockbroker currently registered with Hilltop Securities Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 10, 2018 in which the customer sought at least $5,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer was inappropriately advised to reallocate variable annuity positions, resulting in the…

Steven Glenn Crawford of Glen Allen Virginia a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 18, 2017 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that the customer was placed in a variable annuity between June 12, 2016 and…

Marc Frederick Korsch of Sarasota Florida a stockbroker currently employed by Centaurus Financial Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $55,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that (1) fixed annuity fees and surrender penalties were not reasonably explained to the customer and (2) recommendations to switch the…

David Michael Webb of San Antonio Texas a stockbroker currently registered with NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled on June 8, 2018 to resolve allegations that the customer was advised to utilize the customer’s American Equities funds for the purchase of a variable annuity that…

Daryl F. Devillier of Springfield Massachusetts a stockbroker formerly registered with Raymond James Associates Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 16, 2016 where the customer sought $78,192.96 in damages based upon accusations of misrepresentation in regard to the customer’s variable annuity investment. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

John Barry Jenkins of Memphis Tennessee a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 30, 2018 where the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 supported by allegations that omissions had been made to the customer concerning the terms of the…

Royal Alliance Associates Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in New York New York has been censured and fined $350,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon the firm’s consent to findings that it (1) failed to supervise and train its registered representatives regarding their multi-share class variable annuity sales and (2) ineffectively supervised the…

Jason R. Watson of Philadelphia Pennsylvania a registered representative of Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim that was resolved for $20,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that (1) fiduciary obligations to the customer had been breached and (2) the terms and conditions of a fixed indexed annuity…

Ralph Quintana II of Upland California a stockbroker currently registered with Centaurus Financial Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $143,775.00 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was (1) not provided adequate information regarding surrender penalties and fees relating to a variable annuity and…

Michael Marlowe Jr. of Williamsville New York a stockbroker currently registered with Signator Investors Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 2, 2018 in which $5,000.00 in damages was requested based upon allegations that the customer was placed in a single premium immediate annuity that was not suitable…

Amy Marie Jamrog of Holyoke Massachusetts a stockbroker currently registered with Northwestern Mutual Investment Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 29, 2018 in which the customer requested $82,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that Jamrog inappropriately recommended for the customer to liquidate stock positions and subsequently…

Xavier Patino a stockbroker formerly employed by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for six months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he made misleading and false statements to a customer concerning a variable annuity. Letter of Acceptance Waiver…

Bradley Scott Ford of Evansville Indiana a stockbroker currently registered with USA Financial Securities Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 4, 2018 in which the customer alleged that Ford failed to accurately represent the terms and conditions of fixed indexed annuities resulting in customers incorrectly concluding that their…

Martin Joseph Hare of Oakbrook Illinois a stockbroker formerly registered with UBS Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 6, 2018 where the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that between January 27, 2017 and March 16, 2018, Hare was poorly advised…

Eric Sikes of Boca Raton Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC has been fined $10,000.00 by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and ordered to cease and desist committing violations of Florida Securities and Investor Protection Act based upon Sikes’ consent to findings that he (1) failed to conduct adequate due diligence…

Jeffrey Michael Stillwell of Freehold New Jersey a stockbroker formerly employed by Allstate Financial Services, LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 17, 2018 where the customer requested $149,271.00 in damages supported by accusations that Stillwell supposedly failed to inform the customer that the customer’s variable annuity income riders…

Vincent Michael Magee of Marco Island Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by Morgan Stanley is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 18, 2018 where the customer alleged that on August 18, 2017, a variable annuity purchase had been effected without the customer’s consent. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure…

Eric Todd Stuckey of Suwanee Georgia a stockbroker currently employed by Invest Financial Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested $220,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that Stuckey (1) made misrepresentations to the customer concerning the terms and risks of variable annuity investments and (2) made…

Taj Zachary Rohr of Parkersburg West Virginia a stockbroker currently registered with BB&T Investment Services Inc. has been discharged from the firm on June 29, 2017 supported by accusations that Rohr furnished false details to the firm concerning a customer’s source of funds utilized to purchase annuities. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals…

Weisheng Wang (also known as Weisheng Wilson) of Warren New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $1,132,800.00 in damages founded on allegations that the customer was induced to purchase a variable life insurance policy based on…

Donald Lane Preston of Worthington Ohio a stockbroker formerly registered with PFS Investments Inc. has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for six months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Preston made unsuitable investment recommendations to customers and false statements to his employer….

Christopher John Jacob of Town and Country Missouri a stockbroker formerly registered with Transamerica Financial Advisors Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was settled for $62,500.00 in damages on August 22, 2017 based upon accusations that Jacob was placed into variable annuities that were not appropriate for the customer….

Jeffrey Alan Nedley of Washington Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by PNC Investments is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $5,000,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that unsuitable investment recommendations had been made to the customer concerning variable and fixed annuities. FINRA Arbitration No. 16-02420 (Sept. 1,…

Grover Vance Hinebaugh Jr. of Lady Lake Florida a stockbroker currently employed by NYLife Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint on January 12, 2018 in which the customer requested $19,369.85 in damages based upon allegations that the customer was inappropriately advised to liquidate bond investments and buy a variable…

Bruce Edward Breeding of Malvern Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly registered with Principal Securities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 16, 2018 in which the customer requested $25,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that misrepresentations had been made concerning a variable universal life insurance policy purchased by the…

Wayne Earl Cooksey of Jacksonville Florida a stockbroker formerly employed by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation 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 honor FINRA’s request for his information. Case No. 2017054598201 (Nov. 13, 2017). FINRA Public Disclosure…

Milton Lyman Knowlton of Memphis Tennessee a stockbroker currently registered with MML Investors Servcies LLC is the subject of a Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance investigation launched on February 6, 2018 concerning allegations that Knowlton effected an unsuitable replacement of a customer’s annuity policy. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals that on…

Ellen Vratoric of Glassport Pennsylvania a stockbroker formerly employed by The Huntington Investment Company has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to an Office of Hearing Officers Default Decision containing findings that Vratoric failed to testify in a FINRA investigation into accusations of her violative…

Jeffrey Paul Weiner of Elmsford New York a stockbroker formerly employed by MSI Financial Services Inc. is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 15, 2018 in which the customer alleged that premium payment requirements were not communicated to the customer concerning a variable life insurance policy. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Tyler Gene Harrelson of Fort Meyers Florida a stockbroker employed by Sagepoint Financial Inc. has been discharged by the firm on February 26, 2018 founded on accusations that Harrelson failed to make required disclosures to the firm concerning his alleged misconduct. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that Harrelson is referenced in three…

Tahesin Hussein Somji of Fort Worth Texas a stockbroker currently employed by Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 23, 2018 where the customer requested unspecified damages supported by allegations including unsuitable investment recommendations and misrepresentation between 2008 and 2018 in regard to…

Michael Scott Hayes of Burlington Vermont a stockbroker formerly employed by Key Investment Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 10, 2016 where the customer sought $10,093.70 in damages founded on accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning Forethought Life SecureForce Fixed Annuity and Commonwealth…

Dexter Leroy Thomas of Dallas Texas a stockbroker formerly employed by National Planning Corporation is referenced in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $94,352.90 in damages founded on accusations including (1) breach of fiduciary (2) negligence (3) suitability (4) violation of Texas Securities Act and (5) violation of FINRA rules…

Matthew I. Levine of Middleburg Heights Ohio a stockbroker currently registered with Key Investment Services LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 10, 2018 in which the customer requested $10,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning Pacific Life Discovery Xelerator IUL…

Michael Frank Vetere of Matawan New Jersey a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameritas Investment Corp. has been discharged by the firm on March 18, 2016 supported by accusations that Vetere (1) failed to appropriately disclose a customer’s source of funds used for purchasing a variable annuity (2) failed to be forthcoming to the firm in…

Cara Michelle Paynter of Foothill Ranch California a stockbroker currently employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $150,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that Paynter poorly advised the customer regarding transactions executed in the customer’s variable annuity account. Financial Industry…

Jonathan George Sweeney of San Diego California a stockbroker formerly employed by Navy Federal Brokerage Services, LLC has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Sweeney (1) committed securities fraud (2) made investment recommendations that were not suitable for customers and…

Joel Howard Weber of Saint Cloud Minnesota a stockbroker formerly registered with SII Investments, Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 2, 2018 where the customer requested $69,220.00 in damages based upon accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a variable annuity income benefit. Financial…

Karley Carto of Johnston Rhode Island a former registered representative of NYLife Securities LLC is referenced in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 19, 2018 where the customer requested $62,370.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer was misled in regard to two variable annuities that the customer was placed in….

Fifth Third Securities Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in Cincinnati Ohio has been censured and fined $4,000,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) founded on the firm’s consent to findings that it (1) made misstatements and omissions in the course of effecting variable annuity business (2) effected variable annuity exchanges that were not suitable for…

David Craig Sundberg of Lincoln Nebraska a MML Investors Services LLC registered representative is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 15, 2018 in which the customer sought damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 founded on accusations that Sundberg misrepresented the tax liability that the customer would be exposed to in…

Gregory Alan Fulcher of Gonzales Louisiana a stockbroker currently employed by Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 2, 2016 where the customer sought $15,745.13 in damages supported by allegations that (1) the customer was inappropriately guided to the purchase of a variable annuity (2)…

Eric Lloyd Vogen of Davidson North Carolina a stockbroker currently registered with FSC Securities Corporation is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which was resolved on March 20, 2017 for $15,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that the customer was not provided information about income benefit provisions on a variable annuity….

Oscar Francis of Fort Lauderdale Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with MML Investors Services, LLC is referenced in a Florida Department of Financial Services investigation that was launched on October 23, 2017 concerning the circumstances surrounding Francis’ termination from MML Investor Services. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that Francis was terminated from…

Juan Marcano of Marysville Ohio a stockbroker formerly employed by Edward Jones is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 14, 2016 in which the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in estimated damages based upon allegations that Marcano made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning a Protective Dimensions variable…

Glenn Smith Feldman of Hartford Connecticut a stockbroker currently registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 28, 2016 where the customer alleged that unsuitable investment recommendations had been made concerning variable annuity products. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure additionally…

J.H. Darbie Co. Inc. a brokerage firm headquartered in New York New York has been censured and fined $25,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise recommendations of variable annuities made by one of the firm’s registered representatives. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No….

Mandie Josephine Peters of Calverton Maryland a stockbroker formerly registered with ProEquities Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 21, 2016 in which the customer requested $75,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that Peters (1) made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning the liquidation of the customer’s…

Jennifer S. Yoon of Glendale California a stockbroker currently registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which was resolved for $75,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a variable annuity guaranteed income rider. FINRA Public Disclosure…

Robert Phillip DiBella of Melbourne Florida a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services Inc. is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 28, 2016 where the customer alleged that DiBella inappropriately advised the customer to buy an equity indexed annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that…

Steven Eugene Love of Terre Haute Indiana a stockbroker currently registered with Parkland Securities LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim in which the customer sought $100,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that fiduciary duties owed to the customer had been breached and omissions and misrepresentations had been made to…

Robert Paul Furrevig of Lanoka Harbor New Jersey is a stockbroker formerly registered with Invest Financial Corporation who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint in which the customer requested $55,577.27 in damages based upon allegations that Furrevig had misrepresented the terms and conditions of a variable annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Wolf Alexander Popper of New York New York is a registered representative of J.H. Darbie and Co. Inc. and president of Wolf A. Popper Inc. who has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he made misleading statements…

Chyrl Larbes of Bethel Ohio is a registered representative with Key Investment Services LLC who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint which settled for $13,135.52 in damages on January 18, 2017 based upon accusations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer by Larbes concerning a fixed annuity issued by…

Gary Craig Crenshaw of Raleigh North Carolina is a stockbroker currently registered with SunTrust Investment Services Inc. who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint where the customer sought $15,067.00 in damages based upon accusations that a variable annuity was inappropriately sold to the customer during the time that the customer had…

Scott Richard Edgemont of Rye New York a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related civil action brought in the Supreme Court of the State of New York which has been settled to resolve accusations that Edgemont placed transactions in the customer’s account that…

Park Avenue Securities is a brokerage firm headquartered in New York New York which has been censured and fined $300,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon the firm’s consent to findings that it failed to supervise its annuities operations to ensure that registered representatives made recommendations of annuities in compliance with securities laws…

Mark Allen Barrand of Lone Tree Colorado is a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 11, 2018 in which the customer requested $138,500.00 in damages supported by allegations that Barrand made misrepresentations to the customer concerning the terms of…

Jason Chi-Wei Fu of Flushing New York is a stockbroker currently registered with AXA Advisors, LLC who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 19, 2018 where the customer alleged that Fu (1) failed to inform the customer about the terms and conditions of investing in variable annuities and…

Mary Janice Stockinger of Lenoir North Carolina is a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors LLC who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which settled for $20,000.00 in damages founded on accusations that Stockinger made misrepresentations to the customer concerning a fixed annuity by claiming that it would provide…

Frederick David Holloway of Easton Maryland is the president and chief compliance officer of Holloway & Associates Inc. who has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that he made unsuitable investment recommendations to customers concerning variable annuities. Department of Enforcement v. Frederick David Holloway No. 2016050025401 (Apr. 2, 2018)….

Isidro Z. Miramontes of Brea California is a stockbroker formerly registered with UBS Financial Services Inc. who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 9, 2016 where the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that the customer was placed into variable annuities that were not…

Chun Mei Zhu of Bellingham Washington is a stockbroker currently registered with Waddell & Reed who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer sought $50,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that Zhu made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning the use of the customer’s 401(k) funds to…

Patrick Hugh Dowd of Jacksonville Florida is a stockbroker formerly registered with Pruco Securities LLC who has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity supported by accusations that he failed to provide FINRA with information about Dowd’s business activities. FINRA Case No. 2016050861701 (Mar. 27, 2017). FINRA…

Lisa Kristine Rodriguez of Oroville California is a stockbroker currently registered with Edward Jones who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 31, 2017 in which the customer sought more than $5,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that Rodriguez made misrepresentations to the customer concerning an AIG Polaris Platinum…

Kyle Gene Edsall of Phoenix Arizona is a stockbroker formerly registered with Invest Financial Corporation who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 27, 2016 in which the customer requested $20,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Edsall made misrepresentations to the customer concerning fixed and variable annuity products….

Steven Michael Wisniewski of Phoenixville Pennsylvania is a stockbroker formerly registered with Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. whose securities registration has been revoked by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) supported by allegations that Wisniewski failed to pay a fine to FINRA in connection with a disciplinary action in which he was found to have committed conduct…

Kevin Michael McCluskey of Palm Beach Florida is a stockbroker formerly registered with Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which settled for $25,000.00 in damages founded on allegations that misrepresentations had been made to the customer concerning a certificate of deposit sale and fixed annuity…

Arlo Jean Stoll of Salem Oregon is a stockbroker currently registered with Cetera Advisors LLC who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 28, 2016 in which the customer requested $76,778.00 in damages founded on allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and suitability relating to the customer’s direct…

Andrew Michael May of State College Pennsylvania is a stockbroker currently employed by Edward Jones who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint, which settled on May 22, 2017 for $7,257.38 in damages founded on accusations that May made misrepresentations to the customer concerning the tax liability pertaining to the customer’s…

Michael Todd Glucksman of Ocala Florida is a former registered representative of MetLife Securities Inc. who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 11, 2016 in which the customer alleged that Glucksman induced the customer’s variable annuity purchase by making misrepresentations. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals…

David J Harrison of Allison Park Pennsylvania is a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 5 2017 where the customer requested an estimated five thousand dollars in damages supported by accusations of misrepresentation relating to a variable annuity that the…

Michael Anthony Jump of Somonauk Illinois is a stockbroker formerly registered with Investment Planners Inc. who has been fined by the State of Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance based upon consenting to findings that he failed to make required disclosures to the Commissioner relating to an administrative action that Jump was the subject…

Jeffrey Donald Poosch of Fort Gratiot Michigan is a stockbroker currently registered with Summit Brokerage Services who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 12 2016 where the customer alleged that the penalties for cancelling a variable annuity had never been disclosed to the customer. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Joshua Lee Bradley of Scranton Pennsylvania is a former stockbroker of LPL Financial LLC who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related complaint which settled on September 21 2016 for twenty-three thousand one hundred fourteen dollars in damages founded on allegations that Bradley effected the purchase of a variable annuity that was not…

Scott David Shapiro of New York New York is a stockbroker formerly employed with Citigroup Global Markets who has been terminated on April 8 2016 supported by allegations that he was under internal investigation for his potential mishandling of customer account documentation. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that Shapiro has been referenced…

GWN Securities Inc. is a brokerage firm headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens Florida that has been censured and fined one hundred thousand dollars by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise its unit investment trust business to ensure that customers were provided with discounts when eligible…

Corey Lee Mireau of Eden Prairie Minnesota is a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. who has been terminated from employment on September 15 2017 based upon allegations that he potentially violated the firm’s policies concerning outside business activities and customer loan arrangements. Mireau reportedly resigned while under the firm’s suspension. Financial Industry…

Kenneth Wayne Bailey of Abingdon Virginia is a former NYLife Securities LLC registered representative who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 1 2016 in which the customer sought damages estimated to exceed five thousand dollars supported by allegations that the customer was misled concerning his replacement of variable…

David Joe Ondo Jr. of San Pedro California is a stockbroker currently registered with OneAmerica Securities Inc. who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 13 2016 in which the customer sought seven thousand one hundred eighty-nine dollars in damages supported by accusations that Ondo made misrepresentations to the…

Brent Van Lott of Orem Utah is a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC who has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that Lott falsified documents relating to customers’ securities transactions. Department of Enforcement v. Brent Lott Disciplinary Proceeding No. 2013038124102 (Jan. 25 2018). According to the Complaint,…

Peter Orlando is a stockbroker formerly associated with SCF Securities Inc. who is the subject of a Complaint brought by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) containing accusations that Orlando made unsuitable investment recommendations to a customer and procured signed but otherwise blank documents to effect transactions. Department of Enforcement v. Peter Orlando Disciplinary Proceeding No….

Stanley Robert Cohen of Calabasas California is a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services who is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim where the customer requested over three hundred sixty-one thousand dollars in damages founded on allegations that Cohen made unsuitable fixed and variable annuity recommendations to the customer and…

Kevin Douglas Houser, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly employed with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, in which the customer requested $250,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Houser made misrepresentations to the customer concerning annuities, and executed variable annuity transactions that were not suitable for…

Matthew Aaron Turner, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a stockbroker currently employed with BB&T Securities, LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint, which settled on December 27, 2017 for $14,999.00 in damages supported by allegations that Turner made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning a variable annuity, causing the…

David Allan Cohen, of Rockville, Maryland, a stockbroker formerly registered with AXA Advisors, LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, in which the customer sought $80,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that Cohen made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer concerning the customer’s purchase of an annuity and life insurance…

Michael Todd Hogan of Plymouth, Minnesota, a stockbroker formerly registered with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 7, 2017, where the customer sought $350,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Hogan made misrepresentations about variable annuity products, and made unsuitable investment recommendations to the customer….

Ashley Elmo Arnsdorff of Charleston, South Carolina, a stockbroker formerly registered with BB&T Investment Services, Inc., has been fined and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he attempted to settle a customer’s complaint away from the firm. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver…

Rod I. Skaf of Dublin, Ohio, a stockbroker registered with MSI Financial Services, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 12, 2017, where the customer requested $38,000.00 in damages based upon accusations that Skaf made misrepresentations to the customer relating to the terms and conditions of the customer’s…

Eric Christopher Erb of Babylon, New York, a stockbroker registered AXA Advisors, LLC, is the subject of two customer initiated investment related arbitration claims since he was fined $20,000.00 and suspended by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for making unsuitable investment recommendations and misrepresentations about costs, fees and surrender penalties of annuities. Letter of Acceptance,…

Bruce Edward Orenstein of Weehawken, New Jersey, a stockbroker currently associated with UBS Financial Services, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 18, 2017, where the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that the customer was sold variable annuity products without having been informed…

Timothy Revell Roberson of Brentwood, Tennessee, a stockbroker currently registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint, which settled for $30,543.31 in damages supported by accusations that Roberson made misrepresentations and omissions to the customer between September of 2015 and May of 2017 in…

Ellen Vratoric of Glassport, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker associated with The Huntington Investment Company, has been charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a Complaint alleging that she failed to make an appearance for recorded testimony in regard to her sales of annuities. Department of Enforcement v. Ellen Vratoric, No. 2016049420501 (Dec. 22, 2017). According to…

JoeAnn M. Walker, of Brockton, Massachusetts, a stockbroker formerly registered with Next Financial Group, Inc., has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity by consenting to findings that she obstructed a FINRA investigation into allegations that she effected unsuitable annuity sales. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent,…

Robert Evan Ahrendt, of Bellevue, Washington, a stockbroker currently registered with MML Investors Services, LLC, is the subject of an Office of the Insurance Commissioner Order containing findings that he made unsuitable insurance product recommendations to a customer, made misrepresentations regarding terms of an annuity, omitted information from a customer about an annuity’s features, and…

Paula Louise Harold, of Ontario, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with PFS Investments, Inc., has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended for eighteen months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity by consenting to findings that she completed forms to effect an annuity purchase that a customer never authorized. Letter…

Terry Xing-Zhao Wu, of San Francisco, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Thrivent Investment Management, Inc. has been fined $7,500.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he engaged in outside business activities and solicited unauthorized life insurance investments. Letter of…

Dion Rey Padilla of San Antonio, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Next Financial Group, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on July 18, 2017, in which the customer sought $900,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that a variable annuity was sold to the customer, in which the terms…

Danny S. Hood of Alpharetta, Georgia, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been barred from acting as an investment adviser or broker or associating with any investment advisories or brokerage firms in any capacity according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Order containing findings that Hood effected unauthorized transactions in customer…

Peter Frederick Butler of Cambridge, Ohio, a stockbroker registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has been terminated from employment on January 12, 2017, based upon allegations that he sold away from the firm and engaged in unapproved outside business activities. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals that Butler has been identified in five…

Hornor, Townsend & Kent, Inc., a brokerage firm headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, has been censured and fined $275,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon the firm’s consent to findings that it failed to supervise private securities transactions and variable annuity share class recommendations. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2015043387001 (Nov. 14,…

Demitrios Hallas, of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Santander Securities, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to an Office of Hearing Officers Default Decision containing findings that he failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of his misconduct…

Ameritas Investment Corp., a brokerage firm headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, has been censured and fined $180,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon allegations that the firm failed to supervise variable annuity transactions containing multiple share classes, and failed to supervise the firm’s charging of commissions to customers. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent,…

Helen Holmes Timpe, of Newport Beach, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Morgan Stanley, has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, in which the customer requested $55,333.00 in damages supported by allegations that between 2013 and 2016, Timpe made misrepresentations to the customer concerning variable annuities. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Jason Michael Belajack, of Irvine, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation, has been barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity by consenting to findings that he sent bogus letters to a customer to conceal the fact that he misrepresented the features of the customer’s…

Walter Joseph Marino, of Dix Hills, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Legend Equities, has been suspended for one year from associating with a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity according to an Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that Marino made unsuitable variable annuity recommendations and misrepresentations to customers….

David James Boor, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, a stockbroker currently registered with UBS Financial Services Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on May 30, 2017, in which the customer sought $139,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that between December 1, 2015, and May 30, 2017, Boor effected mutual funds…

John William Hendley, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, a stockbroker formerly registered with AOS, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 8, 2017, in which the customer sought at least $5,000.00 in damages supported by allegations that Hendley effected unsuitable variable annuity transactions from February of 2017 to March of…

Michael Edward Halla, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a stockbroker formerly registered with SII Investments, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, which settled on July 31, 2017, for $21,688.00 in damages founded upon accusations that Halla botched a distribution from the customer’s variable annuity, which caused the customer to suffer tax…

Joseph R. Dimauro, of New York, New York, a registered representative associated with AXA Advisors, LLC, was the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 3, 2016, alleging that in 2014, Dimauro effected the purchase of variable annuities for the customer even though the annuities were not suitable. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

Mark Clay Sutherland, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on November 21, 2016, in which the customer requested $21,280.68 in damages based upon accusations that Sutherland effected an unauthorized and unsuitable variable annuity purchase. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Jonathan Robert Spielvogel, of Menlo Park, California, a stockbroker registered with JPMorgan Chase, was fired on October 18, 2016, based upon allegations that he improperly guided a customer in the facilitation of an annuity distribution and failed to provide consistent statements to the firm in the course of its internal investigation into his business activities….

Robert Charles Stevens, of Norfolk, Virginia, a stockbroker formerly registered with Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 19, 2016, based upon allegations that he misled the customer by making promises about the customer’s closed-end funds and variable annuity having been guaranteed against loss….

Augustine Dominique Choi, of Los Angeles, California, a stockbroker registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on July 16, 2017, in which the customer requested $17,509.66 in damages based upon allegations that the customer’s variable annuity was surrendered in December of 2016 without the customer’s…

David Mynatt Rubin, of Waltham, Massachusetts, a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 5, 2017, in which the customer sought the cancellation of a variable annuity policy without bearing surrender penalties founded on accusations that Rubin made misleading statements to the…

Rennie M. Roach, of Avondale, Arizona, 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 allegations that he declined to provide FINRA staff with information that was requested of him in reference to his business activities. Case No….

Fred Shlesinger, of Addison, Texas, a stockbroker registered with Principal Securities, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 24, 2017, wherein the customer’s claim was based upon allegations that Shlesinger effected a rollover of the customer’s 401(k) into an annuity despite the transaction having been unsuitable for the…

James Michael Picha, of St. Louis, Missouri, a registered representative for MetLife Securities, Inc., has been fined and suspended for ten months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that he modified a customer’s insurance policy without authorization. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent,…

Jonathan Freeze, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with Fortune 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 he obstructed a FINRA investigation into allegations that Freeze made faulty investment recommendations to customers. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver…

Roger Salvatore Zullo, of Boston, Massachusetts, 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 he obstructed a FINRA investigation into allegations that Zullo, inter alia, defrauded customers and made unsuitable investment recommendations. Letter…

Marilyn Ashley Genery, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, was terminated from employment on November 15, 2016, based upon allegations that he violated the firm’s procedures regarding customer account documentation. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals that on May 12, 2017, a customer filed an investment related written…

Barry Jay Dekreek, of Alpharetta, Georgia, a stockbroker currently registered with LPL Financial LLC, is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 17, 2016, wherein the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Dekreek did not adequately advise the customer about investing in a fixed annuity. Financial Industry…

Brian R. Bates, of Gilbert, Arizona, a stockbroker currently registered with BBVA Securities Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 2, 2017, where the customer requested $11,000.00 in damages founded upon allegations that Bates made misrepresentations to the customer and effected a variable annuity purchase that was not…

Gregory Richard Sherf, of Leawood, Kansas, a stockbroker currently registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 28, 2017, in which the customer requested $15,504.80 in damages based upon allegations that Sherf, between February of 2014 and April of 2017, made…

Chander Ketu Goel, of New York, New York, a stockbroker registered with NYLife Securities LLC, has been terminated from employment on June 29, 2016, based upon allegations that he engaged in unauthorized activities by instructing an assistant of his to cover insurance policy premium payments to keep policies intact. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public…

Jose Anselmo Feliciano Jr., a stockbroker formerly registered with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 5, 2017, in which the customer requested $60,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Feliciano made misrepresentations to the customer concerning two variable annuity purchases. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority…

James John Raia, or Ridgewood, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with J.P. Turner & Company, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 25, 2017, wherein the customer sought $110,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Raia, from 2013 to 2017, effected real estate security and variable annuity transactions…

Christopher Carl Jansen, of Burlington, New Jersey, a stockbroker registered with Invest Financial Corporation, was terminated from employment on December 28, 2016, based upon allegations that he made misrepresentations to a customer pertaining to the guarantees and features of annuity products. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals that Jansen has been identified in…

Kristi Erin Straw, of Overland Park, Kansas, a registered representative formerly associated with CommunityAmerica Financial Solutions, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 17, 2016, in which the customer requested $410,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Straw effected fixed indexed annuity transactions in the customer’s account that were…

John Charles Bland, of Durham, North Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Commonwealth Financial Network, was terminated from employment on April 25, 2017, based upon allegations that he violated the firm’s policies by failing to disclose information to a customer relating to the customer’s variable annuity purchase. The firm alleged that Bland concealed the source of…

Shawn Allen Stults, of Midland, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Advisors, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint, which settled on May 24, 2017, for $6,249.91 in damages to resolve allegations that Stults effected transactions in the customer’s account that were not suitable for the customer. Apparently, between…

Allyn Lindley Donaubauer, of Fort Smith, Arizona, a stockbroker currently registered with Raymond James & Associates, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 24, 2017, in which the customer sought damages estimated at $5,000.00 based upon allegations that from July of 2016 to April of 2017, Donaubauer made…

Randy Joe Ryan, of Worthington, Ohio, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 24, 2017, where the customer requested $5,867.31 in damages based upon allegations that Ryan sold the customer a variable annuity that was not suitable considering the customer’s…

In December 2016 the Massachusetts Securities Division filed a complaint against LPL Financial LLC (“LPL”) and one of its advisors, Roger S. Zullo, relating to the unsuitable sales of variable annuities to multiple customers of Zullo and LPL from January 2013 to December 2016. LPL is headquartered in Massachusetts. Zullo worked in Boston, MA. These…

William John McBride Jr., of Los Angeles, California, a stockbroker currently registered with JP Morgan Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 20, 2017, in which the customer requested $7,915.95 in damages based upon allegations that McBride made misrepresentations concerning a variable annuity that the customer purchased….

Robert Charles Moriarty, of Harvard, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Investment Professionals, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 30, 2017, in which the customer requested $100,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Moriarty failed to apprise the customer about tax obligations resulting from effecting variable annuity…

Richard Paul Donohoe, of Eagle River, Wisconsin, a stockbroker currently registered with Edward Jones, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 20, 2017, wherein the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Donohoe provided the customer with poor advice in reference to the liquidation variable annuity products…

Mark Emerson Despelder, of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a stockbroker formerly registered with Citizens Securities, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on January 6, 2017, in which the customer requested $19,052.90 in damages based upon allegations that Despelder misinformed customers regarding the terms and conditions of variable annuity products, and…

Connie Jo Binz, of Bryant, Arkansas, a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on June 17, 2016, in which the customer requested approximately $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Binz misstated information to the customer in the course of effecting variable…

James Travis Flynn, of Greenville, South Carolina, a stockbroker registered with Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., has been terminated from employment on February 10, 2017, based upon allegations that he misled the firm in the course of the firm’s investigation of a complaint that involved Flynn’s activities. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals that…

Ronald Clagget Knowles, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, a stockbroker formerly registered with The O.N. Equity Sales Company, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 13, 2017, in which the customer requested $17,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Knowles made misrepresentations to the customer concerning annuity products, effected transactions…

Karonne Tace Carlsen, of San Jose, California, a registered representative currently associated with PFS Investments Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 13, 2017, wherein the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Carlsen made a faulty investment recommendation for the customer to liquidate…

Matthew Lee Geiser, of Grand Island, Nebraska, 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 consenting to findings that Geiser failed to cooperate in an investigation into allegations that he misstated information to customers about variable…

Terry Craig Sandvold, of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, a stockbroker currently registered with Questar Capital Corporation, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 12, 2016, in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Sandvold made misrepresentations to the customer concerning the step-up figures…

Colorado investor, Grace Huitt, has won an arbitration award in excess of $1 million due to misrepresentations made to her by the broker who sold her a variable annuity. Ms. Huitt purchased an ING Landmark variable annuity in 2008. At or before the time of sale, her broker at Wilbanks Securities, Inc., a brokerage firm…

Glenn Thomas Colangelo, of Salem, Oregon, a stockbroker formerly registered with The O.N. Equity Sales Company, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint, which settled on March 15, 2017, for $300,921.00 in damages based upon allegations that Colangelo failed to act in the customer’s best interest pertaining to the customer’s investment…

Ricardo E. Urrutia, of Bronx, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 15, 2016, in which the customer requested $9,496.04 in damages based upon allegations that Urrutia made misrepresentations to the customer concerning a variable annuity product. Financial…

Brent D. Johns, of Dubuque, Iowa, a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 10, 2017, in which the customer requested $35,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that he poorly advised the customer concerning liquidity within a fixed annuity policy issued to the…

Pamela Lynn Kourtakis, of Dana Point, California, a stockbroker formerly registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 8, 2016, in which the customer requested $5,835.18 in damages based upon allegations that Kourtakis effected the purchase of a variable annuity contract that was not…

Anthony Randall Bartlett, of Worcester, Massachusetts, a stockbroker formerly registered with MetLife Securities, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 13, 2016, in which the customer requested $41,686.62 in damages based upon allegations that Bartlett made misrepresentations to the customer concerning a variable annuity. Bartlett has been registered with…

Garrett Andrew Ahrens, of Lafayette, Louisiana, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial, LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 22, 2015, in which the customer requested damages estimated to be greater than $5,000.00 based upon allegations that Ahrens effected the unsuitable switch of policies issued by Navy…

Lynn Grossman, of Westport, Connecticut, a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Advisors, has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on March 30, 2017, in which the customer requested $168,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Grossman made misrepresentations and unsuitable recommendations to the customer concerning a variable annuity that the…

Thomas John Trea, of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on August 5, 2015, based upon allegations that Trea induced the customer’s variable annuity purchase based upon Trea’s misrepresentations. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure also reveals…

Scott Andrew Valentine, a stockbroker formerly registered with Capital One Investing, LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 27, 2017, in which the customer requested damages estimated to exceed $5,000.00 based upon allegations that Valentine effected the unsuitable purchase of the customer’s variable annuity. Valentine’s registration with Capital…

Robert Allan Stroud, of Erie, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with Allegheny Investments, Ltd., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 2, 2017, based upon allegations that Stroud made unsuitable recommendations regarding the customer’s purchase of a variable annuity issued through Jackson National Life. Stroud’s registration with Allegheny Investments,…

Caffe Aldo Lamberti is one of my favorite restaurants in all of South Jersey. So my wife and I were rather excited when we received a “Special Invitation” in the mail for a “Complimentary Evening of Fine Dining” at our favorite restaurant, while at the same time we would learn about the “latest strategies to lower…

James Joseph Beaupre, of Boulder, Colorado, a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 21, 2017, in which the customer requested $10,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Beaupre failed to provide the customer with accurate information concerning the fees and administration…

Todd Karl Osgood, of Tampa, Florida, a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 22, 2017, in which customers requested $11,488.00 in damages based upon allegations that Osgood effected an unauthorized withdrawal from the customers’ variable annuity issued by the firm’s…

James Anthony Nelson, of Evans City, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial, LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 6, 2016, in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Nelson, from 2014 to 2016, made misrepresentations to the customer concerning…

Mark A. Sutherland, of Moosic, Pennsylvania, a broker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services Inc, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on September 28, 2015, based upon allegations that Sutherland made misrepresentations to the customer concerning a variable annuity transaction which had been purchased by the customer in February of…

Anthony David Scott Sr., of Downers Grove, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services, Inc. has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 8, 2017, in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Scott failed to abide by the customer’s instructions concerning…

Brian J. Mocogni, of East Providence, Rhode Island, a stockbroker formerly registered with MetLife Securities, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 10, 2016, in which the customer requested more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Mocogni made misrepresentations to the customer concerning a variable annuity…

Mamta Rai, a stockbroker formerly registered with Valic Financial Advisors, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on April 27, 2016, in which the customer requested $45,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Rai misrepresented the returns that the customer would be guaranteed pursuant to her variable annuity investment. Financial…

Edward Lonnie Dover III, of Winter Park, Florida, a stockbroker formerly registered with SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., was terminated from employment on September 20, 2016, based upon allegations that he violated his firm’s procedures and policies concerning the handling of a customer’s fixed annuity transaction. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure reveals that Dover…

Matthew Park Best, of Shippenville, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker currently registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 16, 2017, in which the customer requested $32,546.00 in damages based upon allegations that Best made faulty assurances to the customer concerning payments that the customer would…

Dallas Dan George, of Franklin, Tennessee, a stockbroker currently registered with AXA Advisors, LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 27, 2017, based upon allegations that George failed to apprise the customer of the fees pertaining to the customer’s variable annuity purchase. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public…

Keith Matthew Smith, of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker currently registered with Signator Investors, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 27, 2017, based upon allegations that Smith made unsuitable recommendations to the customer concerning an investment in a fixed annuity. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure…

Ryan Hilary Riley, of Okemos, Michigan, a stockbroker currently registered with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on February 22, 2017, in which the customer alleged more than $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Riley made misrepresentations to the customer regarding an investment in a…

Joshua Forry, of Wilmington, North Carolina, a registered representative with NYLife Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related complaint, which settled on March 6, 2017, for $5,854.89 in damages based upon allegations that Forry made poor recommendations to the customer concerning the replacement of the customer’s variable life insurance policy. Guiliano…

Gregory Harold Zastrow, of Plymouth, Wisconsin, a registered representative formerly associated with Bankers Life and Casualty Company, was fined $10,000.00 and suspended for nine months by the State of Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance based upon consenting to findings that he engaged in unfair marketing practices concerning fixed annuities and life insurance products,…

Christopher Lee Vazquez, of Middle Village, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on January 24, 2017, in which the customer requested $25,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Vazquez made investment related misrepresentations to the customer and effected a John…

Jeffrey David Day, of Sarasota, Florida, a stockbroker currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 23, 2017, based upon allegations that Day made guarantees to the customer regarding the performance of a variable annuity investment, and failed to disclose fees…

Anna Chin, of Austin, Texas, a registered representative formerly associated with NYLife Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 1, 2017, based upon allegations that Chin recommended that the customer purchase a variable universal life insurance policy in addition to fixed annuities, despite the products having failed…

Kyle Evan Murphy, of Glen Allen, Virginia, a stockbroker formerly registered with NYLife Securities LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 23, 2017, based upon allegations that Murphy failed to apprise the customer regarding penalty free withdrawals from the customer’s variable annuity contract. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)…

Armand Joseph Fisher, of Glastonbury, Connecticut, a registered representative formerly associated with MetLife Securities Inc., has been censured and fined $5,000.00 by The State of Connecticut Insurance Department based upon allegations that he effected the sales of annuity products for two customers that were not in the customers’ best interests. Case No. FC 15-54 (Sept….

Frederick Martin Quinn Jr., of Toledo, Ohio, a stockbroker formerly registered with Allstate Financial Services, LLC, has been fined and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Quinn, inter alia, signed the names of customers on annuity exchange documentation without the customers’…

James D. Zahakos, Staten Island, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Edward Jones, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 19, 2017, in which the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Zahakos made misrepresentations to the customer concerning the purchase of a single premium immediate…

Paul Theodore Dicicco, of Millbury, Massachusetts, a stockbroker formerly registered with Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 28, 2016, in which the customer requested $6,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Dicicco made misrepresentations to the customer concerning the features of a variable annuity…

Cecil E. Nivens, of Gastonia, North Carolina, a registered representative formerly associated with NYLife Securities, LLC, was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that Nivens failed to execute upon customers’ investment instructions, and furnished documentation to customers containing false and misrepresented information. Department of Enforcement v. Cecil…

Dion R. Padilla, of San Antonio, Texas, a stockbroker with Next Financial Group, Inc., was fined $10,000.00 and suspended for fifteen months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon an Office of Hearing Officers’ Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that Padilla made an unauthorized variable…

Jeffrey Scott Davis, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 4, 2017, in which the customer requested $20,415.28 in damages based upon allegations that Davis omitted information concerning the fees and surrender penalties on two variable…

Roger Salvatore Zullo, of Boston, Massachusetts, a stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial, LLC, was charged along with LPL Financial, LLC, in a Compliant by the Enforcement Section of Massachusetts Securities Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which contained allegations that, inter alia, Zullo defrauded LPL Financial LLC’s customers…

James Paul Kolf, of Madison, Wisconsin, a stockbroker formerly registered with MSI Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on January 30, 2017, in which the customer requested $8,113.06.00 in damages based upon allegations that Kolf omitted information concerning the surrender penalties on a variable annuity contract. Financial…

Ziv Ohel, of Deerfield, Illinois, a stockbroker formerly registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on December 6, 2016, in which the customer requested $6,521.98 in damages based upon allegations that from February of 2015 to February of 2016, Ohel made misrepresentations and unsuitable recommendations…

Michael Lee Child, of Draper, Utah, a stockbroker currently registered with H. Beck, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint, which settled on July 6, 2016, for $35,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Child effected transactions in the customer’s account which were not suitable, and was liable for the…

Robert Michael Giusti, of New York, New York, a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on April 24, 2015, in which a customer was ultimately awarded $300,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that from 2010 to 2015, Giusti made…

Marcious Dickerson, of Livonia, Michigan, a stockbroker currently registered with Centaurus Financial, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, which settled on September 1, 2015, for $97,983.70 in damages based upon allegations that Dickerson breached his fiduciary and contractual duties to the customer, effected unsuitable transactions in the customer’s account,…

Daniel George McPherson, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, a stockbroker currently registered with Cetera Advisors LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on March 7, 2016, in which the customer requested $40,151.00 in damages based upon allegations that McPherson effected unsuitable fixed annuity transactions in the customer’s account. Financial Industry Regulatory…

Thomas Edward Andrews, of Salt Lake City, Utah, a barred stockbroker formerly registered with LPL Financial LLC, has been named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on October 20, 2016, in which forty-four customers have collectively requested $10,504,799.00 in damages based upon allegations that Andrews churned the customers’ accounts, negligently managed the customers’…

Joseph C. Noyes IV, a stockbroker formerly registered with Santander Securities LLC, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Noyes falsified customer documents, and effected an annuity exchange which was not suitable for a customer. Letter of…

Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., a brokerage firm headquartered in Syracuse, New York, and its former registered representative, Charles Lee Deremo, of Eagan, Minnesota, have been censured and fined by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon consenting to findings that Deremo made unsuitable investment recommendations to a firm customer, and the firm failed to…

Ameritas Investment Corp., a brokerage firm headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, has been censured and fined $145,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) based upon consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise recommendations made by its registered representatives pertaining to equity indexed annuities. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2015046904101 (Jan. 11, 2017). According…

James Michael Noto, of Trinity, Florida, a stockbroker currently registered with Summit Brokerage Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim, which settled on August 3, 2016 for $25,000.00 in damages. The customer’s claim was based upon allegations that Noto effected an unsuitable variable annuity contract. FINRA Public Disclosure reveals…

Mitchel Allan Foote, of Manhattan, Kansas, a stockbroker formerly registered with Broker Dealer Financial Services Corp., was named in a customer initiated investment related written complaint on May 12, 2014, in which the customer requested $30,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Foote misrepresented an illiquid real estate security investment to a customer. FINRA Public…

Mark Nicholas Wesley, of Independence, Ohio, a stockbroker with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., was permitted to resign by the firm on June 17, 2016, based upon allegations that Wesley, inter alia, effected authorized trades in in customer accounts, and utilized discretion in accounts without firm approval. FINRA Public Disclosure reveals that Wesley has been named…

Gary Saitowitz, of Atlanta, Georgia, a stockbroker formerly registered with Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc., has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended for eighteen months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member based upon consenting to findings that Saitowitz, inter alia, made unsuitable investment recommendations, participated in a private securities transaction, and misstated customer…

Suzanne Hagmeyer, of Naperville, Illinois, a former stockbroker with World Equity Group, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any capacity after consenting to findings that she made misstatements to customers concerning variable annuity transactions. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2013036907001 (Dec….

Phillip Howard Palmer, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a stockbroker and principal formerly registered with First Independent Financial Services, has been fined $10,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity based upon consenting to findings that Palmer, inter alia, failed to supervise variable annuity withdrawal transactions. Letter of Acceptance,…

Daniel A. Cabrera, of Helotes, Texas, a stockbroker currently registered with BBVA Securities Inc., was subject to a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which settled for $44,676.57 in damages. The customers’ claim was based upon allegations that Cabrera made misrepresentations, or misled the customers concerning investments in four variable annuity contracts that the customers…

Thomas Paul Schober, of Westborough, Massachusetts, a former stockbroker who had been registered with SII Investments, Inc., has been subject to a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on September 21, 2016, in which the customer requested $5,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Schober effected unsuitable investment transactions in the customer’s account. FINRA Public…

Ronald F. Paull III, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker formerly associated with LPL Financial LLC, has been fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that he effected trades in customer accounts without authorization. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2015046621101…

Stanley C. Niekras, of Liverpoll, New York, a stockbroker formerly associated with MML Investors Services, LLC, was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that Niekras made misrepresentations to elderly customers pertaining to investments. Department of Enforcement v. Niekras, No. 2013037401001 (Nov. 7, 2016). According to the Complaint,…

The Cetera Firms, which include Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, (headquartered in El Segundo, California), Cetera Financial Specialists LLC (headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois), First Allied Securities, Inc. (headquartered in San Diego, California), Summit Brokerage Services, Inc. (headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida), and VSR Financial Services, Inc. (headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas), were censured and fined by…

FTB Advisors, Inc., a broker-dealer headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, was censured and fined $250,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise its variable annuity sales. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2015043292101 (Nov. 2, 2016). According to the AWC, the firm failed to supervise recommendations…

Ray Reese, of Farmington, Missouri, a stockbroker currently associated with Money Concepts Capital Corporation, has become subject to a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on February 26, 2016, in which the customer has requested $125,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that Reese misstated the customer’s financial profile, and made investment recommendations which led the…

Kestra Financial Advisors, a broker-dealer headquartered in Austin, Texas, was censured and fined $475,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise its variable annuity sales. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014039418401 (Nov. 2, 2016). According to the AWC, the firm failed to supervise recommendations…

Voya Financial Advisors, a broker-dealer headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, was censured and fined $2,750,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise its variable annuity sales. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014039172901 (Nov. 2, 2016). According to the AWC, the firm’s supervisory failures pertained to…

Delbert W. Carnes, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a stockbroker registered with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., has been named in a customer initiated investment related arbitration claim on April 20, 2015, in which the customer alleged that Carnes made misrepresentations to the customer regarding the purchase of a variable annuity investment. FINRA Public Disclosure reveals that…

David Randall Lockey, of Dallas, Texas, a stockbroker formerly registered with SWS Financial Services, Inc., was fined $10,000.00 and suspended for six months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member, ordered to provide restitution of $5,329.75, and disgorged of $46,447.38 per a FINRA Order Accepting Offer of Settlement containing findings that Lockey…

IMS Securities, Inc., of Houston, Texas, was censured and fined $100,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise aspects of its variable annuity business. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014039417401 (Sept. 30, 2016). According to the AWC, between July 15, 2013 and May 8, 2014,…

Robert R. Frith II, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, a registered representative with Larson Financial Securities LLC, was fined $5,000.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that made misleading statements to customers concerning variable life insurance contracts. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No….

Thomas Fross, of The Villages, Florida, disclosed that a customer received a judgment or award against him for $24,000.00 in damages based upon the allegations that Fross breached his fiduciary duty and contractual obligations to the customer, made omissions and misrepresentations to the customer with regard to investments, and made unsuitable investment recommendations. FINRA BrokerCheck…

Amr Mostafa Aboulmagd, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, a registered representative for NYLife Securities LLC, was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any capacity after consenting to findings that he obstructed a FINRA investigation into allegations that he made unsuitable recommendations and misrepresentations to customers. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver…

Robert M. Kuhn, of Plano, Texas, a stockbroker with UBS Financial Services Inc., is subject to a arbitration claim by a customer requesting $100,000.00 in damages because allegedly Kuhn misrepresented an annuity that the customer purchased, and made an unsuitable investment recommendations. FINRA Public Disclosure records show that on October 20, 2015, UBS Financial Services…

Terry W. Chilton, of Beaumont, Texas, a stockbroker with IMS Securities, Inc., is subject to a customer dispute from March 7, 2016, in which a customer alleged that Chilton made misrepresentations concerning investments, and engaged in the unsuitable recommendations. FINRA Public Disclosure records also reveal that on September 16, 2013, a customer was awarded $1,172,250.00…

John R. Stevens, of Grand Junction, Colorado, is subject to several customer disputes. On February 18, 2016, Stevens became subject to a pending customer dispute, in which the customer requested $300,000.00 after alleging that Stevens had misrepresented aspects of a variable annuity, causing the customer to bear investment losses. On February 5, 2016, another customer…

Christian J. Stoltz, of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, a stockbroker with Centaurus Financial, Inc., was named in a pending customer dispute on August 8, 2016, in which a customer has requested $32,000.00 in damages after alleging Stoltz made unsuitable recommendations concerning annuities and the customer’s managed investment account. Public Disclosure records reveal that Stoltz has also…

Michael B. Inderlied, of New Woodstock, New York, a stockbroker with Adirondack Trading Group LLC, was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any capacity after consenting to findings that he obstructed an investigation into allegations of his unsuitable investment recommendations to customers. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and…

William Fredrick Kerschbaumer, Jr., of Carrollton, Ohio, was fined $12,500.00 and suspended from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any capacity after consenting to findings that he forged his firm customer’s signatures and made misrepresentations to customers and his firm concerning annuity terms. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No….

Timothy N. Payne, of New Woodstock, New York, a stockbroker with Adirondack Trading Group LLC, was barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that he obstructed an investigation into allegations of Payne’s unsuitable investment recommendations. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014040289802 (Sept….

ProEquities, Inc., headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, was censured and fined $200,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to supervise non-traditional exchange-traded funds and variable annuities. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014039418801 (Aug 8, 2016). According to the AWC, from January of 2008 through April of…

Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc., headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, was censured and fined $950,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm had not identified and prevented misappropriation from a firm customer, and failed to properly implement its supervisory procedures to detect theft by former LPLFinancial broke, Travis A. Wetzel. Letter…

H.D. Vest Investment Securities, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, was censured and fined $100,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm failed to adequately supervise variable annuity transactions, and failed to effectively utilize surveillance procedures to detect rates of annuity exchanges. According to the AWC, from May of 2010…

Brokers International Financial Services, LLC, headquartered in Panora, Iowa, was censured and fined $45,000.00 after consenting to findings that the firm failed to fully inform investors regarding variable annuities prior to investment, and authorized solicitation of purchases of annuities prior to ensuring suitability. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2013038934401 (July 26, 2016). According…

Winston Wade Turner of Sarasota, Florida, a registered representative with Pruco Securities, LLC, and MetLife Securities, Inc., was barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity per a FINRA Office of Hearing Officers Default Decision containing findings that Turner committed fraud pertaining to customers’ variable annuity purchases, partook in unauthorized…

Dion R. Padilla, of San Antonio, Texas, a stockbroker with Next Financial Group, Inc., was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that that Padilla engaged in willful securities fraud and effected an unauthorized annuity purchase. Department of Enforcement v. Padilla, No. 2014040362001 (June 9, 2016). According to…

MetLife Securities, Inc., headquartered in New York, New York, was censured and fined $20,000,000.00 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm made negligent omissions and misrepresentations concerning annuity products, and failed to supervise annuity transactions. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 20140408700001 (May 3, 2016). According to the…

Thomas P. Schober, of Westborough, Massachusetts, a stockbroker with SII Investments, Inc., was permanently barred from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member after consenting to findings that he made unsuitable recommendations to customers and attempted to conceal his misconduct to his firm. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2015044007001 (Mar. 3,…

Winston Wade Turner, of Sarasota, Florida, a registered representative with Pruco Securities, LLC, and MetLife Securities, Inc., was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging that Tuner committed fraud in connection with customers’ variable annuity purchases, participated in unauthorized private securities transactions, and failed to cooperate with a…

MidAmerica Financial Services, located in Joplin, Missouri, was censured and fined $150,000 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm had failed to establish and maintain supervisory systems associated with placements and deferred variable annuities. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014039194101 (Jan. 30, 2016). FINRA canceled the firm’s…

Michael Joseph Cortes of Hauppauge, New York, was fined $15,000 and suspended for six-months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in all capacities after consenting to findings that he engaged in unauthorized outside business activities; willfully failed to disclose tax warrants and a lien; and borrowed from funds in violation…

Morissa F. Rivo of Boca Raton, Florida, a registered representative with Signator Investors, Inc., was barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) from associating with any member in any capacity in connection with Rivo’s failure to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into allegations of Rivo’s misconduct. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, No. 2014041961001 (Jan….

Richard A. McCollam of Layfayette, California, a stockbroker with National Planning Corporation, was charged by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Department of Enforcement in a Complaint alleging McCollam willfully failed to disclose two customer arbitrations and seven customer complaints on his Uniform Application for Securities Industry Regulation filed on January 22, 2014, referred to as…

Comprehensive Asset Management and Servicing, Inc. (CAMS), headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, was censured and fined $475,000 by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after consenting to findings that the firm had failed to meet supervisory obligations including 1) the review and retention of consolidated reports; 2) private securities transactions; and 3) variable annuities. Letter of…

David Levorchick of Sidney, Ohio, a registered representative with U.S. Bancorp, Inc., was fined $7,500 and suspended for thirty days from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any capacity after consenting to findings that he negligently misrepresented to a customer that the liquidation of a variable annuity would not result in…

Michael Jump of Somonauk, Illinois, a registered representative with Investment Planners, Inc., was fined $10,000 and suspended for two months from associating with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member in any and all capacities after consenting to findings that he negligently misrepresented information pertaining to fees associated with variable annuities, while also failing to…

Andrew M. Abern, a Stockbroker with Dalton Strategic Investment Services Inc., was permanently barred from association with any member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in any capacity after consenting to findings that he failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into Abern’s recommendations to customers regarding variable annuities. Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent,…

Heon Kim, a Stockbroker with Ameritas Investment Corporation, was barred from association with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm in any and all capacities after consenting to FINRA findings that he failed to cooperate in an FINRA investigation into allegations that Kim had engaged a non-licensed individual to solicit and sell variable products…

Joseph R. Butler, a Stockbroker with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., was permanently barred from association with any Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm after the National Adjudicatory Council confirmed a Hearing Panel Decision barring Butler for converting customer’s funds and submitting a false annuity beneficiary change request. In the Matter of Department of Enforcement…

Phillip Leonard Grasso, formerly a representative of Allstate Financial Services, was permanently barred in any and all capacities with a FINRA regulated entity after FINRA’s Office of Hearing Officers rendered a Default Decision finding that Grasso had misused and converted client funds in violation of FINRA Rules 2010 and 2150(a), engaged in securities fraud in…

LPL Financial LLC, a FINRA member since 1973 headquartered in Boston, MA, conducts general securities business via 18,343 registered reps operating out of roughly 10,702 registered branch offices and 18,396 non-registered office locations. The firm was censured and fined $10M after consenting to FINRA’s findings concerning the firm’s failure(s) to adequately supervise ETF, variable annuity,…

Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., a FINRA member headquartered in Syracuse, NY, offers brokerage services to customers via roughly 935 registered reps throughout over 500 branch offices, and provides a majority of its reps the opportunity to offer insurance to investors not provided via the brokerage firm. The firm was censured and fined $75,000 by…

SWS is a FINRA member firm who at one point had in excess of 300 registered representatives operating out of various offices throughout the United States selling variable annuities among other investments to customers. On August 13, 2015, the firm concerning tax deferred variable annuities – violating FINRA Rules 2010, FINRA Rule 2030, and NASD…

There is an old saying, “investors do not buy variable annuities, investors are sold variable annuities.” Along with this, ought to come the saying that a broker never met an annuity sold by another firm that he or she did not like.” Variable annuities are securities and are a notorious vehicle for abusive sales practices….

David Levin, “Investment Talk” radio host and former FINRA registered representative with Titan Securities, was just fined $25,000, suspended for 6 months, and lost his qualifications as a general securities representative by FINRA in connection with consenting to FINRA findings that Levin, via his broadcast, made statements deemed to be promissory, misleading, unbalanced, or lacking…

FINRA enforcement actions are rare because generally the offending broker or brokerage firms settles allegations of misconduct before a formal enforcement action is brought by entering into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent or AWC, where offending broker or brokerage firm consents or admits to a narrow finding of facts, pays fines or penalties,…

The US Securities and Exchange Commission issued cease-and-desist proceedings against Michael A. Horowitz and Moshe Marc Cohen from as the result of a fraudulent scheme to profit from the imminent deaths of terminally ill hospice and nursing home patients through the purchase and sale of more than $80 million in deferred variable annuities. The Scheme Michael…

FINRA Fines Bank Broker-Dealers $1.65 Million for Supervisory Failures in Variable Annuity, Mutual Fund and UIT Transactions. Five Firms Sanctioned, One Charged with Unsuitable VA Sales to the Elderly Washington, D.C. — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it fined five bank broker-dealers a total of $1.65 million for deficient supervision and…

Allianz will provide restitution to seniors and implement more stringent suitability processes. Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson announced today the settlement of a lawsuit she brought in January against Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America for selling deferred annuities to Minnesota senior citizens without first determining whether the annuities were suitable investments for the…

Mutual Service Corp. of West Palm Beach Fla., and five of its principals are the subjects of a complaint by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority concerning allegedly shoddy and inaccurate books and records over sales of variable annuities, including tax-free exchanges, known as 1035 exchanges. MSC, with about 1,200 affiliated registered representatives and 800 branches, was…

Pruco Securities, LLC (CRD #5685, Newark, New Jersey) and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC (CRD #18353, Newark, New Jersey) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which they were censured, fined $525,000, jointly and severally, and required to conduct an audit and prepare written findings regarding their compliance with NASD rules relating to…