Sam Azizieh (also known as Sam Aziz and as Sam Yehya) a stockbroker formerly registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC is the subject of a customer initiated investment related written complaint on June 27, 2019 where the customer sought $447,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that during the period in which Azizieh was associated with Wells Fargo Advisors: (1) trades were effected in excessive amounts (2) investments failed to be suitable and (3) trades lacked the customer’s knowledge or consent.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Public Disclosure confirms that Azizieh is referenced in three additional customer initiated investment related disputes containing allegations of the stockbroker’s violative conduct while he was employed with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Inc. and Coastal Equities Inc. Specifically, a customer initiated investment related complaint regarding Azizieh’s behavior was settled for $39,000.00 in damages founded on accusations of fiduciary obligations being violated by Azizieh through his inducement of the customer’s commodities investments when the stockbroker was employed by Merrill Lynch.
Azizieh is referenced in another customer initiated investment related arbitration claim which was resolved for $75,000.00 in damages based upon allegations that trades were executed without permission and transactions failed to be suitable given the customer’s objectives, tolerance for risk or financial circumstances. A different customer investment related arbitration claim regarding Azizieh’s conduct was settled for $210,000.00 in damages supported by accusations that unauthorized transactions were executed in the customer’s account and trades were effected on an excessive basis during the period in which Azizieh was associated with Coastal Equities Inc. FINRA Arbitration No. 17-02287 (Aug. 30, 2018).
FINRA Public Disclosure additionally reveals that Azizieh has been barred from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity supported by findings that he obstructed the regulator’s investigation into allegations of, inter alia, his bad investment advice and excessive trading while at Coastal Equities. Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent No. 2017052325701 (Mar. 27, 2019).
According to the AWC, Azizieh was the subject of a FINRA investigation concerning his possible settlement of a customer’s complaint; use of margin; bad investment advice and excessive trading. The stockbroker was expected to provide recorded testimony before FINRA personnel in order to comply with Rule 8210. FINRA was subsequently provided notice that Azizieh would not testify at any point. Azizieh’s conduct was found by the regulator to be violative of FINRA Rules 2010 and 8210.
