Sonia Balfour-Fears (also known as Sonia Delores Balfour and as Sonia D. Fears) of Atlanta Georgia a stockbroker formerly registered with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Incorporated is the subject of a customer initiated investment related FINRA securities arbitration claim where the customer sought compensatory damages founded on accusations that Balfour-Fears made misrepresentations to the customer regarding a loan management account and a cash management account when Balfour-Fears was associated with Merrill Lynch. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration No. 21-00880 (Apr. 5, 2021). According to the claim, Balfour-Fears gave the customer unsuitable advice and had churned their account between 2016 and 2020.
This is not the first time that a customer has complained about Balfour-Fears’ sales practices at a securities broker dealer. FINRA Public Disclosure shows that on January 3, 2019, a customer filed an investment related complaint concerning Balfour-Fears’ conduct in which the customer requested compensatory damages supported by allegations that their investment instructions were not followed by Balfour-Fears between June of 2018 and September of 2018 resulting in damages to the customer. The complaint also alleges that Balfour-Fears provided unsuitable recommendations concerning investments.
Balfour-Fears’ stockbroker and investment adviser registrations with Merrill Lynch have been terminated as of January 15, 2021. Since January 14, 2021, she has been a stockbroker and investment adviser representative of Morgan Stanley.
