FINRA

GPB Capital Fraud Case Against Arete Wealth Management Results In $515K Arbitration Award

Published on: February 8, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Claimants Had Alleged Negligence, Poor Supervision, and Other Charges

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has awarded one customer and his trust $515K in their GPB private placement fraud claim against Arete Wealth Management. The Chicago-based brokerage firm also has been ordered to pay all of the claimant’s legal fees. The award is more than twice what was sought by the claimants, who had requested $225K in damages.

This is just one of the thousands of broker-dealer negligence claims brought against the financial firms and their registered representatives that marketed and sold GPB investments to their customers. GPB Capital Holdings, which invests primarily in waste management and auto dealerships, has allegedly been running an over $1.5B Ponzi scam.

FINRA Bars Ex-Newbridge Securities Broker Marshall Isaacson Following Unsuitability Claims

Published on: September 23, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Stockbroker Marshall Owen Isaacson Named in Four Customer Complaints Since 2019

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently barred Marshall Owen Isaacson, an ex- Newbridge Securities stockbroker based out of Boca Raton, Florida. Isaacson is accused by customers of making unsuitable investment recommendations and committing broker negligence. With 35 years in the industry, the now ex-registered representative worked at 12 broker-dealers.

Our Florida securities fraud attorneys have been speaking to former customers of Marshall Isaacson who may have suffered significant losses. Contact our securities fraud attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) online today.

Former Customer of Ex-Raymond James Broker Paul Steffany Wins $320K Award

Published on: September 14, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Family Trust to Receive Compensatory Damages From Broker-Dealer

In its Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Raymond James & Associates and former broker Paul Anthony Steffany, the Angelina J. Cuccaro Family Trusted was awarded $320K in compensatory damages.

The claimant contends that it was the victim of broker negligence and the firm’s failure to supervise. The former Connecticut broker was barred by the self-regulatory organization (SRO) in 2015.

Frontier Communication Bonds Investors May Be Able To Recover Losses Through Broker Fraud Claims

Published on: September 11, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Following Bankruptcy Proceedings, Bondholders Turn to FINRA Arbitration

Now that Frontier Communications Corp. has filed for bankruptcy protection, investors who bought the company’s bonds may be grappling with how to recover their losses.

At Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm), our bond fraud lawyers are here to tell you that you may have grounds for a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against the broker that sold you these investments.

Investor Accuses Kestra Broker Stephen Curry in $7.7M FINRA Complaint

Published on: August 19, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Breach of Fiduciary Duty Involving Retirement Fund Alleged

Stephen Fergus Curry, a longtime Kestra Advisory Services registered representative, is named in a nearly $7.8M Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) complaint accusing him of breach of fiduciary duty over services performed related to a retirement fund.

Curry has been with Kestra for 13 years. First, he was with Kestra Investment Services and now he’s with Kestra Advisory Services. He also is a registered investment adviser. Before he joined Kestra, Curry was a Waterstone Financial Group broker from 2006 to 2007. He also worked as an investment advisor with NFP Advisor Services from 2007 to 2016.

Fired Ameriprise Broker Bryant Cavaness is Accused of Stockbroker Fraud & Ethics Violation Allegations

Published on: July 30, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Bars Former Registered Representative Following Probe Into Accusations

Bryant Edwin Caveness, an ex-Ameriprise Financial Services stockbroker, has been barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) after he stopped cooperating in the self-regulatory organization (SRO)’s probe into his firing by the firm.

According to his Form U5 termination letter, the broker-dealer let him go last month because he violated company policies involving “personal trade, ethics, and solicitation of exchange-traded products” resulting in stockbroker fraud and misconduct.

Investors Accuse Purepath Wealth Management Investment Advisor & Crown Capital Securities Broker Dennis Haywood of Making Inappropriate Investment Recommendations

Published on: June 30, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Crown Capital Securities Broker Was Recently Named in Four FINRA Arbitration Claims

Dennis Haywood, a Crown Capital Securities broker, is now named in four customer disputes, all of which were filed in the last two months with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Haywood is also a Purepath Wealth Management investment adviser.

The claimants are accusing him of making inappropriate investment recommendations of non-traded real estate investment trusts (non-traded REITs), non-traded business development companies (BDCs), alternative investments, and variable annuities (VA).

SunTrust Investment Services to Pay $634K For Alleged Inadequate Supervision Of Unsuitable ETF Sales Practices

Published on: June 5, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Accuses SunTrust Investment Services of Failing to Properly Supervise Brokers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has ordered SunTrust to pay $634K to settle charges accusing the broker-dealer of not properly supervising 17 of its brokers when they recommended that customers hold non-traditional exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for long periods–a practice that can lead to losses especially when there is market volatility.

Of this settlement, $50K is a fine and $584,466 is restitution. SunTrust Investment Services, which is owned by Trust Bank, agreed to the sanctions but without denying or admitting to the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) findings.

Barred Wells Fargo Broker Named in Unsuitable Investment Fraud Case Recently Settled for $995K

Published on: June 3, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Fired Wells Fargo Representative is Barred by FINRA

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced this month that it is barring former Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network broker, Leonard Charles Kinsman, from the industry.

The ban comes after Kinsman refused to testify in the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) probe into his firing by Wells Fargo (WFC) for allegedly “unprofessional conduct.” Kinsman was named last year in an investor fraud claim accusing him of making unsuitable investment recommendations and forging and falsifying business records. That customer dispute has now been settled for $995K.

FMS Bonds Accused of Overconcentrating Texas Investor’s Portfolio in Bad Bonds, Including Frontier Communications Investments, Causes $1M in Losses

Published on: May 26, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Broker-Dealer Allegedly Misled Novice Investor And Placed Funds In Risky Junk Bonds

FMS Bonds, formerly called First Miami Securities, is the subject of yet another investor fraud lawsuit. This time it’s for misleading an inexperienced bond investor from the Dallas, Texas area and causing him to overconcentrate his portfolio with low rated, long-term “junk” bonds and other bad bonds, including those issued by Frontier Communications. The account eventually blew up, causing the claimant to suffer approximately $1M in losses.

Our Texas investor lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are representing this investor in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration to recover these losses. The hearing will take place in the Dallas area.