FINRA

Jack Jones and Mark Robare of Robare & Jones Wealth Management are the Subjects of a FINRA Complaint Involving GPB Investments and Other Privately Traded Investments

Published on: March 17, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Triad Advisors Sued Over GPB Private Placement Sales

In our latest GPB investor fraud claim against a brokerage firm, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas, (SSEK Law Firm) is seeking up to $500K from Triad Advisors on behalf of a retired Texas couple. The claimants, who are in their seventies, entrusted a significant chunk of their savings to Triad brokers Jack Jones and Mark Robare, whom they are accusing of overconcentrating their money in GPB private placements and other unsuitable investments. The couple contend that they lost half a million dollars as a result.

GPB Capital Holdings, an alternative asset firm that issued the private placements, is accused of operating a $1.5B Ponzi scam. Now, the 60 brokerage firms whose registered financial representatives sold these investments are finding themselves the subject of broker fraud claims from investors seeking to recover their money.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Investor Claims Involving Robinhood Financial

Published on: March 6, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Investors Who Used or Currently Use Robinhood Financial May Have Grounds for a Claim

If you are someone who lost money while using Robinhood Financial to make investments, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) would like to speak with you to help you explore whether you have grounds for a claim.

Robinhood Financial offers commission-free trading of stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other investments. Its website, along with its app, has executed tens of billions of dollars of trades since its inception in 2013.

Citigroup, LPL Financial, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Securities, and Merrill Lynch Fined $1.4M for Failure to Reasonably Supervise

Published on: March 2, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Broker-Dealers Accused of Not Properly Supervising Custodial Accounts

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that it has fined five major firms $1.4M in total for not reasonably supervising custodial accounts. The broker-dealers are:

Citigroup (C), which will pay $300K.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Claims Involving Ex-First Allied Securities Broker Masood Azad

Published on: February 25, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-Broker and First Allied Securities Accused in $1M Investor Fraud Case

Masood Husain Azad, a former Texas-based broker, is now the subject of an over $1M investor fraud claim. Also known as Mike Azad, he was fired by First Allied Securities in 2017. Now, First Allied Securities is a respondent in this Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration case, which was brought by a customer.

At Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm), our broker fraud lawyers are offering a free, no obligation case assessment to former customers of Masood Azad who suffered investment losses that they suspect may be due to fraud or negligence. Contact SSEK Law Firm today.

Rogue Broker Named in Over 50 Complaints Found Guilty of Mail & Wire Fraud

Published on: February 10, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Rogue Broker Convicted & Faces Decades In Prison

A jury has convicted Anthony Diaz, a barred rogue stockbroker who was fired by several brokerage firms and has been the subject of more than four dozen customer complaints, of 11 counts of wire fraud and mail fraud. Each criminal court comes with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) have been speaking to former customers of Diaz who sustained investment losses while working with him. If you are one of these investors, contact our broker fraud attorneys today. You may have grounds for a civil claim against the brokerage firm where he was working at the time.

Merrill Lynch Ordered to Pay $1.7 Million in Puerto Rico Bond Fraud Case Involving Broker Alex Gierbolini

Published on: January 27, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Merrill Lynch Fined For Involvement In Puerto Rico Bond Fraud Case

In a recent award, a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has decided that Merrill Lynch must pay a former professional baseball player and his wife $1.7 million in compensatory damages, plus $88,758 in costs, for losses they sustained from investing in Puerto Rico bonds and closed-end bond funds.

The retired MLB player is Angel Pagan and his wife is Windy Pagan, a former Ms. Puerto Rico. Angel was an outfielder for the NY Mets, the Chicago Cubs, and the San Francisco Giants before retiring to live on the island.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Ex-First Allied Securities Broker Shlomo Strugano

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

Former First Allied Securities Rep. Accused of Inappropriate REIT Recommendations

Our investor lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are looking into claims by clients of former First Allied Securities stockbroker Shlomo Strugano. Strugano was barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory (FINRA) earlier this month.

Strugano, also known as Shlomy Strugano, is based in California. He has been the subject of at least four customer disputes, two of which are still pending. The ex-stockbroker is accused, among other things, of making inappropriate recommendations involving real estate investment trusts (REITS) to customers.

SSEK Investigates Investment Fraud Claims Involving Rogue Broker Anthony Diaz

Published on: January 20, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Barred Broker Named In Almost 50 Customer Complaints

Anthony Diaz, a former Pennsylvania stockbroker and investment advisor who has been the subject of dozens of customer complaints, is finally on trial for fraud. Jury selection is slated to start this week.

Our investor lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are speaking with former investors who worked with Diaz at one of the 11 brokerage firms where he was registered including Edward Jones, Raymond James and First Allied Securities to help determine if they have grounds for a broker fraud claim.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigate Claims Involving Barred National Planning Broker William Glaser

Published on: January 17, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

National Planning Ordered to pay $2.6M to Older Investor

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) panel is ordering National Planning Corp. to pay a customer, who is in her eighties, $2.6M after her former stockbroker, William August Glaser, sold her unsuitable investments. The investments including fraudulent promissory notes and non-traded REITs (real estate investment trusts). $1M of the award is for punitive damages.

William Glaser, who was fired by National Planning and barred by FINRA in 2017, is currently in prison for wire fraud.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas investigates Martin David Batstone and Newbridge Securities Corp.

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

SSEK Currently Investigating Ex-National Securities Broker, Martin David Batstone

Shepherd, Smith, Edwards & Kantas (“SSEK Law Firm”), a law firm specializing in representing wronged investors, is looking into allegations against Martin David Batstone, formerly employed by Newbridge Securities Corp. out of San Diego, California. Prior to that, he worked at Crown Capital Securities and Independent Financial Group, LLC.

According to allegations, Batstone used his position as a financial advisor to solicit investments in outside business activity. It is unclear if this outside operation was approved by Newbridge Securities or his prior employers. It is further alleged Batstone utilized a portion of the funds for his own use.