FINRA Bars Ex-Wells Fargo Broker From Industry For Allegedly Bilking Customers, Expels HFP Capital Markets LLC for Securities Fraud

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has barred a former Wells Fargo (WFC) registered representative from the brokerage industry. According to the self-regulatory organization, Ane S. Plate, who previously worked with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network in Florida, allegedly made fifteen unauthorized trades in a joint brokerage account of two customers between October 2013 and April 2014. The transactions resulted in $176,080 of cash proceeds, of which Plate is accused of pocketing $132,358.

The former Wells Fargo broker is also accused of setting up bi-weekly transfers from the brokerage account to a bank account that was in the name of one of her relatives. She then allegedly moved $7,700 to that account between December 2013 and May 2014.

Plate, who was working with Wachovia Securities when Wells Fargo acquired that firm, has since been fired after the latter discovered the purported theft. FINRA’s BrokerCheck reports that the customers that were harmed were fully reimbursed for the amount taken from them.

Plate, who settled the FINRA charges, is not denying or admitting to the allegations. She has, however, consented to an entry of the regulator’s findings.

FINRA also recently expelled a financial firm from FINRA membership, this for the purportedly fraudulent sale of about $3 million of senior secured zero-coupon notes. HFP Capital Markets LLC will now have to pay $2,980,000 plus interest in customer restitution.

The financial firm is accused of selling private offerings of the notes to customers while knowingly leaving out or misrepresenting material facts in the offering and sales. The SRO says the notes were misrepresented as collateralized by certain barrels of leftover mining materials that were valuable enough to secure an investment, when the ore concentrate was actually worthless.

FINRA is also accusing HFP Capital Markets of not disclosing material facts about the management and ownership of the issuer and about the way the proceeds from the offering were utilized. The firm also purportedly disregarded red flags and did not conduct sufficient due diligence on the individuals involved, the offering, or the third parties that were presented as critical strategic partners.

Some customers recovered their money in the form of replacement transactions after complaining to the firm, but everyone else lost their funds. Now, HFP Capital Markets is settling without denying or admitting to the findings.

FINRA also recently censured Felix Investments LLC, which is based in New Jersey, for sending misleading, unwarranted, and exaggerated claims or statements to potential investors of a fund via email. The communications purportedly did not note the possible risks or provide comprehensive descriptions of the fund.

Now, Felix Investments has to submit all retail communications, per FINRA Rule 2210’s definition, with the agency at least 10 days before use and pay a $300,000 fine. The firm’s principal, Susan Mindlin Diamond, must pay a $10,000 fine and serve a four-month suspension. Meantime financial representative Frank Gregory Mazzola, who is accused of sending the emails, is barred from associating with any FINRA member.

Other FINRA findings against Felix Investments and Diamond include inadequate supervision of Mazzola, even after an AWC was put out against him, and failure to put into place a written anti-money laundering program to keep Felix in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and other regulations.

Felix Investments, Mazzola, and Diamond settled with FINRA without denying or admitting to the findings.

Former Wells Fargo Advisor Barred From Brokerage Industry, Bank Investment Consultant

FINRA

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