Investor Lawyers Blog

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Suspended First Western Securities Broker Kerry Dean Wills

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

Stockbroker Accused Of Improperly Borrowing From Older Customer

If you suffered investment losses while First Western Securities broker, Kerry Dean Wills was your financial representative, contact Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm).

Kerry Dean Wills, who is also a registered investment advisor, was recently suspended for six months by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and ordered to pay a $10K fine over allegations of elder investment fraud.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Former Berthel Fisher Broker Mason Gann

Published on: February 4, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Suspended Broker Accused of Making Unsuitable Recommendations to Retiree

If you sustained investment losses while working with ex-Berthel Fisher broker Mason Gann, contact our stockbroker fraud attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) today. Gann, who is not a registered broker at this time, is serving a three-month suspension imposed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The self-regulatory organization (SRO) found that he made unsuitable recommendations in the account of an elderly retiree.

According to the self-regulatory organization (SRO), between 8/2015 and 1/2018, Gann recommended that this investor employ a high-risk options trading strategy. This retiree, who was in his 70’s at the time, not only had “modest retirement savings” and “limited income,” but he was also an inexperienced investor. FINRA contends that Gann did not have reasonable grounds for making such recommendations to this particular customer.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Barred Mutual of Omaha Broker Edward Matthes

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

Edward Matthes, Ex-Stockbroker Accused of Elder Investor Fraud

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is accusing former broker, Edward Matthes of defrauding older investors of $2.4M. Matthes was a registered stockbroker and an investment advisor. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions Securities Division have both permanently barred him.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened a probe into his alleged actions last year. Matthes was a registered Mutual of Omaha broker from 2012 – 2019 which was when the firm fired him. He worked in the industry for 20 years.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Ex-Cetera Advisors Broker Roger Owens

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

Fired Cetera Advisors Broker Accused Of Unauthorized Securities Sales

Our stockbroker fraud attorneys are speaking to former clients of former Cetera Advisors LLC broker, Roger Lee Owens that sustained substantial investment losses while working with him. Contact Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) today to schedule your free, no-obligation case consultation.

Cetera Advisors fired Roger Owens last year for allegedly taking part in unapproved private securities transactions. A few months later, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) suspended Owens for a year, through August 2020, for the same reasons.

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 Broker Fraud Claims Involving SagePoint Financial Broker Timothy Vanlohuizen

Published on: January 22, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

SagePoint Financial Broker Named In Customer Disputes

Our investor fraud lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are looking into claims involving SagePoint Financial broker, Timothy Vanlohuizen. With 37 years in the industry, Vanlohuizen, who is based in Idaho, has been named in six customer disputes.

Allegations Currently Made Against Timothy Vanlohuizen

SSEK Investigates Woodbury Financial Broker Daryl Serizawa Over GPB Capital Private Placements

Published on: January 21, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Woodbury Financial Services Representative Accused Of GPB Private Placements Sales

If you are an investor who was sold GPB Capital private placements by Woodbury Financial Services broker Daryl Serizawa, our broker fraud lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) want to talk to you.

Serizawa is one of the hundreds of financial representatives who sold GPB funds to customers. These brokers and their firms earned more than $160M in commissions. Now, GPB Capital Holdings, an alternative asset firm that invests in auto dealers and waste management, is accused of operating a $1.8B Ponzi scam.

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.