Investor Lawyers Blog

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Claims Involving Ex-Commonwealth Financial Network Broker Gerald Eaton

Published on: December 2, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

SSEK Investigating Ex-Commonwealth Financial Network Broker

SSEK Law Firm is meeting with investors who suffered losses while working with former Commonwealth Financial Network broker, Gerald Allan Eaton, or another financial representative from the firm.

Eaton was recently barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in the wake of allegations that he fraudulently took money out of his clients’ accounts. Commonwealth fired him last month, claiming it had found that he’d engaged in “serious misconduct” that involved “fraudulently facilitated distributions” from accounts that were not for clients’ benefit and without letting them know or getting their permission.

Ex-UBS Puerto Rico Broker David Lugo Ordered to Appear in Federal Court

Published on: November 29, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

SSEK Investigating Investor Claims Against Ex-UBS Puerto Rico Broker

For the last several years, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas, LLP (“SSEK Law Firm”) has been actively working with investors to recover the massive losses they sustained because brokers and their firms recommended that they invest in Puerto Rico bonds and closed-end bond funds.

SSEK Law Firm continues to investigate such claims, including those involving UBS and its brokers. David Jose Lugo (“Lugo”) is one of these former UBS registered representatives and SSEK Law Firm is very familiar with Lugo.

National Financial Services Gives GPB Investors Deadline to Move Investments To Another Platform

Published on: November 26, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

National Financial Services Customers Have 60 Days To Transfer GPB Investments

Five months after announcing that investors of GPB Capital Holdings private placements would no longer be carrying these alternative investments (AI) on its platform, National Financial Services (NFS) is sending letters to customers notifying them that they have 60 days after January 14, 2020, to transfer their GPB Holdings II securities.

The GPB Holdings II securities must be transferred to another custodian broker or their alternative investment (AI) positions will be registered directly in their name. This is one of the larger GPB private placement funds that, as of June, had reported a 25.4% drop in value. National Financial Services (NFS) is a Fidelity Investments clearing and custody unit.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Claims Involving 1 Global Capital Investments

Published on: November 25, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

SSEK Investigate Investment Fraud Claims Made Against 1 Global Capital

If you are someone who invested in 1 Global Capital notes at the recommendation of your broker or financial advisor, you may have grounds for filing an investment fraud claim. 1 Global is accused of operating a $322M scam and defrauding at least 3,600 investors including older investors who lost their retirement funds as a result.

Contact Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas, LLP (SSEK Law Firm) today so we can determine whether you have grounds for a broker fraud case to help you recover your money.

Summit Investment to Pay Investor $100K for LJM Preservation and Growth Fund

Published on: November 22, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Summit Investment Management To Pay Investor $100K

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) panel said that Summit Investment Management and portfolio manager, Thomas Carroll, must pay one firm client $100K for investing his money in funds from the investment manager, LJM Partners, which is no longer in operation.

The LJM Preservation and Growth Fund (LJMIX) has been named in numerous complaints since early last year when it suffered a huge plunge in value of over 80% in two days. This happened after the CBO Volatility Index experienced a spike.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Ex-Sigma Financial Broker Frederick Randhahn For Selling $625K of Woodbridge Promissory Notes

Published on: November 21, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Frederick Randhahn, a former Sigma Financial Corporation broker, is suspended by the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA) for nine months after he allegedly sold $625K of Woodbridge promissory notes to investors without the brokerage firm’s permission and approval to sell these products.

In a letter of acceptance, waiver and consent, Randhahn agreed to pay a $5K fine and disgorge the almost $32K in commissions plus interest that he made from the sales. However, he did not admit to or deny the self-regulatory authority’s (SRO) findings.

Randhahn Fired For Selling Unapproved Investments

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Pursues GPB Capital Investor Fraud Claim Against Kalos Capital, Ameriprise Financial and Ex-Broker Gary Imel

Published on: November 20, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Our investment fraud lawyers at Sheperd Smith Edwards and Kantas, LLP (SSEK Law Firm) represent a number of investors who have suffered losses from investing in GPB private placements that were sold to them by brokerage firms and their brokers.

Kalos Capital and Ameriprise Financial (AMP) are of these broker-dealers. Our broker fraud attorneys have filed a brokerage firm misconduct claim against them on our client’s behalf. This is not our first GPB investor fraud claim involving Kalos Capital.

GPB Investor Fraud Claim: Kalos Capital, Ameriprise Financial & Ex-Broker Gary Imel Investigated

Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas Investigates Cetera Investment Services and Mengxuan Zhang

Published on: November 19, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Shepherd, Smith, Edwards & Kantas (“SSEK”), a national law firm specializing in representing wronged investors, is looking into allegations against Mengxuan Zhang, previously employed by Cetera Investment Services out of Pasadena, CA. According to allegations, Ms. Zhang allegedly falsified customer signature pages on new account forms for some customers of Cetera. This included reusing signature pages without express permission and changing the dates on the forms so as to appear that customers had re-executed. One of the forms in question was an “illiquid investment acknowledgment form.” This is the type of form an investor in such products as GPB Capital or NorthStar Healthcare REIT would have to sign. After admitting her wrongdoing to Cetera, Ms. Zhang was officially discharged. She is currently not employed by any Broker Dealer as a financial advisor.

For her actions, Ms. Zhang has been suspended as a stockbroker/advisor by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA). She was also fined. Ms. Zhang accepted and consented to the findings by FINRA without admitting or denying the findings. According to FINRA, such actions on the part of Ms. Zhang violate FINRA Rule 2010. According to that Rule, a stockbroker/advisor must “….observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade.” Under the terms with FINRA, Ms. Zhang may not make any statement publicly which denies FINRA’s findings regardless of the fact that she never specifically denied the allegations.

Financial Advisor Fraud Attorneys

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Investor Claims Involving Capital Financial Investments and Ex- Broker Sean Kelly

Published on: November 18, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

SSEK Investigates Capital Financial Investments And Ex-Broker Sean Kelly Over Investor Claims

At the heart of recent investor claims against Capital Financial are allegations against one of its ex-brokers, Sean Kelly.

Sean Kelly was accused last year by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of defrauding a dozen investors. These investors, including senior retirees, were defrauded of over $1M through three of his companies, including Lion’s Share and Associates, that is based out of Georgia.

Kalos Financial Sends Letter to Investor Defending Its Sale of GPB Private Placements

Published on: November 14, 2019 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Kalos Financial Defends Its Sale Of GPB Private Placements

In a letter issued to investors on November 4th, Kalos Financial President, Larry Lyons, reported that its due diligence team recently met with senior GPB Capital Holdings executives including CEO, David Gentile.

The brokerage firm is one of dozens of broker-dealers under fire for selling GPB private placements that were issued by the asset management company, which has since been accused of operating a $1.8B Ponzi fraud.