Investor Lawyers Blog

Cetera Advisors Broker Jeffrey Meyers Accused of Making Unsuitable REIT Investment Recommendations

Published on: November 10, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Hospitality Investors Trust Was One of the REITs Marketed

Cetera Advisors Network broker Jeffrey Gerard Meyers, an Overland Park, Kansas financial advisor, is named in two pending customer disputes.

The claimants are accusing him of making unsuitable investment recommendations involving non-liquid real estate investment trusts (REIT). One of the products was Hospitality Investors Trust (HIT REIT), which declared bankruptcy after the COVID-19 pandemic began.

FINRA Bars Ex-Wells Fargo Broker James Seijas Who Is Accused In More Than $33M Ponzi Scam

Published on: November 4, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Former New Jersey Financial Advisor Allegedly Targeted Florida Doctors

James Alan Seijas, an ex-Wells Fargo Clearing Services broker, was barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) beginning November 2, 2021. The former New Jersey investment advisor did not provide information in the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) investigation into his alleged involvement in an over $33M Ponzi scam.

Seijas, ex-UBS broker Michael Ackerman, and general surgeon Quan Tran are accused of running a cryptocurrency scam that targeted mostly Florida doctors through the entity Q3 Trading Club from 2017 to 2019. This would have been during Seijas’ time as a Wells Fargo registered representative.

Ex-Worden Capital Management John Cangialosi Ordered to Pay $271,622 in Customer Restitution

Published on: November 3, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Suspends New York-Based Financial Advisor for Nine Months

John Sebastion Cangialosi, currently an SW Financial broker, was suspended by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in September 2021 for nine months. The broker was ordered to pay $271,622 in restitution for allegedly engaging in unsuitable trading in three customer accounts during his time as a Worden Capital broker.

The New York-based financial advisor has consented to the sanctions but without denying or admitting to the findings. Cangialosi also must pay a civil/administrative fee of $7,500.

SEC Accuses Fired Wells Fargo Broker Kenneth Welsh of Stealing Nearly $3M From Customers

Published on: November 1, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Senior Citizens Were Among Former Fairfield, NJ Financial Advisor’s Alleged Victims

Kenneth Andrews Welsh, an ex-Wells Fargo Clearing Services broker, is now facing Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges accusing him of misappropriating at least $2.86 million from brokerage firm customers and advisory clients.

Allegedly the financial advisor used victims’ money (including senior citizens) to pay credit card bills and buy precious metals, including gold coins.

Utah Retirees File Six-Figure GBP Investor Claim Against Woodbury Financial Services

Published on: October 27, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Couple’s FINRA Arbitration Claim Seeks Up to $500K in Damages

A retired couple from Payson, Utah have filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Woodbury Financial Services over losses they sustained while investing in GPB Capital Holdings LLC, CIM REIT, and other privately traded entities. Now, they are seeking up to $500K in damages.

Our investment fraud lawyers are representing these investors in their FINRA arbitration claim against Woodbury. This is one of many securities cases we have filed against the broker-dealers that enriched themselves in the alleged $1.7B Ponzi scheme. The hearing will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ex-Western International Securities Broker Megurditch Patatian Allegedly Unsuitably Recommended Non-Traded REITs to Investors

Published on: October 26, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Claims Former Financial Advisor Also Cost Investors Over Variable Annuities

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has filed a complaint accusing ex-Western International Securities registered representative Megurditch Mike Patatian of unsuitably recommending to 59 customers that they purchase non-traded real estate investment trusts (non-traded REITs). According to the self-regulatory organization (SRO), Patatian lacked reasonable grounds to make 81 recommendations to these customers. Not only that, but for four of the non-traded REIT sales at issue, the ex-financial advisor recommended that they surrender their variable annuities (VAs), which caused them to have to pay surrender fees and incur taxes.

These purportedly unsuitable recommendations which caused investors to lose money, occurred while Patatian was with Western International Securities in Westlake Village, CA. (After leaving that brokerage firm in 2020, he became a Supreme Alliance broker for less than a year in Charlotte, North Carolina.)

Former Worden Capital Broker Allan Montalbano Faces $543K Unsuitability Case For Broker Negligence

Published on: October 25, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-New York Financial Advisor Has 15 Customer Disputes on BrokerCheck

If you suffered investment losses while working with ex-Worden Capital Management stockbroker Allan Perry Montalbano, contact our New York financial advisor misconduct attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com). Montalbano, who is no longer a registered broker or investment advisor, has 16 disclosures on BrokerCheck. Out of these, 15 are customer disputes.

Call our New York broker misconduct attorneys at (716) 261-3529. Throughout the US call SSEK Law Firm at (800) 259-2010.

Former LPL Financial Broker James Couture Rejects Plea Deal Over Misappropriation Allegations

Published on: October 22, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Massachusetts Broker Accused of Defrauding Customers of $3M

James Kenneth Couture, an ex-LPL Financial registered representative, was arrested in July 2021 after turning down a plea deal related to criminal charges that accused him of stealing $3M from investors. Following his decision not to accept the deal, a grand jury added additional criminal counts to the charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, as well as an investment advisor fraud charge. Couture has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges and was released without bond.

At the time, Couture was an LPL Financial broker until that broker-dealer fired him in June 2020. He was also a Massachusetts-based investment advisor who ran the Private Wealth Management Group and shell company Legacy Financial Group.

Florida Retirees File $2.5M FINRA Arbitration Case Against Henley & Co. Over Alleged Ponzi Scam Losses

Published on: October 21, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Deceased New York Broker Philip Incorvia May Have Defrauded Investors

A retired couple living in Florida has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against broker-dealer Henley & Co. over losses they suffered while working with Philip Robert Incorvia as their registered financial advisor. Incorvia, who died in August 2021, was a registered representative with the firm for over 15 years until his passing. He also ran Jefferson Resources, Inc. in Shoreham, New York.

Our Ponzi fraud attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) are speaking with investors who suffered losses while working with ex-Henley & Co. broker Philip Incorvia. He may have defrauded more than 15 East Coast investors in his alleged Ponzi scheme.

FINRA Probes Broker-Dealers’ Activities Related to SPACs

Published on: October 19, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Popular With Retail Investors, Shell Companies That Raise Capital Through Own IPOs Can Be Risky

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has started a thorough examination of the activities of brokerage firms in relation to special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). These shell companies raise funds through their own IPOs and have up to two years to select and acquire a private company that will go public via merger. They are popular among retail investors seeking to make money from private companies whose shares they otherwise wouldn’t be able to buy because they don’t satisfy certain wealth or income thresholds.

However, SPACs have come under increasing scrutiny from FINRA in the wake of their growing popularity, because of the risks and potential harm they can pose for retail investors. Our skilled SPAC investment attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) are investigating claims of losses by investors whose brokerage firm unsuitably recommended a special purpose acquisition vehicle or did not fully apprise them of the risks involved. Contact SSEK Law Firm at (800) 259-9010 today