Investor Lawyers Blog

Ex-Madison Avenue Securities Broker Jeffrey Dixson Named in Numerous GPB Investor Fraud Claims

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

Former Vancouver, Washington Financial Adviser Has 21 Disclosures On Record

Jeffrey Raymond Dixson, an ex-Madison Avenue Securities investment advisor and stockbroker, is the subject of at least 10 Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claims in which the customers are seeking damages for their GPB private placement losses.

The investments were issued by GPB Capital Holdings, which is now accused of running an over $1.8B Ponzi scam that defrauded more than 17,000 investors. Madison Avenue Securities is one of many broker-dealers that earned over $160M in commissions from selling GPB alternative investments.

Ex-Cetera Advisors Broker Mark Barrand Accused of Making Unsuitable Investment Recommendations

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

Denver Financial Advisor Mark Barrand Named in Pending Customer Disputes

Mark Allen Barrand, an Ameriprise Financial broker based in Denver, has nine customer claims on his BrokerCheck record. The most recent one, brought in February 2021, was from his time as a Cetera Advisors registered representative.

Barrand has worked 14 years in the industry, and he is also an investment adviser. Other firms where he used to be registered include Legacy Advisor Services and Legacy Financial Services.

Florida Retiree Pursues Six-Figure Energy 11 Investor Fraud Claim Against David Lerner Associates

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

Florida Energy 11 Investor Alleges Unsuitability, Misrepresentations and Omissions

A senior investor says that a David Lerner Associates broker unsuitably recommended that she invest in Energy 11, LP. This non-public limited partnership has been exclusively marketed and sold by the broker-dealer to its clients, costing many of them significant investment losses. Many of these customers should never have been advised to purchase this oil and natural gas private placement.

Our Energy 11 investment fraud attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) are representing this retiree in her Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim to pursue damages. If you are an investor who suffered losses in Energy 11 LP, contact SSEK Law Firm at (813) 560-2992 in Florida or, throughout the US, call (800) 259-9010 today.

FINRA Suspends Ex-MML Investors Services Broker Adam Belardino

Published on: May 31, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

New York Financial Adviser Has Multiple Customer Disputes on Record

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended ex-MML Investors Services LLC broker Adam Gerard Belardino. The suspension runs from February 2021 until Belardino either provides the information that the self-regulatory organization (SRO) has requested or the suspension becomes a permanent bar.

Belardino, who is also a former registered investment advisor, has several disclosures on his BrokerCheck, including six customer disputes. MML Investors Services fired Belardino in 2019. The firm, in its Form U5, said that this was in connection to a customer complaint accusing the then-broker of excessive trading, making misrepresentations, and other negligence and broker misconduct.

Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Investors Seek Up to $500K in Damages from SunTrust Bank Division, Truist Investment Services

Published on: May 28, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Colombian Claimants Allege Negligence, Misrepresentations, and Failure to Supervise

Two investors from Bogota, Colombia are pursuing a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Truist Investment Services for the losses they suffered in Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda). The claimants, who are from the same family, had looked to the brokerage firm, which is affiliated with SunTrust Bank, to keep their assets safe.

As longtime SunTrust Bank clients with an account in Florida, the investors were not interested in taking on any undue risk and were mostly invested in bank products, including money markets. Yet, Truist Investment Services recommended that the claimants invest more than $125K in Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda).

Old City Securities Broker Gregory Hersch is Named in $1.4M FF Fund I Investor Fraud Claim

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

Ex-Florence Capital Advisors Principal is Accused of Breach of Fiduciary Duty

Old City Securities registered representative Gregory Alain Hersch is accused of negligence, breach of fiduciary, misrepresentations, and other claims. In one investor fraud case, the customer is seeking up to $1.4M in damages. Hersch, who is based out of New York, is also the owner of Florence Capital Advisors.

The investor claims they suffered losses from investing in FF Fund I, LP, which is a private equity fund, and they are pursuing their claim against Florence Capital Advisors and Hersch. Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are investigating customer losses involving Old City Securities Broker Gregory Hersch.

Ex-Wells Fargo Broker Ramon Herrera is Sentenced For Defrauding 40 Investors

Published on: May 24, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

New Jersey Financial Advisor’s Victims Included Older Investors Who Spoke Spanish

Ramon Arturo Herrera, a former Wells Fargo (WFC) registered representative, is sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The former New Jersey financial advisor pleaded guilty to wire fraud for bilking approximately 40 clients of $450K.

Herrera worked five years in the industry. The entire time, he was a Wells Fargo broker until 2018. That is the same year that Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) barred him from the industry. The following year, Herrera was expelled by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.

Ongoing Concerns About GPB Auto Group’s Ability to Survive

Published on: May 20, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

GPB Capital’s Auto Group has released more bad news about the financial condition of the company and the likelihood that it can continue as a substantial concern. Specifically, the New York-based private equity firm, GPB Capital Holdings, LLC produced recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which included additional financial information.

The parent company is already facing multiple civil fraud charges for their Ponzi scheme and the recent ability to maintain business as usual does not come as a shock to our experienced attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm).

SEC Filing Reveals Uncertain Future Ahead for GPB Auto Group

Latin American Investor Files Six-Figure Northstar (Bermuda) Fraud Claim Against Truist Investment Services

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

Former SunTrust Advisory Services Investment Adviser Luisa Gonzales Unsuitably Recommended Northstar Bermuda Products

A senior investor has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim seeking up to $500K in damages against Truist Investment Services for losses he suffered in Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda). The claimant is a retired Catholic Priest who lives in Bogota, Colombia, and was a longtime client of SunTrust Bank.

Truist Investment Services is SunTrust’s brokerage arm and is based in the United States. Ex-SunTrust Advisory Services investment adviser, Luisa Gonzales, was this investor’s financial representative.

Ex-Customer Of Unionbanc Investment Services Broker Asako Thompson Files $500K Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Fraud Claim

Published on: May 18, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Japanese Investor’s Savings Were Overconcentrated in Offshore CD

An investor who lives in Japan has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Unionbanc Investment Services and its California-based broker, Asako Kanekiyo Thompson.

The claimant suffered losses in an offshore certificate of deposit (CD) from Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) that was recommended to him by Thompson. BrokerCheck reports that Thompson has been a Unionbanc Investment Services investment advisor and broker for 16 years.