Securities Lawyers Blog

Broker Christopher Dallas in Spartan Capital Securities, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Christopher Dallas (Dallas), currently associated with Spartan Capital Securities, LLC, has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. Several of those complaints against Dallas concern allegations of high frequency trading activity also referred to as churning or excessive trading among other securities laws violations.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $32,736.47 on May 03, 2021.

Customer alleges unsuitable trading, use of an unauthorized option strategy, excessive trading, and excessive commissions.

Broker Hong Pan in Citigroup Global Markets INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Hong Pan (Pan), previously associated with Citigroup Global Markets INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Pan recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $5,000.00 on April 29, 2021.

Customer alleges suitability with managed account investment. Activity Date Feb 4, 2021.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Louis Olave in Firm Lincoln Investment

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Louis Olave (Olave) has been accused by investors of engaging in fraudulent misappropriation of their funds. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), it appears that Olave was employed by Lincoln Investment at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Olave’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on April 30, 2021.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Olave consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions totaling $217,477 without prior disclosure to, or approval from, his member firm. The findings stated that Olave solicited investors to purchase securities of a company that represented itself as a structured cash flow investment that purchased pensions at a discount from pensioners and then sold a portion of those pensions as a pension stream to investors. The company generally promised investors a seven to eight percent rate of return on their investment. Olave received a total of $3,795 in commissions in connection with his sales of the securities.

Broker Victoria Staudinger in Nylife Securities LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Victoria Staudinger (Staudinger), currently associated with Nylife Securities LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Staudinger recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $1,440,833.33 on April 30, 2021.

The customers allege that beginning in February 2016, as a result of misrepresentations and without full disclosure, they set up trusts, funded by life insurance, and donor-advised funds that promised substantial charitable deductions that would reduce federal income taxes.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Roberto Maldonado in Firm Independent Financial Group, LLC

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Roberto Maldonado (Maldonado), currently associated with Independent Financial Group, LLC, has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, alleging that Maldonado recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $440,000.00 on April 28, 2021.

Client alleges overconcentration, unsuitability, breach of fiduciary duty, violations of securities laws and rules, breach of contract, negligence, fraud, false inducement to inaction, negligent supervision (Puerto Rico closed-end funds). Includes request for rescission, punitive damages, interest, costs, fees.

Broker Brian Johnson in Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Brian Johnson (Johnson), currently associated with Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Johnson recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on May 03, 2021.

Client alleges, inter alia, unsuitability with respect to investments – 2011-2016 Damages unspecified

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jam Manauchehri in Firm Equitable Advisors, LLC

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jam Manauchehri (Manauchehri), previously associated with Equitable Advisors, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Manauchehri recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on April 30, 2021.

Claimant alleges that he did not authorize the margin positions that were taken in his investment account.

Broker Dawn Strachan in Osaic Wealth, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

Currently financial advisor Dawn Strachan (Strachan), currently employed by brokerage firm Osaic Wealth, INC. has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. According to a BrokerCheck reports most of the recent customer complaints concern either corporate debt securities or alternative investments such as direct participation products (DPPs) like business development companies (BDCs), non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), oil & gas programs, annuities, and private placements. The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP have represented hundreds of investors who suffered losses caused by these types of high risk, low reward products.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $999,999.00 on April 29, 2021.

Clients allege 2015 Private Placement and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) purchases were unsuitable.

Broker Stephen Taylor in Msec, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Stephen Taylor (Taylor), currently associated with Msec, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Taylor recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $150,000.00 on April 26, 2021.

Claimant alleges misrepresentation associated with the sale of alternative investments in 2012.

Broker Michael Destefano in Fmsbonds, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 19, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Michael Destefano (Destefano), currently associated with Fmsbonds, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Destefano recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $1,225,000.00 on April 30, 2021.

A third-party, beneficiary of a deceased former client of the firm’s has alleged that the trust of the former client was overconcentrated with with various unsuitable Puerto Rico municipal bonds causing losses to incurred by the trust.