In a memo available online, Dawson James Securities, Inc. (Dawson James) stated that it acted as the sole underwriter for a February 25, 2015 offering for Great Basin Scientific, Inc. (Great Basin) (stock symbol: GBSN). Great Basin is a molecular diagnostics company that commercializes technologies that improve ease-of-use and delivers…
Articles Posted in Securities Fraud
FINRA Bars Broker Robert Potter Over Failure to Respond to Regulatory Requests Concerning Comingled Funds
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) barred broker Robert Potter (Potter) (FINRA No. 2014041579901) alleging on August 10, 2015, the agency investigated allegations that Potter commingled customer funds with his personal funds and sent Potter a letter requesting that he provide documents and information by August 17, 2015. According to…
SEC Accuses Dawn Bennett of Misleading Investors On Her Radio Program
According to the BrokerCheck records kept by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Dawn Bennett (Bennett) has been the subject of at least six customer complaints over the course of her career. Customers have filed complaints against Bennett alleging securities law violations including that the broker made unsuitable investments, breach…
FINRA Sanctions Donald Levin Over Unsuitable Mutual Fund Switching
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) brought and enforcement action against broker Donald Levin (Levin) (FINRA No. 2014040335101) alleging that between December and April 2014, Levin hosted a weekly radio show and during that show he made statements that were unbalanced, promissory, misleading and lacked reasonable basis in violation of…
FINRA Bars Former NYLife Broker Jonathan Williams Over Outside Business Activities
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) brought and enforcement action against broker Jonathan Williams (Williams) (FINRA No. 20150452689) resulting in a bar from the securities industry alleging that Williams failed to provide FINRA staff with information and documents requested. The failure to provide those documents and information to FINRA resulted…
FINRA Sanctions Five Brokers Affiliated with HFP Capital Markets
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned five brokers formerly associated with now expelled brokerage firm HFP Capital Markets LLC (HFP Capital) (Case No. 2010024522103) including brokers Jonah Engler (Engler), Brett Friedberg (Friedberg), Jonathan Sheklow (Sheklow), Joshua Turney (Turney), and Hector Perez (a/k/a Bruce Johnson) (Perez) concerning allegations that between…
SEC Charged 36 Brokerage Firms Over Municipal Bond Offerings
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced enforcement actions against 36 municipal bond underwriting brokerage firms for material misstatements and omissions in municipal bond offering documents. The SEC offered favorable settlement terms to municipal bond underwriters and issuers who self-reported securities law violations leading to the settlements. The SEC alleged…
Gana LLP Investigation: Broker James Connors
According to the BrokerCheck records kept by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker James Connors (Connors) has been the subject of at least two customer complaints. The customer complaints against Connors allege a number of securities law violations including that the broker made unsuitable investments and engaged in churning (excessive…
Former LPL Financial Broker Robert Tricarico Accused of Stealing Customer Funds
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently barred broker Robert Tricarico (Tricarico) concerning allegations that Tricarico failed to respond to the regulator’s requests to provide information and documents concerning the an investigation into claims that Tricarico may have stolen money from clients. Tricarico entered the securities industry in 1986. From…
Michael Oppenheim Charged With $20 Million Theft of Client Funds
In parallel actions The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced fraud charges and filed a complaint against Michael Oppenheim (Oppenheim), a financial advisor formerly with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JP Morgan), accusing him of stealing at least $20 million from customers to fund his own brokerage accounts and then spending…