The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned brokerage firm Royal Securities Company (Royal Securities) concerning allegations Royal lacked adequate supervision and controls in several areas. FINRA alleged that Royal Securities failed to properly supervise two of its registered representatives, one of which utilized a unitary investment strategy for virtually all…
Articles Posted in Suitability
PNC Investments Fined by FINRA Over Sale of Non-Traditional ETFs
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned brokerage firm PNC Investments LLC, (PNC) concerning allegations from January 2008, through June 2009, PNC failed to establish a supervisory system, including written procedures, reasonably designed to achieve compliance with the FINRA rules in connection with the sale of leveraged, inverse, and inverse…
Gana LLP Investigates Icon Leasing Fund Eleven and Twelve
The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating Icon Leasing Fund Eleven and Twelve on behalf of investors who suffered losses as a result of the unsuitable recommendation of these funds. The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP have filed arbitrations against broker dealers that have sold these illiquid investments…
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company and Century Securities Associates Fined by Regulator Over Leveraged ETFs
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ordered brokerage firms Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (Stifel Nicolaus) and Century Securities Associates, Inc. (Century Securities) to pay combined fines of $550,000 and nearly $475,000 in restitution to 65 customers concerning allegations of the improper sale of leveraged and inverse exchange-traded funds (ETFs).…
Thomas Oakes of Royal Securities Sanctioned Over Allegations of Unsuitable Investments
Broker Thomas C. Oakes (Oakes) has been suspended and fined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) concerning allegations from 2005 through May 2008, Oakes had engaged in unsuitable short term trading of low priced and/or speculative securities in the accounts of at least three customers causing substantial losses. Oakes…
Mary Faher of WR Rice Suspended By FINRA Over Private Placement Sales
Broker Mary A. Faher (Faher) was suspended and fined by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) over allegations that Faher made unsuitable recommendations to her clients to invest in private placements. Between February 2011, and November 2012, Faher was registered with WR Rice Financial Services, Inc. (WR Rice). Previously, Faher…
FINRA Panel Awards Customer in A Claim Over the Erickson Retirement Communities Private Placement
Wisconsin based B.C. Ziegler & Co. (Ziegler) was recently hit with a $311,000 judgment in a decision made by a FINRA arbitration panel. The claimant alleged negligent misrepresentation, suitability, negligence, failure to supervise, and violation of Wisconsin Uniform Securities Act. The claim related to the recommendation to purchase private placement…
Paul Thomas of Lincoln Financial Suspended By FINRA Over Penny Stock Trades
Broker Paul A. Thomas (Thomas) formerly with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. (Lincoln Financial) was suspended by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) over allegations that Thomas engaged in unauthorized and/or improper discretionary penny stock trading, engaged in unsuitable penny stock trading, and mismarked the trade tickets for penny stock transactions…
Will Puerto Rico Municipal Bonds Default?
This question is on the minds of many investors. Many clients and potential clients have contacted our firm concerned about the effect of a default on their UBS Puerto Rico municipal bond funds that are heavily invested in the island’s debt The UBS Puerto Rico bond funds, including the Puerto…
Saxony Securities Fined by Securities Regulator Over Sale of Nontraditional ETFs
Broker-dealer Saxony Securities, Inc. (“Saxony”) was recently fined $15,000 over allegations by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the regulator of securities broker-dealers, that Saxony failed to establish and maintain a supervisory system, including written procedures, regarding the sale of leveraged or inverse exchange-traded ETFs that was reasonably designed to…