As we previously reported, The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned brokerage firm World Equity Group, Inc. (World Equity) concerning at least seven different allegations of supervisory failures that occurred between 2009 through 2012. These failures included failures to implement an adequate supervisory system reasonably designed to detect and prevent…
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently sanctioned brokerage firm World Equity Group, Inc. (World Equity) alleging that between 2009 through 2012, the firm failed to implement an adequate supervisory system reasonably designed to detect and prevent potential rule violations including: (1) failure to preserve emails; (2) failure to establish…
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently filed a complaint against broker Chris Fulco (Fulco) concerning allegations that Fulco facilitated the sale of stock in US Coal Corporation, Inc. (US Coal), in numerous private securities transactions away from his firm, aslo known as “selling away” in the industry. FINRA alleged…
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned and barred broker Douglas Melzer (Melzer) concerning allegations that Melzer participated in four private securities transactions when four of his Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Wells Fargo) customers invested $2,000,000 in a company called Aquatic Synthesis Unlimited (Aquatic Synthesis) through investment contracts that were…
As our firm has written about on numerous occasions, our firm is currently representing investors who purchased the UBS Puerto Rico closed-end-bond funds and other Puerto Rico municipal debt. The allegations our firm has brought on behalf of clients focuses on UBS’ sales tactics and recommendations to its customers to…
LPL Financial LLC (LPL) has terminated its former broker Charles Fackrell (Fackrell), registered with The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), alleging that the broker engaged in unapproved private securities transactions (known in the industry as “selling away”) and also due to a felony arrest for obtaining property under false pretenses.…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a complaint against former FINRA registered broker Levi Lindemann (Lindemann) alleging that from about September 2009, to August 2013, Lindemann, a resident of Minnesota, fraudulently raised at least $976,000 from six investors located in Wisconsin including elderly individuals and a member of…
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has sanctioned broker Kwok Chiu (Chiu) concerning allegations that between March and June 2013, while associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Merrill Lynch), Chiu exercised discretionary power in two customer accounts with only oral authorization by making 162 transactions without obtaining…
As previously reported by Gana Weinstein LLP, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in an acceptance, waiver, and consent action (AWC) barred broker Eric Johnson (Johnson) concerning allegations that he misappropriated more than $1,000,000 from at least six firm customers’ brokerage accounts. FINRA had also alleged that Johnson falsified the…
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has filed a complaint against broker Allen Green (Green) concerning allegations that Green violated FINRA’s suitability rule by making unsuitable recommendations to a disabled customer, and also by having no reasonable basis to recommend non-traditional exchange traded funds (Non-traditional ETFs) to his customers. Green…