Securities Lawyers Blog

Broker Spotlight: Broker Christopher Orlando

July 24, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

According to the BrokerCheck records kept by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Christopher Orlando (Orlando) has been the subject of at least two customer complaints, and one judgement or lien. Customers have filed complaints against Orlando alleging a number of securities law violations including that the broker made unsuitable investments, misrepresentations, and exorbitant commissions and fees among other claims.

Orlando entered the securities industry in 2002. From August 2006 until November 2009, Orlando was registered with J.P. Turner & Company, L.L.C. (JP Turner). From there, Orlando was associated with Brookstone Securities, Inc. until June 2012. Thereafter, Orlando was a registered representative of Joseph Gunnar & Co. LLC from June 2012, until December 2013. Finally Orlando was registered with National Securities Corporation from December 2013 until July 2015.

It is important for investors to know that all advisers have an obligation and responsibility to deal fairly with investors including making suitable investment recommendations. In order to make suitable recommendations the broker must have a reasonable basis for recommending the product or security based upon the broker’s investigation of the investments properties including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, and other relevant factors. In addition, the broker must also understand the customer’s specific investment objectives to determine whether or not the specific product or security being recommended is appropriate for the customer based upon their needs.

Update On Broker Thomas Buck Investigation

July 24, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

As we previously reported, (See Top Merrill Lynch Broker Thomas Buck Terminated Under Unusual Circumstances) news sources have been investigating the termination of financial advisor Thomas Buck (Buck) and his daughter Ann Buck by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Merrill Lynch), now known as Bank of America, NA (Bank of America) under circumstances that some would consider unusual.

Buck’s team managed nearly $1.5 billion in investor assets, was one of the company’s largest producers, and has been associated with Merrill Lynch since. Despite all these factors that would likely lead Merrill Lynch to continue to wish employ Buck, allegations were made that Buck executed unauthorized trades in client accounts.

Buck’s termination happened on March 6, 2015, and shocked colleagues. One person was quoted in news articles foreshadowed additional developments saying “There is a lot more out there. I think it’s a little bit of heavy-handedness on Merrill’s part. Tom was shocked.”

Think Twice Before Investing in Equity Indexed Annuities

July 23, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

As long time readers of our blog know, this is not the first time we have alerted investors to the potential pitfalls to investing in equity indexed annuities. Recently, the Wall Street Journal ran an article concerning a probe being conducted by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) regarding sales incentives for annuities products issued by insurance companies. The senator’s investigation comes on the heels of a speech given by Luis Aguilar, Commissioner to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), before the North American Securities Administrators Association (“NASAA”), stating that the SEC is looking closely at sales practices with respect complex securities including equity-indexed annuities, leveraged and inverse-leveraged exchange traded funds, reverse convertibles, alternative mutual funds, exchange traded products, and structured notes.

According to news sources, the senator’s focus is on indexed annuities which have become widely known within the industry for granting perks to agents. Sen. Warren is said to have quoted from some of the marketing materials aimed at insurance agents describing sales incentives including “four days in the heart of California’s wine country at the prestigious Calistoga Ranch and Spa”; a trip to South Africa to visit Cape Town and Kruger National Park; and the ability to win “tour the Mediterranean on a private yacht, like royalty, celebrities, and the wealthy elite.” According to the report, Sen. Warren is concerned that earning perks may provide a greater incentive for making recommendations that acting in their clients’ best interest.

Equity indexed-annuities promise a return tied to a stock-market index while protecting against losses if the market falls. Sounds good right. Except there are serious limitations built into the products which make them both very expensive and limited to almost CD like returns. Accordingly, if the market has a blockbuster year, your equity-linked annuity will not perform in kind.

Former Morgan Stanley Broker Debra Lyman Sanctioned Over Unauthorized Trading

July 23, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) fined and suspended broker Debra Lyman (Lyman) concerning allegations that between January 2013 through November 2013 Lyman engaged in unauthorized or discretionary trading in six client accounts without proper written permission.

Lyman was associated with Morgan Stanley from 1998 , through January 17, 2014. Respondent was terminated by the firm for exercising discretion in client accounts without obtaining written authorization. In addition to the FINRA complaint, Lyman has been the subject of at least five customer complaints, the majority of which complain of high commissions and fees associated with unauthorized and excessive trading activity, commonly known and referred to as churning.

NASD Conduct Rule 2510(b) prohibits brokers from exercising discretionary power in a customer’s account unless such customer has given prior written authorization to the broker and the brokerage firm has accepted the account as discretionary. FINRA alleged that from January through November 2013, Lyman effected discretionary transactions in at least six customer accounts without obtaining prior written authorization from the customers and without the accounts being accepted as discretionary by Morgan Stanley.

Gregory Bray and Matt Maberry Under Investigation By FINRA For Unsuitable Security Sales

July 22, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently sanctioned supervisor Gregory Bray (Bray) concerning allegations that Bray failed to adequately supervise the firm’s chief executive officer and compliance officer Matt Maberry (Maberry), who FINRA refers to by the initials “MM”, concerning sales of certain complex products and recommendations of Class A mutual fund shares. In September 1996, Bray became registered with Alton Securities Group, Inc. (Alton Securities) where the alleged misconduct took place.

FINRA alleged that Bray was responsible for supervising the sales activity of Maberry. Maberry was responsible for all other supervisory functions at the Alton Securities. FINRA found that Bray’s supervision of Maberry’s sales activity consisted of a daily review of a trade blotter reflecting trades made by Maberry to customers together with conversations with Maberry regarding trading activity.

FINRA found that Maberry recommended and sold certain complex products to his customers. For example, FINRA found that Maberry recommended and sold leveraged or inverse exchange traded funds and leveraged/inverse mutual funds. In addition, Maberry is alleged to have recommended and sold a steepener note designed to increase in value as the gap between short and long term interest rates increased. FINRA found that Maberry’s sales were unsuitable because he lacked a reasonable basis to recommend these products to his customers because he did not fully understand the potential risks associated with these securities.

Gana LLP Investigates Investor Losses In Star Scientific / Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals (RCPI)

July 22, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating investor losses in Star Scientific, Inc. / Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals (Star Scientific) on the heels of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation into alleged false and misleading research reports issued by Oits Bradley (Bradley) presumably made about the company. Although FINRA only refers to Star Scientific in its complaint against Bradley as the “Pharmaceutical Company” we believe that the referenced report citations refer to Star Scientific.

According to FINRA, Bradley was an equity research analyst with Gilford Securities, Inc. (Gilford), who authored eight research reports containing false, misleading and unwarranted statements concerning Star Scientific. During the relevant time period Bradley was associated with Gilford from February 2012 until his termination from the firm in October 2014. FINRA alleged that Bradley’s research reports on the Star Scientific were distributed to Gilford’s brokers as well as various financial media outlets, investment research firms, firm clients and others.

FINRA found that Bradley falsely claimed that a prominent medical research university was conducting clinical trials on humans to study the effects of one of the Star Scientific’s dietary supplements on thyroid disorders. Additionally, FINRA alleged that Bradley made unwarranted and misleading statements concerning Star Scientific’s financial prospects based on his inaccurate claim that the university was conducting clinical trials on humans, and made false, misleading and unwarranted claims regarding the company’s announcement of preliminary results of its clinical trials on humans.

David Chu Formerly of NYLife Securities Barred Over Private Transactions Investigation

July 21, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently sanctioned and barred David Chu (Chu) concerning allegations Chu refused cooperate with requests made by FINRA in connection with an investigation into possible outside business activities and private securities transactions. Such activities are often referred to as “selling away” in the industry. According to FINRA BrokerCheck records Chu has no outside business activities listed. It is unclear what businesses or investments FINRA’s investigation concerns.

Chu entered the securities industry in 2004, when he became associated with NYLife Securities LLC (NYLife). Chu held a Series 6 license which is a license that only allows the broker to sell investment companies (i.e. mutual funds) and variable contracts products. On March 16, 2015, NYLife filed a termination notice (known as a Form U5) with FINRA disclosing that Chu was discharged from the firm under circumstances that included a notification from the SEC that the agency was reviewing Chu’s books and records including his outside business activities and private securities transactions. NYLife conducted its own review and believed that Chu’s activities exceeded the scope of his approved activities with the brokerage firm.

According to FINRA, in April 2015, the agency began investigating whether Chu had engaged in outside business activities by soliciting investments or promissory notes. As part of its investigation FINRA sent a request to Chu for certain documents and information. According to FINRA, Chu provided a partial response to FINRA but thereafter through subsequent communications stated on a call with FINRA staff that he will not cooperate with the investigation. Consequently, Chu was barred by FINRA.

Broker Spotlight: Nigel James Churning Claims

July 21, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

According to the BrokerCheck records kept by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Nigel James (James) has been the subject of at least five customer complaints and one financial matter. Customers have filed complaints against James alleging a number of securities law violations including that the broker made unsuitable investments, misrepresentations and false statements, churning (excessive trading), breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, unauthorized trading, among other claims. Most of these claims involve recommendations in equities.

James entered the securities industry in 2002. From October 2005 until October 2008, James was registered with J.P. Turner & Company, L.L.C. From there, James as associated with First Midwest Securities, Inc. until February 2013.

All advisers have a fundamental responsibility to deal fairly with investors including making suitable investment recommendations. In order to make suitable recommendations the broker must have a reasonable basis for recommending the product or security based upon the broker’s investigation of the investments properties including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, and other relevant factors. In addition, the broker must also understand the customer’s specific investment objectives to determine whether or not the specific product or security being recommended is appropriate for the customer based upon their needs.

Broker Investigation: Fera Shivaee’s Sale of Tenants-in-Common (TIC) Real Estate Investments

July 20, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

According to the BrokerCheck records kept by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Fera Shivaee (Shivaee) has been the subject of at least two customer complaints. Customers have filed complaints against Shivaee alleging a number of securities law violations including that the broker made unsuitable investments, misrepresentations and false statements in connection with recommendations to invest in private placements such as tenants-in-common (TICs) interests.

Shivaee has been a registered representative with Centaurus Financial, Inc. (Centaurus) since 1997. According to FINRA records three TICs complained of include NNN River Exchange, NNN Plantations, and CORE Minneapolis.

TIC investments have come under fire by many investors. Indeed, due to the failure of the TIC investment strategy as a whole across the securities industry, TIC investments have virtually disappeared as offered investments. According to InvestmentNews “At the height of the TIC market in 2006, 71 sponsors raised $3.65 billion in equity from TICs and DSTs…TICs now are all but extinct because of the fallout from the credit crisis.” In fact, TICs recommendations have been a major contributor to bankrupting brokerage firms. For example, 43 of the 92 broker-dealers that sold TICs sponsored by DBSI Inc., a company whose executives were later charged with running a Ponzi scheme, a staggering 47% of firms that sold DBSI are no longer in business.

Cabot Investment Properties Principals Carlton Cabot and Timothy Kroll Arrested in $17 Million Fraud

July 20, 2015 | by Staff Attorney

According to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and several other government agencies, Carlton Cabot (Cabot) and Timothy Kroll (Kroll) the former Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Cabot Investment Properties LLC (Cabot Investment), were arrested on charges of defrauding investors in numerous Cabot Investment-sponsored real estate investments by misappropriating over $17 million to pay for personal and business expenses and thereafter covering up their fraud with manipulated financial statements. Regulators stated that the two’s greed overcome honest business practices. In the end, the regulators say that the defendants stole from their investors to fund their lavish lifestyle.

According to the release, from 2003 through 2012, Cabot Investment – which was controlled by Cabot and Kroll – sponsored approximately 18 tenants-in-common (TIC) securities offerings to investors. Those investments included:

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