Securities Lawyers Blog
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently filed a complaint against ARI Financial Services, Inc. (ARI) and William Candler (Candler), the firm’s President and former Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) alleging that that he facilitated at least ten private placement offerings from September 1, 2009, to December 31, 2012. The complaint found that the respondents failed to implement reasonable supervisory procedures in connection with the sales of the private placements.
ARI has been a FINRA member firm since 2005 and derives most of its revenue as a wholesaler of private placements that it marketed to retail broker-dealers who then sold those interests to retail investors. ARI’s main office was located in Kansas and during certain times had registered up to five branch offices and over 30 registered representatives located in six different states. ARI is currently owned by Candler and two other individuals. Candler is ARI’s majority owner.
Candler entered the securities industry in 1996. From March 2011, until November 2012, Candler was associated with Connor Capital Investments, LLC. Since April 2014, in addition to ARI, Candler is associated with JCC Advisors, LLC.