REIT attorney

Broker Robert Ginsberg Subject to Pending Complaint in Unsuitable REITs

September 12, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. (Woodbury Financial) broker Richard Ginsberg (Ginsberg). According to BrokerCheck Records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Ginsberg has been subject to two pending customer disputes concerning unsuitable alternative investments.

Most recently, in December 2017, Ginsberg was subject to a customer complaint in which the customer alleged that Ginsberg had placed the customer in unsuitable investments. This dispute is currently still pending.

In addition, in November 2017, a customer alleged that Ginsberg had placed the customer in unsuitable Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). The REITs were unsuitable for the customer in terms of the customer’s investment objectives and risk tolerance. The customer has requested $1,000,000 in damages. This dispute is currently still pending.

The Parking REIT (MVP REIT II) Investment Loss Options

July 23, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

The securities lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating investor losses in The Parking REIT (formerly known as the MVP REIT II) a non-traded real estate investment trust (Non-Traded REIT). According to the firm’s website, the REIT owns parking lots and claims that Americans own more than 253 million passenger vehicles and that an investment in the REIT provides benefits including, low operating and maintenance costs, potential for long-term capital appreciation, redevelopment opportunities, a fragmented Industry, and heavy demand.

However, the board of The Parking REIT announced that it would be suspending the company’s distributions. The Board claims that the move is intended to focus on preserving capital in order to maintain sufficient liquidity to continue to operate the business and maintain compliance with debt covenants, including minimum liquidity covenants, and to seek to enhance the value of the company for stockholders through potential future acquisitions. The elimination of dividends is never a good sign for a REIT.

Because The Parking REIT in non-traded there are no market pricing for the value of the securities. Secondary market sources for non-traded REITs are currently pricing the REIT at $12.17 per share based on a tender offer. This is a far drop from the sale price of $25 per share when the REIT issued shares to investors.

Jeffrey Eglow Subject to Multiple Complaints Alleging Unsuitable Alternative Investments

July 23, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

Securities firm Gana Weinstein LLP is investigating Newbridge Securities Corporation (Newbridge Securities) broker Jeffrey Eglow (Eglow). According to BrokerCheck records, Eglow has been subject to 4 customer complaints and one criminal action. The majority of these disputes involve unsuitable, over-concentrated alternative investments.

In May 2017, a customer alleged that Eglow overcharged customers fees for trading which resulted in damages of $48,758. The customer’s request for damages was fully remedied by the court.

In July 2016, a customer alleged that Eglow placed over-concentrated investments in Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) and energy securities which was unsuitable to the customer and resulted in unrealized losses. In addition, Eglow leveraged Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF) in long positions also resulted in losses to the customer. The case was settled at $115,000.

Stephen Williams Subject to Multiple Customer Disputes over REITs and Alternative Investments

June 30, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating claims against Next Financial Group Inc. (Next Financial) broker Stephen Williams (Williams). According to BrokerCheck records, Williams has been subject to six customer complaints, one of which is still pending. The majority of these claims involve the misrepresentation of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).

Most recently, in February 2018, a customer alleged that Williams misrepresented the nature of various non-traded REITs and didn’t properly disclose the high risk associated with private investments. The customer has requested damages of $350,000. This dispute is currently still pending.

In February 2018, a customer alleged that Williams recommended the customer to invest $50,000 in United Development Funding III (UDF lll) while misrepresenting and failing to disclose UDF III’s highly risky and illiquid nature. The customer requested $50,000 for damages.

Berthel Fisher Broker Jonathan Pyne Subject to Customer Complaints Over Alternative Investments

January 8, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

Current Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. (Berthel Fisher) broker Jonathan Pyne (Pyne) has been subject to five customer complaints. According to a BrokerCheck provided by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the primary regulator for securities broker dealers, many of the complaints concern alternative investments. Alternative investments include a group of speculative securities such as non-traded real estate investment trusts (Non-Traded REITs), oil & gas programs, equipment leasing, and other direct participation programs. Our firm has experience handling investor losses caused by these products.

In July 2017 a customer filed a complaint trying to redeem her investment and is alleging that she was misled by the representative into purchasing an investment that she didn’t know was illiquid. The claim is currently pending.

In September 2016 another customer filed a complaint alleging that the investments she purchased in 2008 and 2009 were unsuitable and misrepresented to her by the representative. The claim was settled for $48,175.

Healthcare Trust REIT Investment Loss Options

November 12, 2017 | by Staff Attorney

The securities lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating investor losses in Healthcare Trust, Inc. a non-traded real estate investment trust (Non-Traded REIT). According to the firm’s website, Healthcare Trust is an investment trust which seeks to acquire a diversified portfolio of real estate properties focusing primarily on healthcare-related assets including medical office buildings, seniors housing, and other healthcare-related facilities.

According to a secondary market providers which allow investors to bid and sell illiquid products such as Non-Traded REITs, Healthcare Trust sells for just under $14.99 per share – a significant loss on the original purchase price of $25.00.

Our firm often handles cases involving direct participation products (DPPs), private placements, Non-Traded REITs, and other alternative investments. These products are almost always unsuitable for middle class investors. In addition, the brokers who sell them are paid additional commission in order to hype inferior quality investments providing perverse incentives for brokers to sell high risk and low reward investments.