Advisor Valentino Scott (Scott), currently employed by brokerage firm Centaurus Financial, Inc. (Centaurus) has been subject to at least 10 disclosures including eight customer complaints, one regulatory action, and one employment termination for cause. According to a BrokerCheck report some of the customer complaints concern alternative investments such as direct participation products (DPPs) like business development companies (BDCs), non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), oil & gas programs, annuities, and private placements. The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP have represented hundreds of investors who suffered losses caused by these types of high risk, low reward products and have recovered in excess of $50 million in investor losses.
In July 2022 a customer complained that Scott violated the securities laws by alleging that Scott misrepresented an unsuitable investment. The claim is currently pending and no specific damages are provided.
In March 2022 a customer complained that Scott violated the securities laws by alleging that Scott from October 2013 to the present, Scott made poor recommendations, misrepresented and overconcentrated the customers accounts in unsuitable, illiquid and risky investments. The claim is currently pending and no specific damages are provided.
DDPs include products such as non-traded REITs, oil and gas offerings, equipment leasing products, and other alternative investments. These alternative investments virtually never profit investors and are almost always unsuitable for investors because of their high fee and cost structure. Brokers selling these products are paid additional commission in order to hype these inferior quality investments providing a perverse incentives to create an artificial market for the investments. Continue Reading
Securities Lawyers Blog
