Securities Lawyers Blog
Currently financial advisor Jay Geaslen (Geaslen), currently employed by brokerage firm Avantax Investment Services, Inc. has been subject to at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, one tax lien. According to a BrokerCheck reports most of the recent customer complaints concern either corporate debt securities or 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.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint with a damage request of $500,000.00 on September 30, 2024.
Claimants allege that they were recommended unsuitable investments, including leveraged structed notes and a non-traded REIT, and sustained losses as a result.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on September 17, 2024.
Rendered investment advice, from a location within Florida, without being registered by the Office.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $25,000.00 on September 05, 2024.
Client alleged that his previous advisor misrepresented the risk associated with Reverse Convertible Notes (RCNs) and failed to inform the client that the RCN model changed from returning stock to the accounts when the contrast was called as a result of the barrier being broken, to only returning cash.
Alternative investments, including nontraded REITs, oil and gas offerings, and equipment leasing products, are examples of DDPs. Investors almost never benefit from these alternative investments, which are typically inappropriate because of their high fees and expense structure. To push these subpar investments, brokers are given additional commissions, leading to perverse incentives that manipulate the market.
Several studies have confirmed that Non-traded REITs underperform publicly traded REITs with some showing that Non-Traded REITs cannot even beat safe benchmarks, like U.S. treasury bonds. Brokers offering these products are required to inform investors that non-traded REITs come with lower returns than treasuries, along with high risk and illiquidity—but they rarely do. Since there is no additional return to justify the higher risk and illiquidity, these alternative investment products are typically unsuitable for investors.
Brokers have a responsibility treat investors fairly which includes obligations such as making only suitable investments for the client after conducting due diligence. Due diligence includes an investigation into the investment’s properties including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, issuer, history, and other relevant factors. Appropriate due diligence would identify that an alternative investment’s high costs, illiquidity, and conflicts of interests that would make the investment not suitable for investors. Investors often fail to understand that they have lost money until many years after agreeing to the investment. In sum, for all of their costs and risks, investors in these programs are in no way additionally compensated for the loss of liquidity, risks, or cost.
Unfortunately, these types of alternative investment products continue to popular among brokers due to their high commissions. In order to counter the perverse incentives to sell these flawed product many states now limit investors from investing more than 10% of their liquid assets in Non-Traded REITs and BDCs. Many states impose these limitations because these investments do not benefit investors.
Geaslen entered the securities industry in 1991. Geaslen has been registered as a Broker with Avantax Investment Services, Inc. since 2022.
Investors who have suffered losses are encouraged to contact us at (800) 810-4262 for consultation. At Gana Weinstein LLP, our attorneys are experienced representing investors who have suffered securities losses due to the mishandling of their accounts. Claims may be brought in securities arbitration before FINRA. Our consultations are free of charge and the firm is only compensated if you recover.
