Wells Fargo

Advisor Raul Benitez Has Suitability Customer Complaints

February 11, 2024 | by Staff Attorney

The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating BrokerCheck records reports that financial advisor Raul Benitez (Benitez), formerly employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services , LLC (Wells Fargo) has been subject to at least six customer complaints and one termination for cause during the course of his career. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Benitez’s customer complaints alleges that Benitez recommended un suitable investments in various investments and makes allegations including common law fraud, gross negligence.

In January 2024 a customer complained that Benitez violated the securities laws by alleging that Benitez made unsuitable investments and misrepresentations of recommendations in September 2014 and March 2015. The claim alleges $500,000 in damages and is currently pending.

In November 2023 a customer complained that Benitez violated the securities laws by alleging that Benitez made an investment recommendation that was unsuitable. The claim alleges $500,000 in damages and is currently pending.

In July 2021 a customer complained that Benitez violated the securities laws by alleging that Benitez made an investment recommendation in NorthStar that was unsuitable. The claim alleged $2178,707 in damages and settled for $175,000.

Daniel Pimental Engaged in Unsuitable Investment Advice and Unauthorized Trading

October 27, 2021 | by Staff Attorney

The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating BrokerCheck records reports that financial advisor Daniel Pimental (Pimental), most recently employed by Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (Wells Fargo) has been subject to at least three customer complaints during the course of his career. Mr. Pimental is no longer a registered broker. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Mr. Pimental’s customer complaints alleges that Mr. Pimental recommended unsuitable investments in various investments including allegations involving mutual funds, options, and over-the-counter securities, among other allegations of misconduct relating to the handling of their accounts.

In January 2020, a customer complained that Mr. Pimental violated the securities laws by alleging that Mr. Pimental engaged in unsuitable investment advice, unauthorized trading, and churning of the customer’s accounts. The claim is currently pending.

In May 2008, a customer complained that Mr. Pimental violated the securities laws by alleging that Mr. Pimental engaged in unsuitable investment advice. The claim settled in the amount of $14,138.

In March 2002, a customer complained that Mr. Pimental allegedly played a role in the substantial aggregate net loss in their technology stocks. The claim settled in the amount of $700,000.

Brokers are required under the securities laws to treat their clients fairly. This obligation includes the duties to disclose material risks of the investments they recommend and to present products, particularly complex or confusing products, in a fair and balanced manner that allows the client to evaluate the recommendation. Another important obligation advisors have is to make only suitable recommendations for investments to the client. There are many investments that are not appropriate for the majority of investors or for certain investors given their risk tolerance, age, and other factors. Advisors should not present these investment options to clients. There are two screens that advisors must employ to determine whether an investment is suitable for a client. First, there must be a reasonable basis for the recommendation – meaning that the product has been investigated and due diligence conducted into the investment’s features, benefits, risks, and other relevant factors. The advisor must conclude that the investment is suitable for at least some investors and some securities may be suitable for no one. Second, the broker then must match the investment as being appropriate for the customer’s specific investment needs and objectives such as the client’s retirement status, long or short term goals, age, disability, income needs, or any other relevant factor.

Broker Paul Porter Accused of Unauthorized Trading and Making Unsuitable Recommendations

April 7, 2021 | by Staff Attorney

Financial advisor Paul Porter, currently employed at Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (Wells Fargo), has been subject to at least four customer complaints during the course of his career. His most recent customer complaints allege unauthorized trading and unsuitability. All of Porter’s complaints have occurred at Wells Fargo – his most recent place of employment. According to a BrokerCheck report, in 2018 Porter was accused of selling the client’s stock without her knowledge. This matter against him settled approximately $61,000.00. In 2012, another client accused porter of engaging in unauthorized trading. Then, in October 2008, another client accused porter of making unsuitable investments. This matter ultimately settled for $30,000.00.

Unauthorized trading occurs when a broker sells securities without the prior consent from the investor. All brokers, who do not have discretionary authority to trade an account, are under an obligation to first discuss trades with the investor before executing them under NYSE Rule 408(a) and FINRA Rules 2510(b). Under the NASD Conduct Rule 2510(b), a broker is prohibited from trading in a non-discretionary customer account without prior written authorization from the customer. Unauthorized trading is a type of investment fraud because the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) has found that disclosures of trades being made are essential and material to an investor. Unauthorized trading is often a gateway violation to other securities violations including churning, unsuitable investments, and excessive use of margin.

Advisor Bryan Benson Has Customer Complaint Over Alternative Investments

June 29, 2020 | by Staff Attorney

Advisor Bryan Benson (Benson), formerly employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (Wells Fargo) has been subject to at least one customer complaint and one regulatory action during the course of his career. According to a BrokerCheck report the customer complaint concerns 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.

In April 2020 FINRA barred Benson after he consented to sanctions and findings that he refused to provide information and documents that were requested by FINRA in connection with an investigation into an investment-related customer complaint. It is unclear the nature of the FINRA complaint that led to Benson’s bar from the industry

In April 2017 a customer complained that Benson violated the securities laws by alleging that Benson engaged in sales practice violations related to unsuitable investments concerning DPPs and limited partnership interests. The claim settled for $415,000.

Advisor Robert Montes Investigated Over Missue of Elderly Investor’s Assets

October 11, 2019 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that advisor Robert Montes (Montes) engaged in undisclosed outside business activities (OBAs) and investment sales that were not approved by his brokerage firm. Montes, formerly registered with Morgan Stanley was subject to a regulatory investigation according to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). In addition, Montes disclosed three customer complaints.

In July 2019, FINRA alleged that Montes accepted a bar from the financial industry, without admitting or denying the findings, that he refused to provide documents and information requested by FINRA in connection with an investigation into whether he potentially misused an elderly customer’s assets.

At this time it is unclear what the activity was that was the focus of FINRA’s investigation or the scope of Montes’ activities. Montes’ publicly available BrokerCheck information discloses several OBAs including a real estate venture and a company called R.J.R. Asset Management, LLC. It is unknown whether the activity investigated by FINRA involves any of these entities.

Our law firm has significant experience bringing cases on behalf of defrauded victims when their advisors engage in receiving loans from clients or selling fraudulent securities sales through OBAs. The sale of unapproved investment products – is a practice known in the industry as “selling away” – a serious violation of the securities laws. In the industry the term selling away refers to when a financial advisor solicits investments in companies, promissory notes, or other securities that are not pre-approved by the broker’s affiliated firm. Sometimes those investments have some legitimacy but often times these types of investments can end up being Ponzi schemes or the advisor can be engaging in the conversion of funds.

Wells Fargo Employed Risky Broker Leonard Kinsman

June 11, 2019 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor Leonard Kinsman (Kinsman), currently employed by Wells Fargo Advisors Network, LLC (Wells Fargo) has been subject to at least five customer complaints during the course of his career. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Kinsman’s customer complaints allege that Kinsman recommended unsuitable securities recommendations among other allegations of misconduct in the handling of customer accounts.

In addition, a recent Washington Post article exposed how brokerage firms as large as Wells Fargo still hire brokers with troubling work histories. Kinsman had prior multiple complaints from clients and worked for two banned brokerages firms. One firm was Meyers Pollock Robbins, a notorious bucket shop whose ex-president pleaded guilty to charges of engaging in a pump-and-dump stock scheme. The fraud was alleged to have been linked to a bribery scheme coordinated by organized crime.

Recently, Kinsman was the subject to a new customer complaint where the client accused the broker of losing a $2.25 million insurance settlement after the client’s husband died unexpectedly in 2011. The complaint alleges aggressive options trading and false documentation.

Advisor Richard Bernstein Has Investor Complaints

May 24, 2019 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor Richard Bernstein (Bernstein), currently employed by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (Wells Fargo) has been subject to at least eight customer complaints during the course of his career. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Bernstein’s customer complaints allege that Bernstein recommended unsuitable investments and securities among other allegations.

In February 2019 a customer filed a complaint alleging that Bernstein violated the securities laws by, among other things, that the client is seeking at least $53,000.00 in damage and claims that from February 2013 to July 2015 the advisor made unauthorized trades which conflicted with the client’s stated investment goals. The claim is currently pending

In January 2019 a customer filed a complaint alleging that Bernstein violated the securities laws by, among other things, that from 2015 through 2016 the advisor made unsuitable investments. The claim is currently pending.

Broker Sam Aziz Discharged Due to Regulatory Investigation Over Sales Practices

January 31, 2019 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor Sam Aziz (Aziz), formerly employed by David A. Noyes & Co. (David Noyes) has been subject to at least three customer complaints, one regulatory investigation, and two terminations for cause. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), most of Aziz’s customer complaints allege that Aziz made unsuitable recommendations in a variety of investments.

In October 2018 FINRA opened an investigation into Aziz’s activities. On October 24, 2018, FINRA made a preliminary determination to recommend that disciplinary action be brought against Aziz alleging that he made potential violations, specifically excessive trading and unsuitable recommendations of the use of margin), attempting to settle away a customer’s complaint), and use of an undisclosed personal email account and text messages to conduct securities business.

In October 2018 Aziz’s firm, David Noyes, terminated him citing the FINRA investigation as a reason.

Advisor John Schmidt Accused of Stealing Client Funds By SEC

November 27, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) former advisor John Schmidt (Schmidt), formerly associated with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (Wells Fargo) in Dayton, Ohio has been accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of misappropriating over $1.16 million from at least seven clients.

In September 2018 the SEC filed a complaint alleging that for the past 35 years Schmidt has been a registered representative in the brokerage industry. The SEC found that from at least 2003 through 2017, Schmidt betrayed his customers’ trust by perpetrating a classic fraudulent scheme, acting without customer authorization, and repeatedly selling securities belonging to some of his brokerage customers and secretly transferring the sale proceeds to cover shortfalls in the accounts of other customers. The SEC alleged that Schmidt misappropriated over $1.16 million from accounts belonging to seven customers and transferred that cash to at least ten other customers whose accounts were experiencing shortfalls. In addition, the commission found that rather than tell those customers the truth about their dwindling funds, Schmidt sent them fake account statements and falsely assured the customers that their investment returns could fund their withdrawals without jeopardizing their principal. Most of Schmidt’s customers were elderly retirees with little to no financial expertise and several of Schmidt’s victims were suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. The SEC claimed that at least five of Schmidt’s victims passed away during the course of his fraud. Further, Schmidt’s allegedly profited from the scheme and received over $230,000 in commissions from customers who were either the source of, or recipient of, misappropriated funds.

Bryan Musso Subject to Unsuitable Oil and Gas Investment Complaints

September 12, 2018 | by Staff Attorney

The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP have been investigating Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (Wells Fargo) broker Bryan Musso (Musso). According to BrokerCheck Records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Musso has been subject to six customer disputes, one of which is still pending. The majority of these disputes concern unsuitable investment recommendations in retirement plans and in oil and gas securities. The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses and potential legal remedies due to recommendations to investor in oil and gas and commodities related investments.

Most recently, in December 2017, Musso was subject to a customer dispute in which a customer alleged that Musso placed the customer in unsuitable oil and gas securities. This dispute is currently still pending.

In May 2011, a customer alleged that Musso made poor, unsuitable retirement plan recommendations and placed the customer into unsuitable investments. The case was settled at $445,220.