Securities Lawyers Blog

Broker Michael Bristoll in Vanguard Marketing Corporation Firm Has Customer Complaint

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Michael Bristoll (Bristoll), currently associated with Vanguard Marketing Corporation, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Bristoll recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on August 09, 2022.

The client gave specific instructions to not sell shares of John Marshal Bancorp for investing purposes when establishing managed plan. When plan was funded, John Marshal Bancorp was included in the sell transactions and subsequent shares were sold during systematic rebalancing of account per financial plan. The alleged activity took place between December, 2020 and May, 2022.

Broker Robert Meyer in Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Robert Meyer (Meyer), currently associated with Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Meyer recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $99,999.00 on August 11, 2022.

The client alleged the representative did not act in a timely manner in liquidating his shares of HTI after they transferred to Computershare; which, he states caused additional losses in the investment. Additionally, the client alleged the representative has not been transparent and that he has not received statements reflecting his purchases through the representative. In August 10, 2022, the client filed an arbitration, in which the client alleges the representative made unsuitable recommendations and misrepresented the investments purchased. The client has also alleged the firm failed to conduct adequate due diligence and failed to supervise the activities of the representative.

Broker Wayne Rentschler in American Equity Investment Corporation Firm Has Customer Complaint

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Wayne Rentschler (Rentschler), previously associated with American Equity Investment Corporation, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Rentschler recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $86,000.00 on August 15, 2022.

Investment made on July, 2020 in GWG L-bond. L-Bond stopped paying interest in February 2022 and in April, 2022, GWG filed for re-organization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Lance Walston in Firm Dominion Investor Services, INC.

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Lance Walston (Walston), previously associated with Dominion Investor Services, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Walston recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $73,000.00 on August 16, 2022.

Options and frequent stock trading

Broker Douglas Studer in Kovack Securities INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

Previously financial advisor Douglas Studer (Studer), previously employed by brokerage firm Kovack Securities INC. has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. 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 settled customer complaint with a damage request of $90,000.00 on August 11, 2022.

Claimant alleges breach of fiduciary duty, failure to supervise, overconcentration, and unsuitability regarding the sale of REITs.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Steven Standley in Firm D.h. Hill Securities, Lllp

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Steven Standley (Standley), previously associated with D.h. Hill Securities, Lllp, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Standley recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $190,000.00 on August 09, 2022.

Client alleges that in Nov. 2019 representative recommended GWG L-Bonds that was unsuitable. Claimant alleges failure to conduct reasonable due diligence, unsuitable recommendation, violation of securities laws, breach of contract, common law fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence.

Broker Augustine Choi in Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Augustine Choi (Choi), currently associated with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, one regulatory event, alleging that Choi recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $26,252.86 on August 15, 2022.

The client alleged her variable annuity was improperly purchased September, 2021.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Todd Hilinski in Firm Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Todd Hilinski (Hilinski), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Hilinski recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on August 12, 2022.

FA transferred only $600k instead of $1.9 MM to a Medicaid trust intended to shield family assets from Medicaid.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Yin Zhong in Firm Ni Advisors

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Yin Zhong (Zhong), previously associated with Ni Advisors, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, alleging that Zhong recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $30,000.00 on August 10, 2022.

Allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, suitability, negligence, failure to supervise regarding investment in GWG L-bonds which subsequently sought reorganization through bankruptcy. Five year bond investment occurred in 2019.

Broker Ross Barish in Joseph Stone Capital L.l.c. Firm Has Customer Complaint

November 9, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Ross Barish (Barish), previously associated with Joseph Stone Capital L.l.c., has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, one regulatory event, alleging that Barish recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on August 11, 2022.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (‘Commission’) deems it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘Exchange Act’) against Ross Barish (‘Respondent’). The Commission finds that on August 10, 2022, a final judgment was entered by consent against Barish permanently enjoining him from future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, in the civil action entitled Securities and Exchange Commission v. Ross Barish, 20 Civ. 6437 (JPC), in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Commission’s complaint alleged that, from 2014 through July 2019, Barish recommended to customers a pattern of high cost, in-and-out trading without any reasonable basis to believe that his recommendations were suitable for anyone. The complaint alleged Barish’s recommendations resulted in losses for the customers and ill-gotten gains for Barish. The complaint also alleged that Barish concealed material information from and made material misrepresentations to his customers, and that Barish engaged in unauthorized trading in customer accounts.