According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker David Khezri (Khezri), previously associated with Network 1 Financial Securities INC., has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, one regulatory event, alleging that Khezri recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on December 23, 2021.
Without admitting or denying the findings, Khezri consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to provide documents and information that FINRA requested in connection with its investigation of whether Khezri made unsuitable securities recommendations in customer accounts.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $72,000.00 on December 24, 2020.
Between approximately January 2015 and July 2015 allegations specifically stated in relation to the firm were: aggressively trading the account without sufficient authorization resulting in excessive turnover that generated excessive fees; failure to supervise; and failure to amend the U5 to indicate Rep was terminated or under investigation when his association with the firm ended. At the end of the statement of claim, there is a list of allegations including both reasonable basis and quantitative unsuitability (FINRA 2111), breach of Federal and States Securities laws, Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Negligence, Breach of Contract, Common law fraud, and Agency and Respondeat Superior.
When your financial advisor is providing advice they must adhere to the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) rule and standard of care. Reg BI replaced the former “suitability” rule and created a ‘best interest’ standard for brokerage firms and registered representatives. This standard applies when brokers make recommendations to retail customer for any securities transaction or investment strategy involving securities, including recommendations of types of accounts. This standard applies when a registered representative is providing investment advice through making recommendations customers and covers securities transaction, investment strategies, and recommendations concerning advice on opening of an account or accounts.
Another aspect of the care obligation is focusing on the client’s specific needs which brokers must reasonably understand through obtaining information for the client’s investment profile. In completing a customer’s investment profile the advisor should include information such as the investor’s investment time horizon; liquidity needs; risk tolerance; experience with various investment vehicles; investment objectives and financial goals; assets and debts including outside investment accounts; marital status; tax information; age; and other relevant information that may be individual to the investor that the advisor would need to know to properly render advice or provide services. The Reg BI rule applies a fiduciary principles and requires an associated person to act in the retail investor’s “best interests” while barring the broker from placing their own financial interests and compensation incentives ahead of the investor’s best interest. There are several different aspects of the rule that brokers must comply with. One of which is the care obligations which require brokers to form a reasonable belief that their investment advice and recommendations are in the retail investor’s best interest. The care obligations include three components. First, the advisor must have an understanding of the potential risks, rewards, and costs associated with a product, investment strategy, account type, or series of transactions.
Next, the broker must understand the investor’s investment background and profile. A customer’s profile includes information that describes the investor’s financial situation and needs. Information here will include their outside securities accounts and investments; relevant assets and debts; tax bracket; age; liquidity needs; risk tolerance; investment time horizon; experience with investing; investment objectives; and any other relevant information that the investor may choose to disclose pertinent to their situation. The associated person must then apply both their reasonable diligence into various investment options as well as the information gathered as to the investor’s specific needs when considering the investment recommendation. The broker must explore various alternative investment options available to address these needs and determine that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the recommendation or service being recommended is in the retail investor’s best interest. In addition to specific investments being recommended, under Reg BI, a broker must also understand the type of account that their client would need in order to meet their care obligations. The SEC has stated that the type of securities account an investor has can greatly affect a customers’ costs and overall investment returns. Further, different account types can offer and support different features, products, securities, or services, and account type would not be appropriately applied in a one size fits all manner.
Khezri has been in the securities industry for more than 24 years. Khezri has been registered as a Broker with Network 1 Financial Securities INC. since 2020.
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.