According to broker Ismail Elmas’ (Elmas) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) BrokerCheck records the representative was recently discharged from CUSO Financial Services, LP (CUSO Financial) concerning allegations that the broker “converted client funds for personal use as well as participated in an unauthorized outside business activity involving investments without the…
Articles Posted in Selling Away
IRS Brings Charges Against Barred Broker William Bucci
Back in Decmeber 2013, the law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP reported that “Former Ryan Beck and Oppenheimer Financial Advisor William Bucci Barred From the Financial Industry” where we reported that The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) barred Bucci for allegedly accepting 19 personal loans totaling $635,000 from nine customers…
Broker Robert Livingstone Barred Over Alleged Sales of Newland Strategies to Customers
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned broker Robert Livingstone (Livingstone) concerning allegations that Livingstone failed to respond FINRA’s request for documents concerning claims that Livingstone deposited a customer’s money into a private company called Newland Strategies. Livingstone first became registered with FINRA in 1992 as a General Securities Representative…
Former Sterne Agee Broker Dean Mustaphalli Alleged to Have Wrongfully Run $6 Million Hedge Fund
The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating claims that former Sterne Agee Financial Services Inc. (Sterne Agee) broker Dean Mustaphalli (Mustaphalli) solicited millions of dollars from investors running to run a $6 million hedge fund on the side without formerly disclosing the activity to his brokerage firm. As reported…
Broker David Diehl Sanctioned by FINRA Over the Unauthorized Sale of Promissory Notes
Our law office is investigating potential customer complaints against David Diehl in the wake of the findings and sanctions by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) concerning allegations that Diehl engaged in private securities transactions, often referred to as “selling away”, and an outside business activity without disclosing these activities…
Ralph Lord Disciplined Over Outside Business Activities in SigFX and Cranebrake
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently sanctioned broker Ralph Lord (Lord) concerning allegations that the broker, from 2007 through 2013, engaged in three unapproved outside business activities in violation of NASD Rule 3030 and FINRA Rule 3270, participated in undisclosed private securities transactions, provided inaccurate information on compliance questionnaires,…
Gana LLP Investigates Broker Patricia Miller’s Ponzi Scheme
The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating an alleged Ponzi scheme run by financial advisor Patricia S. Miller (Miller) of McMurray, Pennsylvania. According to allegations made against Miller by investors, she convinced customers to invest in purportedly safe mix of securities including corporate and municipal bonds. However,…
FINRA Sanctions Larry Steven Werbel for Selling Away and Other FINRA Violations
On March 10, 2014, Larry Steven Werbel submitted a Letter of Acceptance, agreeing to accept the sanctions handed down by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for alleged violations relating to the sale of penny stocks during his tenure at LPL Financial, LLC. Larry Werbel entered the securities industry in…
Broker Jeffrey Schrader Barred Over Selling Away Allegations
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently barred broker Jeffrey Schrader (Schrader) concerning allegations that the broker engaged in private securities transactions and failed to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation. Schrader entered the industry in June 1998. From November 2005, until March 2009, Schrader was associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner…
FSC Securities Broker Timothy Moran Barred From Industry Over Involvement in Hampton Capital Management
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently barred FSC Securities Corporation (FSC Securities) broker Timothy Moran (Moran) concerning allegations that the broker: (1) engaged in private securities transactions without providing his employer with prior written notice; (2) failed to respond to FINRA requests for information; (3) provided false information to…