Securities Lawyers Blog
The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Leo Michael Dinolfo (Dinolfo) has been accused by investors of engaging in fraudulent misappropriation of their funds. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), it appears that Dinolfo was employed by Kraken Securities at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Dinolfo’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.
FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint with a damage request of $1,655,667.00 on June 29, 2023.
In October of 2021, the Plaintiffs were involved in a loss of investment. The investment opportunity involved an algorithm that traded foreign exchange currency pairs. I was involved on this investment opportunity as an investor, and on the suggestion of my mentor at the time. My previous mentor is also named as one of the defendants in this case. The Plaintiffs in this case are family members or family friends of mine. In the year 2023, the Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in the city of Toronto against myself, Leo-Michael Dinolfo, and multiple other defendants. The Plaintiffs alleged the following against the defendants: fraud, fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation and conversion, conspiracy to injure, breach of contract, negligence and unjust enrichment. The case is still currently pending as of February 21, 2025. To date, not all defendants have been served by the Plaintiffs. Further, no discovery has taken place, nor has it been scheduled. The Plaintiffs have additionally missed a number of procedural timelines. I, Leo-Michael Dinolfo, am actively contesting said allegations, deny any wrongdoing, and have not admitted any liability in relation to the litigation. I have provided the Plaintiffs’ with my Notice of Defence and Statement of Defence. There has yet to be any real progress on this case, and it has been referred to case management that has yet to occur.
Our law firm has extensive experience representing defrauded victims when their advisors accept loans from clients or conduct securities sales through OBAs. The practice of selling unapproved investments, promoting fraudulent schemes to hide misused funds, and engaging in other deceptive acts is known in the industry as “selling away,” a major infraction of securities laws. “Selling away” is the term used in the industry when a financial advisor solicits investments in companies, promissory notes, or securities without obtaining approval from their affiliated brokerage firm. While a few of these investments might be valid, many end up as Ponzi schemes or involve advisors illegally converting client funds.
However, federal securities laws and the FINRA rules require firms to monitor and supervise its employees in order to detect and prevent brokers from offering investments in this fashion. To ensure proper supervision of brokers, firms must establish procedures for monitoring advisors’ actions and engagements with the public. Selling away misconduct often occurs where brokerage firms either fail to put in place a reasonable supervisory system or fail to actually implement that system. Supervisory failures allow brokers to engage in unsupervised misconduct that can include all manner improper conduct including selling away.
In cases of selling away the investor is unaware that the advisor’s investments are improper. In many of these cases the investor will not learn that the broker’s activities were wrongful until after the investment scheme is publicized, the broker is fired or charged by law enforcement, or stops returning client calls altogether.
Dinolfo entered the securities industry in 2025. Dinolfo has been registered as a Broker with Kraken Securities since 2025.
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.