Securities Lawyers Blog
The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating BrokerCheck records reports that broker Ronald G. Richer (Richer), most recently associated with Garden State Securities, Inc. (Garden State Securities) has been subject to at least four customer complaints and three regulatory actions during the course of his career. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Richer’s customer complaints alleges that Richer recommended unsuitable investments in various investments among other allegations of misconduct relating to the handling of their accounts, including failure to supervise and unauthorized trading.
In July 2020, Richer was named a respondent in a FINRA arbitration complaint alleging that he borrowed $15,000 from a senior customer without providing prior notice to, and receiving written approval from, his member firm. This event led to his subsequent bar from the industry.
In December 2019, a customer complained that Richer violated the securities laws by alleging that Richer engaged in unauthorized trading. The damage amount requested was $21,000. The claim was denied.
In March 2018, a customer complained that Richer violated the securities laws by alleging that Richer engaged in unsuitable investment advice, and breach of fiduciary responsibility. The damage amount requested was $26,473. The claim settled in the amount of $16,300.
In June 2016, a customer complained that Richer violated the securities laws by alleging that Richer engaged in unauthorized trading, negligence, and failure to supervise. The damage amount requested was $150,000. The claim settled in the amount of $30,000.
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.
According to newsources, a study revealed that 7.3% of financial advisors had a customer complaint on their record when records from 2005 to 2015 were examined. Brokers must publicly disclose reportable events on their BrokerCheck reports that include customer complaints, IRS tax liens, judgments, investigations, terminations, and criminal cases. In addition, research has shown a disturbing pattern with troublesome brokers where brokers with high numbers of customer complaints are not kicked out of the industry but instead these brokers are sifted to lower quality brokerage firms with loose hiring practices and higher rates of customer complaints. These lower quality firms may average brokers with five times as many complaints as the industry average.
Richer entered the securities industry in 1998. Richer was most recently associated with Garden State Securities from December 2014 through May 2020, out of the firm’s New York, New York office location. In July 2020, Richer faced a regulatory action where the sanction was a bar from the industry. The bar went into effect in September 2020. Richer is barred by FINRA from acting as a broker or associating with a broker-dealer firm.
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.