Articles Posted in Reg BI

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint with a damage request of $66,490.22 on October 23, 2024.

The client alleged that his Variable Universal Life (VUL) Insurance policy was misrepresented to him as he was not aware of the high premiums he would pay, the potential of adverse tax implications of making said premium payments and the sustainability of his accounts to be able to fund the policy.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Benjamin Person (Person), currently associated with Osaic Wealth, Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Person 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 $20,000.00 on March 14, 2023.

Clients allege poor advice concerning the exchange of life insurance policies to variable annuities.

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on October 02, 2024.

Client alleges the fees and commissions for the product she purchased were misrepresented.

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on February 28, 2023.

Client alleges that the advisor invested in ETF instruments and did not follow the clients instructions, resulting insignificant unrealized losses. The dates of the activity leading to the allegations are January 25, 2022, through March 10, 2023, per filing by Vanguard.

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on April 02, 2024.

Making a materially false statement on the application for registration

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Armando Barron (Barron), previously associated with Irc Securities LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one tax lien, alleging that Barron recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on January 08, 2025.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Barron consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide his member firm adequate prior written notice of his private securities transactions. The findings stated that Barron participated in private securities transactions by soliciting investors, who were not customers of his firm, to enter into promissory notes with an LLC he owned and controlled. Barron personally solicited each noteholder and signed each note on behalf of the LLC. All investors in the notes received timely interest payments, and the LLC has repaid all investors’ principal. Barron partially disclosed his promissory note activity to his firm by amending his previous OBA disclosure concerning the LLC. In that amendment, Barron provided a copy of the promissory note and wrote that the money from the promissory notes is invested in a specific investment fund managed by the LLC. That disclosure was incomplete and inaccurate because, in fact, Barron also used the money for purposes other than investing in that fund, including non-income generating purposes. Ultimately, Barron solicited a total of 14 investors to enter into 30 promissory note transactions totaling $979,500. The findings also stated that Barron solicited individuals to invest in the promissory notes through communications that failed to comply with FINRA’s content standards for communications with the public. Barron disseminated communications about the notes that did not provide a fair and balanced treatment of their risks and benefits and failed to provide a sound basis for evaluating the facts concerning the notes. In addition, Barron disseminated communications about the notes that contained unwarranted, promissory, or misleading statements concerning the notes and made comparisons in retail communications between investments without disclosing all material differences between those investments.

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on January 26, 2024.

Claimant alleges their registered representative overconcentrated and recommended unsuitable investment.

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on June 02, 2023.

Alleged advisor made suspicious trades and transfers to accounts that do not belong to customer from 1/1/21 to 6/15/22

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Norman Harp (Harp), currently associated with B.b. Graham & Company, Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Harp 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 $101,000.00 on August 29, 2023.

Suitability/Negligence

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker James Raia (Raia), currently associated with Moloney Securities Co., Inc., has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, alleging that Raia recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint with a damage request of $412,600.00 on March 12, 2024.

Suitability/negligence. 2018-2021

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