Selling Away

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jordan Allen in Firm Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC

February 27, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Jordan Allen (Allen) 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 Allen was employed by Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Allen’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on November 08, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Allen consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions by placing trades in a customer’s account held at another member firm, without providing notice to his member firm. The findings stated that Allen and the customer had a personal relationship, and the customer provided Allen with his log-in credentials to make transactions in the outside account. In total, Allen executed 1,507 trades in the account, including options transactions, totaling $726,585 in gross value. Allen did not receive compensation for the transactions. When the trading came to his firm’s attention, Allen initially misled the firm and stated that he had only been conducting paper trades in the account.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Rudy Mejia in Firm Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc.

February 27, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Rudy Mejia (Mejia) 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 Mejia was employed by Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Mejia’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on November 11, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Mejia consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions without prior written notice to his member firm. The findings stated that Mejia co-founded a pooled investment fund with an options trading strategy as well a management company to serve as the fund’s general partner. Mejia purchased $100,000 of the fund’s limited partnership interests, which were securities. In addition, seven other investors purchased a total of $738,000 of the fund’s limited partnership interests. The investors were friends or family of Mejia or of the fund’s other co-founder and none were customers of his firm. Mejia’s firm did not provide approval for his investment or his participation in the private securities transactions. The findings also stated that Mejia opened outside brokerage accounts that he did not disclose to his firm. The investment fund and its general partner that Mejia founded each opened a brokerage account at a other than Mejia’s firm. Mejia controlled, and had a beneficial interest in, those two accounts. Mejia executed 304 transactions in the accounts while registered through his firm without its prior written consent and without notifying the executing firm of his association with a member firm.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker James Etter in Firm Natalliance Securities, LLC

February 27, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker James Etter (Etter) 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 Etter was employed by Natalliance Securities, LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Etter’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on November 12, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Etter consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions that raised $110,000 from investors without prior disclosure to his member firm. The findings stated that Etter solicited investments in an entity he founded and controlled, answered questions about the investments, and collected investment paperwork and investment funds. The investors were not customers of Etter’s firm and later received their funds back. The findings also stated that Etter participated in an undisclosed OBA without disclosing the activity in writing and obtaining his firms approval. Etter provided business development and due diligence services to a solar equipment company and received approximately $66,000 in compensation for that work.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Rajesh Markan in Firm Hilltop Securities Inc.

February 24, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Rajesh Markan (Markan) 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 Markan was employed by Hilltop Securities Inc. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Markan’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 $300,000.00 on November 25, 2024.

Client alleges that she was solicited by her Financial Advisor to invest in an outside investment that was fraudulent. She also alleges misappropriation of funds.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Matthew Higgins in Firm Barclays Capital Inc.

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Matthew Higgins (Higgins) 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 Higgins was employed by Barclays Capital Inc. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Higgins’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on December 03, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Higgins consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions without providing prior written notice to his member firm. The findings stated that Higgins participated in private securities transactions by soliciting two investors to invest a total of $150,000 in partnership interests issued by a crypto asset investment fund he co-founded. In addition, Higgins solicited one of those investors and an additional investor to invest $200,000 in promissory notes issued by a crypto asset mining company he co-founded. Higgins introduced the investment opportunities to the investors, answered their questions about the fund or company, sent the investors the offering documents, and facilitated the transactions. Higgins did not receive any commissions for soliciting these transactions or any compensation in connection with the investment fund or the crypto asset mining company. None of the investors were customers of the firm.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Isaiah Williams in Firm Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

February 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Isaiah Williams (Williams) 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 Williams was employed by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Williams’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on December 05, 2024.

Client alleges misappropriation, unsuitable asset allocation strategy, misrepresentations and an improper outside business activity.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jeffrey Higgins in Firm Western International Securities, Inc.

February 21, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Jeffrey Higgins (Higgins) 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 Higgins was employed by Western International Securities, Inc. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Higgins’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 $225,000.00 on December 13, 2024.

Misappropriation

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker John Matson in Firm LPL Financial LLC

February 20, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker John Matson (Matson) 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 Matson was employed by LPL Financial LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Matson’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on December 20, 2024.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (‘Commission’) deems it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against John N. Matson (‘Matson’ or ‘Respondent’). In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement (the ‘Offer’) which the Commission has determined to accept. On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds that between March 2007 and July 2015 and from November 2017 to December 2022, Matson was a registered representative and investment adviser representative of a firm dually registered with the Commission as a broker-dealer and investment adviser. Between June 2015 and November 2017, Matson was a registered representative and investment adviser representative of a second firm dually registered with the Commission as a broker dealer and investment adviser. On September 23, 2024, a judgment was entered by consent against Matson, which, among other things, permanently enjoined him from future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (‘Securities Act’), and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, as set forth in the judgment entered in Civil Action Number 3:24-CV-01342, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. The Commission’s complaint in that litigation alleged that, between January 2012 and September 2021, Matson sold securities with a face value of $1,560,000 issued by South Bay Acquisitions LLC (‘South Bay’), a company controlled by him, to five investors (collectively ‘the investors’), raising approximately $1,535,000. The securities, which were denoted ‘LLC Bonds’ and were functionally promissory notes, included language stating that the Matson and South Bay would manage the proceeds as fiduciaries and promising 12 to 20% interest. The complaint further alleged that, despite his obligation to act as a fiduciary and without disclosure to investors, Matson immediately and consistently transferred investor money from South Bay to his personal account to use for personal expenses. The complaint also alleged that Matson operated the program as a Ponzi scheme, using investor funds to pay promised returns to earlier investors.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Christopher Christensen in Firm Airlink Markets, LLC

February 16, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Christopher Christensen (Christensen) 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 Christensen was employed by Airlink Markets, LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Christensen’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on January 13, 2025.

Christensen was named a respondent in a FINRA complaint alleging that he failed to provide documents and information requested by FINRA on two occasions as part of its examination of his OBAs and private securities transactions. The complaint alleges that FINRA opened a cause examination after the parent company of Christensen’s member firm declared bankruptcy. Christensen was the founder and chief executive officer of the company. The company, through various subsidiaries, raised millions of dollars from thousands of investors purportedly to invest in real estate projects. Christensen’s role with the company was disclosed on his Form U4. The complaint also alleges that Christensen failed to appear for testimony requested by FINRA on two occasions as part of its examination. After receiving the first requests for documents and information and to appear for testimony, Christensen’s counsel submitted a letter to FINRA requesting an indefinite stay of its examination pending the conclusion of other proceedings related to Christensen’s conduct. FINRA denied Christensen’s counsel’s request for a stay. Christensen’s failure to provide documents and information and to provide testimony significantly impeded FINRA’s examination and deprived it of material information regarding his alleged OBAs and private securities transactions.

Broker Juan Rionda in Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 16, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Juan Rionda (Rionda) 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 Rionda was employed by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Rionda’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 $4,500,000.00 on January 07, 2025.

Client alleges misappropriation of funds.