Selling Away

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Zachary Nigh in Firm Thrivent Investment Management INC.

October 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Zachary Nigh (Nigh) 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 Nigh was employed by Thrivent Investment Management INC. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Nigh’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $340.23 on December 20, 2022.

Client signed an application for a fixed annuity in 11/9/2022. Financial Consultant (FC) was informed by the annuity company on 12/12/2022 the client needed to sign a new application. Client asked the FC to FedEx the new documents. The FC indicated the documents would be sent via FedEx that Friday, but for a variety of reasons, the documents were not sent until the following Tuesday. This additional delay caused the customer to become impatient, and on 12/20/2022, she requested the return of her initial investment, claiming the delays amounted to theft. FC promptly involved his manager, and the manager sent both an email and letter to the client on 12/22/2022 assuring her the FC already contacted the annuity company and the annuity company would be sending a check directly to her. The annuity company issued the client a check on 12/28/2022. In addition, the Firm agreed to provide the client with interest associated with the delays. The Firm determined there was no risk of misappropriation regarding this matter.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Maria Gasparro in Firm UBS Financial Services INC.

October 19, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on January 23, 2023.

Client alleges misappropriation of funds from January 2019 through May 2019.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jose Gamez in Firm Raymond James Financial Services, INC.

October 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Jose Gamez (Gamez) 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 Gamez was employed by Raymond James Financial Services, INC. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Gamez’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 $1,863,371.00 on August 29, 2025.

Client requests reimbursement of principal and lost market opportunity following FA’s alleged misappropriation of funds.

Broker Timothy Darnell in Bankers Life Securities, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

October 7, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Timothy Darnell (Darnell) 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 Darnell was employed by Bankers Life Securities, INC. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Darnell’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 $1,000,000.00 on September 11, 2025.

The arbitration alleges the RR made unsuitable recommendations, alleges breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, misrepresentation, and selling away related to an alleged Ponzi scheme with First Liberty Building & Loan, LLC.

Broker Thomas Hampton in MML Investors Services, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

September 30, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $100,000.00 on December 07, 2022.

Beginning in or around 2016, the Claimant alleges that the rep convinced the Claimant to entrust him with his investment funds and then took advantage of him as part of a plan involving financial planning, investment, and other services akin to selling away, which has harmed him financially.

Broker Robert Turner in Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Firm Has Customer Complaint

September 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on January 27, 2023.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Turner consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions without providing prior written notice to his member firm before participating in the sale of fixed annuities that were outside the scope of his employment with the firm. The findings stated that Turner marketed, recommended, and sold fixed annuities offered by an entity formed by his college friend and business acquaintance to customers of Turner’s firm, who collectively invested over $7.2 million in the entity. The entity fixed annuities were not, in fact, fixed annuities, but rather securities. The entity was not a licensed insurance company, nor was it licensed or authorized to sell fixed annuities at any time during the period when Turner sold the entity fixed annuities. Based on Turner’s representations and quarterly annuity statements that the entity sent to them, Turner’s customers believed they would be earning a fixed, guaranteed rate of return of between four percent and eight percent, compounded on a quarterly basis. Turner did not disclose his affiliation with his friend to any of his customers who invested in the entity fixed annuities. Further, Turner actively concealed from the firm his involvement in selling the fixed annuities, which he knew were not an approved firm product, by directing his friend to send copies of the entity quarterly annuity statements to his personal P.O. Box instead of his firm office. Turner also falsely attested on several firm compliance certifications that he understood and agreed to comply with the firm’s prohibition on selling away. In addition, one of Turner’s former firm customers sought to withdraw her entire investment from the entity, which the most recent annuity statement she received had led her to believe was valued at over $450,000. Turner’s friend died before the customer received any money from her investment in the entity. Following the friend’s death, those of Turner’s customers who invested in the entity lost most, if not the entirety, of their investments.

Broker James Couture in LPL Financial LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

September 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on February 06, 2023.

Customer alleges misappropriation of funds between January 2011 and January 2020

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Antoine Souma in Firm Insigneo Securities, LLC

September 20, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on February 21, 2023.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Souma consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to produce information and documents requested by FINRA in connection with its investigation into his compliance with FINRA Rule 3280 concerning participation in private securities transactions. The findings stated that FINRA sent an additional request to Souma seeking information and documents in connection with an ongoing customer arbitration filed against him.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Cathie Joughin in Firm Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

September 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on March 30, 2023.

Claimant alleges that on or about late 2019 and early 2020, his father fell victim to elder abuse and misappropriation by his Financial Advisor (FA).

Broker William Winchester in Cadaret, Grant & Co., INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

September 12, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker William Winchester (Winchester) 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 Winchester was employed by Cadaret, Grant & Co., INC. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Winchester’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on April 06, 2023.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Winchester consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he borrowed more than $850,000 from his customers without notifying the member firm with which he was associated or obtaining the firm’s prior written approval. The findings stated that Winchester never disclosed to his firm that he had borrowed money from his customers. Winchester also falsely answered ‘no’ on annual questionnaires that asked, among other things, whether he had borrowed money from any customer. In addition, after one of Winchester’s customers passed away, he agreed to serve as a co-executor of the customer’s estate. While registered with FINRA, Winchester borrowed money from the estate. Winchester signed a promissory note to the beneficiary of the estate, who was also his customer, to establish repayment terms for the funds he had borrowed from the estate. At the time Winchester entered into this promissory note, the firm prohibited its registered representatives from borrowing from customers. At the time Winchester was terminated from the firm, he was in the process of repaying the beneficiary the amounts borrowed pursuant to the terms of an agreement. The findings also stated that Winchester engaged in an undisclosed outside business activity (OBA). Winchester received $45,000 in compensation for his services as co-executor of his customer’s estate. Winchester did not disclose to the firm his appointment as co-executor of his customer’s estate, and also failed to disclose that he was serving as co-executor of his customer’s estate when he associated with another firm. Winchester twice falsely represented on the firm’s compliance questionnaires that he was not, among other things, acting as an executor of any individual’s estate. The findings also included that Winchester entered into settlement agreements with customers without notifying the firm. Winchester did not disclose the promissory note that he signed to the beneficiary of his deceased customer’s estate to the firm and also did not disclose a settlement agreement with one of his customers relating to $380,000 he had borrowed from the customer.