Selling Away

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Hugo Hernandez in Firm MML Investors Services, LLC

April 26, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Hugo Hernandez (Hernandez) 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 Hernandez was employed by MML Investors Services, LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Hernandez’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 $23,000.00 on June 25, 2024.

The complainant alleges that on/or about January 29, 2024, he met with the registered representative, regarding investing in an alternative investment, and then paid the registered representative $20,000 on/or about February 16, 2024, with the agreement, that he would be paid back within 90 days, with a 15% return. The complainant says that as of June 25, 2024, he has not been paid back, and the checks given to the complainant have bounced, totaling $23,000 and feels this is a misappropriation of investment funds.

Broker Luis Corrales in Park Avenue Securities LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 26, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Luis Corrales (Corrales) 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 Corrales was employed by Park Avenue Securities LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Corrales’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 $100,000.00 on June 21, 2024.

Claimant alleges the RR recommended she invest in three separate private investments that she believed were approved by the Firm.

Broker Bobb Meckenstock in Osaic Wealth, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 26, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Bobb Meckenstock (Meckenstock) 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 Meckenstock was employed by Osaic Wealth, INC. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Meckenstock’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 $154,000.00 on June 21, 2024.

Per the Independent Financial Group, LLC filing, allege that representative, for whom Mr. Meckenstock was the supervisor/OSJ, encouraged the investment in a private securities transaction that turned out to be fraudulent/a ponzi scheme. Clients’ initial investment was in December 2015 in the amount of $25,000. Thereafter, they made two other investments–one in June 2016 for $20,000 and one in November 2021 for $25,000.

Broker Richard Cardinale in PHX Financial, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 25, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on July 01, 2024.

Claimant alleges he was a victim of fraudulent private investments with counts of unsuitability, negligent supervision, common law fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and failure to warn.

Broker Michael Meniktas in UBS Financial Services INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 24, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Michael Meniktas (Meniktas) 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 Meniktas was employed by UBS Financial Services INC. at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Meniktas’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 $1,036,306.00 on July 02, 2024.

Time frame: 2015-2023\, \, Allegations: Claimant alleges his financial advisor made an unsuitable recommendation to invest in a complex life insurance investment strategy, in a selling away scheme.

Broker Francisco Cabral in Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 19, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Francisco Cabral (Cabral) 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 Cabral was employed by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Cabral’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 $450,000.00 on August 27, 2024.

Unsuitability, misrepresentation/omission in connection with Energy 12 and Mutual Funds and forgery in connection with Energy 12. The allegations do include misappropriation, forgery, theft or conversion of funds or securities.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Stephen Polak in Firm Avantax Investment Services, Inc.

April 10, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on July 31, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Polak consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide prior written notice to his member firm of his role as an officer and director of an OBA. The findings stated that Polak served as a board member of a corporation that grew and sold hemp related products. Polak had signatory authority over the corporation’s bank accounts, and primary responsibility for its accounting and bookkeeping, including maintaining the corporation’s ledger of transactions for its unregistered offering, and receiving payments from shareholders. Polak received annual compliance trainings about regulatory requirements relating to OBAs and affirmed in annual compliance certifications that he understood his obligation to comply with regulatory requirements and his firm’s WSPs, including those about outside business activities. Polak’s firm learned about his OBA with the corporation from his state Department of Financial Regulation and questioned him about it. Polak orally acknowledged the activity but did not provide written notice to his firm until almost a year later. The findings also stated that Polak participated in private securities transactions without disclosing or seeking his firm’s written approval to participate as required by its WSPs. The corporation issued 3.25 million shares of its unregistered common stock to Polak to compensate him for his work as an Officer and Director of the corporation.

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

March 31, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on December 18, 2024.

Customer alleges misappropriation by the Registered Representative. Customer also alleges that she made a loan to the Registered Representative.

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

March 27, 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 $500,000.00 on February 18, 2025.

Clients allege that they were solicited by their Financial Advisor to invest in an outside investment that was fraudulent. They also allege misappropriation of funds.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Glenn Ngo in Firm Park Avenue Securities LLC

March 25, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on March 04, 2025.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Ngo 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 whether he had participated in a potential private securities transaction away from his member firm.