Securities Lawyers Blog

Broker Anthony Calhoun in Cetera Advisors LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Anthony Calhoun (Calhoun), currently associated with Cetera Advisors 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 March 07, 2022.

Client verbally complained that, although he advised the financial advisor he did not want to lose money, the investment has lost value.

Broker Dana Hollinger in Abg, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on March 07, 2022.

The names customers filed an action entitled Choe v. Hermann in the Orange County Superior Court in 2020 against a prior broker and an insurer. The action involves two large life insurance policies sold by other insurance brokers in the past and used as collateral for a large premium finance loan arranged by one of the prior brokers. My involvement was limited to explaining to the Plaintiff and his advisors the options available for repayment of the premium of the loan, including surrender or sale of the life insurance policies. In February 2022, I was named in a cause of action for equitable indemnity in Defendant Ira Hermann's cross-complaint, which alleged my explanation of options contributed to Plaintiff's damages. When my E&O carrier denied coverage based upon an exclusion (which I believe was improper), Plaintiffs added me as a Doe defendant No. 1 to the Complaint as to the professional negligence cause of action only.

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

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on March 08, 2022.

The customer alleges that the Financial Advisor was not acting in his best interest regarding the fee structure of the account.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker John Rodriguez in Firm Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker John Rodriguez (Rodriguez), currently associated with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Rodriguez 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 $5,000.00 on March 08, 2022.

Clients alleged they were not made aware of tax implications incurred due to the advisor’s sell recommendations made in September 2021.

Broker Michael Higgins in Morgan Stanley Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on March 08, 2022.

Claimant alleged, inter alia, failure to supervise with respect to Financial Advisor’s management of accounts – 2016 to 2020.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Joseph Depaula in Firm UBS Financial Services INC.

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on March 03, 2022.

Time Frame: December 01, 2021 – March 03, 2022\, \, What were the allegations against the individual? \, The client alleges her Financial Advisor failed to enter trades as instructed.. The alleged damages are estimated to be in excess of $5,000.00.

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

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on March 08, 2022.

The customer alleges that the Financial Advisor was not acting in his best interest regarding the fee structure of the account.

Broker Patrick Chitwood in Osaic Wealth, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Patrick Chitwood (Chitwood), previously associated with Osaic Wealth, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Chitwood 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 $1,000,000.00 on March 02, 2022.

Claimant alleges negligence, overconcentration, and unsuitable recommendations with regard to alternative investments.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jerry Brierly in Firm Royal Alliance Associates, INC.

December 5, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jerry Brierly (Brierly), previously associated with Royal Alliance Associates, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Brierly 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 $5,000.00 on March 07, 2022.

Client alleges that the representative failed to understand the tax ramifications of terminating an annuity resulting in early distribution penalties as well as a sizeable tax liability.

Broker Robert Devito in Nylife Securities LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 4, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Robert Devito (Devito), currently associated with Nylife Securities LLC, has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. Several of those complaints against Devito concern allegations of high frequency trading activity also referred to as churning or excessive trading among other securities laws violations.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint with a damage request of $9,798.59 on March 16, 2022.

Time Frame: Unspecified. The matter is comprised of 61 individual claimants with the same alleged allegations of unsuitable investments, excessive trading, and failure to supervise. RR covered services for 1 claimant in this matter.