Securities Lawyers Blog

Broker Steve Cummings in Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

October 12, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Steve Cummings (Cummings), previously associated with Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Cummings 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 $594,746.00 on August 09, 2025.

The client initially requested an accounting of a decline in account balance over ten years. Two days later the client wrote again stating he suspected either wrong doing, inept or illegal handling of the account.

Broker Bruce Freal in Charles Schwab & Co., INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

October 12, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Bruce Freal (Freal), previously associated with Charles Schwab & Co., INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Freal 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 $617,500.00 on August 12, 2025.

Plaintiff alleges that Mr. Freal, while employed by the Firm, took advantage of a now deceased trustee by having her declared incompetent and had himself installed as successor trustee. After Freal left the Firm, he allegedly sold real estate valued at $617,500 and transferred funds to himself and others through accounts held at Schwab.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Joy Martinsen in Firm Nobles & Richards, INC.

October 12, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Joy Martinsen (Martinsen), currently associated with Nobles & Richards, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Martinsen 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 $250,000.00 on August 07, 2025.

The customer alleges that, the Registered Representative over concentrated assets in illiquid, speculative investments.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker James Walesa in Firm Arkadios Capital

October 12, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker James Walesa (Walesa), previously associated with Arkadios Capital, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, one regulatory event, alleging that Walesa 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 $5,000,000.00 on August 11, 2025.

Unsuitable recommendations from 2016 to present

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jorge Angel Harker in Firm Holistic Brokerage, LLC

October 11, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jorge Angel Harker (Angel Harker), currently associated with Holistic Brokerage, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Angel Harker 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 $310,000.00 on August 15, 2025.

Customer submitted an email complaint alleging unauthorized transactions in his account, resulting in significant losses.

Broker Archie Hansley in Bankers Life Securities, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

October 11, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Archie Hansley (Hansley), currently associated with Bankers Life Securities, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Hansley 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 $26,613.00 on August 18, 2025.

Bankers Life and Casualty Company (BLC), an affiliated insurance company of Bankers Life Securities, Inc. (BLS), received a written complaint from a client and provided a copy to BLS on August 18, 2025. In the complaint, the client alleged that they were misled by their financial representative regarding the terms of three annuity contracts purchased through BLC in 2024. The client stated that they had requested investment products similar to those held with another firm, specifically a 401(k), Roth IRA, and savings account, but were instead sold annuity contracts. The client further alleged that they were not informed of the surrender charges associated with accessing their funds and is requesting that the annuities be canceled without surrender penalties. While the BLC annuities are not securities and were issued by BLC, the Firm is reporting this complaint because the annuities were funded by the recommendation to liquidate securities by a financial representative of the Firm.

Broker Jordana Wojnowski in LPL Financial LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

October 11, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on August 15, 2025.

Customer alleges unauthorized sales

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Joseph Beam in Firm Capital Investment Group, INC.

October 11, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Joseph Beam (Beam), previously associated with Capital Investment Group, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Beam 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 $100,000.00 on August 14, 2025.

GWG Holdings, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 20, 2022. Relative to specific investments made by clients, claims included breach of written contract, breach of fiduciary duty, failure to supervise, misrepresentations and omissions; violation of FINRA Rules; violation of federal securities laws, violation of North Carolina and South Carolina Securities Act, and; violation of Best Interest Obligations (Reg BI).

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Christopher Norton in Firm Sutter Securities Incorporated / Boustead Securities, LLC

October 11, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Christopher Norton (Norton), currently associated with Sutter Securities Incorporated / Boustead Securities, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Norton 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 $99,500.00 on August 18, 2025.

Time Frame: June 2017. Claimants allege product is unsuitable.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Brian Lombardi in Firm Sutter Securities Incorporated / Boustead Securities, LLC

October 11, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Brian Lombardi (Lombardi), currently associated with Sutter Securities Incorporated / Boustead Securities, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Lombardi 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 $99,500.00 on August 18, 2025.

Time Frame: June 2017. Claimants allege product is unsuitable.