Securities Lawyers Blog

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Corey Flaum in Firm Market Securities, LLC

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Corey Flaum (Flaum), previously associated with Market Securities, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Flaum 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 $5,000,000.00 on August 21, 2020.

Plaintiffs assert violations of the US Commodity Exchange Act and the common law doctrine of unjust enrichment. Plaintiffs allege that from at least January 1, 2008 through at least July 31, 2016, class members suffered damages as a result of fraudulent and manipulative trading practices by BNS and the individual defendants, specifically unlawful spoofing, in connection with the purchase and sale of gold, silver, platinum and palladium futures and options contracts. The allegations relate to the facts at issue in the Deferred Prosecution Agreement entered into between BNS and the US Department of Justice, and those described in orders of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission filing and settling charges against BNS, all announced on August 19, 2020

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

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Javier Estremera (Estremera), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Estremera 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 $100,000.00 on August 27, 2020.

Claimants allege their investments in Puerto Rico closed-end funds were unsuitable, over-concentrated, and misrepresented as safe investments.

Broker Daniel Smith in Morgan Stanley Firm Has Customer Complaint

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Daniel Smith (Smith), previously associated with Morgan Stanley, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Smith 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 $200,000.00 on August 24, 2020.

Claimants alleges, inter alia, that investments sold to them were unsuitable – 8/1/2016 to 7/31/2020

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Mark Farnan in Firm Securities America, INC.

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Mark Farnan (Farnan), previously associated with Securities America, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Farnan 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 $65,000.00 on August 20, 2020.

Customers allege their account was overly concentrated in alternative investments.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Mitchell Bornstein in Firm Cetera Investment Services LLC

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Mitchell Bornstein (Bornstein), previously associated with Cetera Investment Services LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Bornstein 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 $50,000.00 on August 21, 2020.

Customer alleges that the representative made unsuitable investment recommendations

Broker Manuel Porrata Monserrate in Nationwide Planning Associates INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Manuel Porrata Monserrate (Porrata Monserrate), currently associated with Nationwide Planning Associates INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Porrata Monserrate 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 $100,000.00 on August 27, 2020.

Claimants allege their investments in Puerto Rico closed-end funds were unsuitable, over-concentrated, and misrepresented as safe investments.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Frederick Baerenz in Firm Kalos Capital, INC.

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on August 20, 2020.

Breach of Fiduciary duty, misrepresentations and ommissions of material facts, failure to conduct due diligence, and unsuitable recommendations.

Broker Kerri Wasserman Nir in Portfolio Advisors Alliance, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Kerri Wasserman Nir (Wasserman Nir), previously associated with Portfolio Advisors Alliance, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Wasserman Nir 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 $37,761.00 on August 26, 2020.

Wasserman-Nir was named in a customer complaint that asserted the following causes of action: unauthorized trading, fraud, misrepresentation, negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Kirk Pickell in Firm Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

Currently financial advisor Kirk Pickell (Pickell), currently employed by brokerage firm Janney Montgomery Scott LLC has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. According to a BrokerCheck reports most of the recent customer complaints concern either corporate debt securities or alternative investments such as direct participation products (DPPs) like business development companies (BDCs), non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), oil & gas programs, annuities, and private placements. The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP have represented hundreds of investors who suffered losses caused by these types of high risk, low reward products.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $10,000,000.00 on November 27, 2020.

Rhode Island client complains that the fees associated with their accounts were not fully disclosed and were higher than stated between 2009 and 2020. Clients further complain that investments made in a hedge fund and an annuity were not suitable.

Broker Howard Allen in Portfolio Advisors Alliance, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

May 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Howard Allen (Allen), previously associated with Portfolio Advisors Alliance, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Allen 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 $37,761.00 on August 26, 2020.

Allen was named in a customer complaint that asserted the following causes of action: unauthorized trading, fraud, misrepresentation, negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.