Securities Lawyers Blog

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

February 24, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Alan Mann (Mann), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Mann 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 $2,377,594.00 on November 27, 2024.

Claimant alleges unauthorized trading, unsuitable investment recommendation, misrepresentation and failure to act in the customer’s best interest in July 2020.

Broker Isaac Livni eide in Aegis Capital Corp. Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Isaac Livni eide (Livni eide), currently associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Livni eide 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 $4,095,000.00 on December 03, 2024.

Time frame: June 2020 – present. Claimant alleges unsuitable investments.

Broker Micah Rayner in Arete Wealth Management, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Micah Rayner (Rayner), currently associated with Arete Wealth Management, LLC, has at least 12 disclosable events. These events include 12 customer complaints, alleging that Rayner 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 December 02, 2024.

Client alleges unsuitable investment recommendation.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Wendell Verdell in Firm Woodmen Financial Services, Inc.

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Wendell Verdell (Verdell), currently associated with Woodmen Financial Services, Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Verdell 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 $20,700.00 on December 04, 2024.

The customer purchased a Lincoln Financial Variable Annuity and submitted a complaint in late 2024 that she was not receiving the interest rate she expected for the guaranteed payout rate. After review, it appears there May have been confusion at the point of sale regarding whether the issue date or withdrawal date triggered the interest rate value. Because of this confusion, the Firm elected to honor the higher interest rate and worked with Lincoln Financial to provide the customer with the interest rate in alignment with her expectations. The $20,700 is the estimated cost from Lincoln Financial for the breakage in the interest rates.

Broker Jamie Nowakowski in Equitable Advisors, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jamie Nowakowski (Nowakowski), previously associated with Equitable Advisors, LLC, has at least 4 disclosable events. These events include 4 customer complaints, alleging that Nowakowski 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 $80,000.00 on December 03, 2024.

The claimant alleges unsuitable investments.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Matthew Higgins in Firm Barclays Capital Inc.

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on December 03, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Higgins consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he participated in private securities transactions without providing prior written notice to his member firm. The findings stated that Higgins participated in private securities transactions by soliciting two investors to invest a total of $150,000 in partnership interests issued by a crypto asset investment fund he co-founded. In addition, Higgins solicited one of those investors and an additional investor to invest $200,000 in promissory notes issued by a crypto asset mining company he co-founded. Higgins introduced the investment opportunities to the investors, answered their questions about the fund or company, sent the investors the offering documents, and facilitated the transactions. Higgins did not receive any commissions for soliciting these transactions or any compensation in connection with the investment fund or the crypto asset mining company. None of the investors were customers of the firm.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker William Galvin in Firm Hightower Securities, LLC

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker William Galvin (Galvin), currently associated with Hightower Securities, LLC, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, alleging that Galvin 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 $60,000.00 on December 04, 2024.

The product became illiquid and the REIT stopped paying dividends after dropping in value. The original purchase was for $60,000.00 and was bought ten years ago.

Broker Brett Rutherford in Capital Investment Group, Inc. Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Brett Rutherford (Rutherford), previously associated with Capital Investment Group, Inc., has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, alleging that Rutherford 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 $334,084.00 on December 04, 2024.

Accusations of breach of multiple FINRA rules and regulations, as well as firm policies. Claims include breach of fiduciary of duty, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, negligent supervision, breach of contract, and fraud and deceit.

Broker Jason Lamb in Arete Wealth Management, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jason Lamb (Lamb), currently associated with Arete Wealth Management, LLC, has at least 10 disclosable events. These events include 10 customer complaints, alleging that Lamb 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 December 02, 2024.

Client alleges unsuitable investment recommendation.

Broker Brian Colon in Allstate Financial Services, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 23, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Brian Colon (Colon), currently associated with Allstate Financial Services, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Colon 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 $64,000.00 on December 03, 2024.

Customer submitted concerns representative misled her by stating the contract of the fixed indexed annuity she applied for was being mailed to her, and that she remains in a variable annuity product that has annuitized as a result of the representative’s failure to notify her that the window to make a change had expired. Customer is upset representative did not follow through with fixed indexed annuity application and the funds from the variable annuity did not transfer as customer intended, thus annuitizing. Customer claiming damages of $64,000.