Securities Lawyers Blog

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Garrick Gookin in Firm Centaurus Financial, Inc.

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

Currently financial advisor Garrick Gookin (Gookin), currently employed by brokerage firm Centaurus Financial, Inc. 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 pending customer complaint with a damage request of $100,000.00 on May 31, 2024.

The customer alleges that the Registered Representative recommended an unsuitable, high-risk, illiquid investment and breached his fiduciary duty. No specific dates for the alleged activity were identified in the Statement of Claim.

Broker Timothy Hendricks in X-change Financial Access, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Timothy Hendricks (Hendricks), previously associated with X-change Financial Access, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one tax lien, alleging that Hendricks recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on April 24, 2024.

On April 24, 2024, NFA’s Committee issued a Complaint against X-Change Financial Access LLC (XFA), Timothy F. Hendricks (Hendricks), and Peter G. Scheffler (Scheffler). The complaint charges XFA with failing to keep full, complete, and systematic records of all transactions relating to the firm’s business of dealing in commodity interests and maintain all pre-trade communications. The complaint also alleges that XFA allowed unregistered individuals to act as Associated Persons without being registered in such capacity and as NFA associates. The complaint further alleges that the firm, Hendricks and Scheffler failed to supervise. Without a valid reason or seeking regulatory guidance, Scheffler participated in a decision with Hendricks to use order tickets that did not contain all the required information to satisfy regulatory relief provided by the CFTC during the COVID pandemic (COVID relief). This approach was also insufficient because, as previously alleged, XFA’s order tickets often lacked basic required information (e.g., full account number), making it difficult to use them to reconstruct trades. Similarly, Hendricks, who is a managing partner of XFA and Co-CEO of XFA’s Futures Execution Division (FED), failed to fulfill his supervisory obligations at the firm. Hendricks failed to ensure the firm maintained full, complete, and systematic records related to its order handling process. Additionally, Hendricks’ approval to use order tickets without all required information to comply with the COVID relief illustrates another significant supervisory shortcoming on his part.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Walter Shoczolek in Firm Sigma Financial Corporation

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Walter Shoczolek (Shoczolek) 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 Shoczolek was employed by Sigma Financial Corporation at the time of the activity. If you have been a victim of Shoczolek’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 $500,000.00 on September 13, 2023.

Customer alleged her investment was unsuitable and the representative liquidated it without her authorization.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Kalomira Zangoulos in Firm Sagepoint Financial, Inc.

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Kalomira Zangoulos (Zangoulos), previously associated with Sagepoint Financial, Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one tax lien, alleging that Zangoulos recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on June 28, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Zangoulos consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that she falsified a personal bank account statement she submitted to her member firm pursuant to a heightened supervision plan (HSP). The findings stated that when Zangoulos associated with the firm, it conditioned her continued association on compliance with an HSP requiring her to, among other things, periodically submit copies of her personal bank account statements to the firm. Pursuant to the HSP, Zangoulos provided the firm an account statement for her personal bank account that she had altered to remove certain transactions, including charges for insufficient funds and a cash withdrawal at a casino. Zangoulos never informed the firm that she had altered the statement.

Broker Elaine Zito in Newbridge Securities Corporation Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Elaine Zito (Zito), previously associated with Newbridge Securities Corporation, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, alleging that Zito 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 $75,000.00 on April 18, 2024.

BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY, NEGLIGENCE.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Kimberly Keller in Firm LPL Financial LLC

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Kimberly Keller (Keller), previously associated with LPL Financial LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Keller 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 $297,000.00 on December 15, 2023.

Client alleges that representative misappropriated the funds in her account between July 2012 and May 2016.

Broker Brian Hinson in LPL Financial LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on February 16, 2024.

This arbitration appears to be a complaint filed by multiple unrelated Claimants against Lincoln relative to the prior purchase of certain private investment funds. I formerly served as the Lincoln representative for one of the multiple Claimants. The allegations appear to concern Lincoln Financial Advisors’ marketing and due diligence processes. I was never served. I do not appear to be a named Respondent. There is no specific claim for damages against me.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Adam Ezrilov in Firm LPL Financial LLC

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Adam Ezrilov (Ezrilov), previously associated with LPL Financial LLC, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 tax liens, alleging that Ezrilov recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on December 24, 2024.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Ezrilov consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to appear for on-the-record testimony requested by FINRA in connection to its investigation of allegations made on a Form U6 submitted by his member firm. The findings stated that Ezrilov was discharged from his firm for submitting succession plan documents to the firm containing a non-genuine signature.

Broker Deborah Detray in LPL Financial LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on November 07, 2023.

MS. DeTray is alleged to have operated as a securities dealer without a license by selling securities in Ohio that were not properly registered with the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Broker Steven Goldman in UBS Financial Services Inc. Firm Has Customer Complaint

February 8, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Steven Goldman (Goldman), currently associated with UBS Financial Services Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one tax lien, alleging that Goldman recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on April 09, 2024.

The Department, based upon an investigation of the Respondent’s activities in this state, alleges that the Respondent has not complied with continuing education requirements mandated by Section 626.2815, Florida Statutes, and Rule 69B-228.220, Florida Administrative Code, for the compliance period ending February 29, 2024.