Securities Lawyers Blog

Broker Austin Dutton in American Trust Investment Services, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Austin Dutton (Dutton), previously associated with American Trust Investment Services, INC., has at least 5 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, 2 regulatory events, alleging that Dutton 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 July 18, 2024.

Breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, failure to supervise and negligence and violation of reg bi.

Broker John Germain in RBC Capital Markets, LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker John Germain (Germain), currently associated with RBC Capital Markets, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Germain 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 July 19, 2024.

The client expressed grievances with the Silicon Valley Bank bond they purchased in November 2021.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Anthony Martinelli in Firm LPL Financial LLC

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Anthony Martinelli (Martinelli), currently associated with LPL Financial LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Martinelli 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 $3,000,000.00 on July 18, 2024.

Customer alleges failure to follow instructions regarding option trades and poor performance with respect to customer’s managed portfolio. Time period 2019-2024.

Broker Anthony Divalerio in Morgan Stanley Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Anthony Divalerio (Divalerio), currently associated with Morgan Stanley, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Divalerio 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 $35,000,000.00 on July 17, 2024.

Claimant alleges, inter alia, that he received incorrect advice regarding the sale of Vertex stock pursuant to Rule 144.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Stanley Cooper in Firm RBC Capital Markets, LLC

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Stanley Cooper (Cooper), previously associated with RBC Capital Markets, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Cooper 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 $5,000.00 on July 18, 2024.

Alleged fraud and breach of fiduciary duty by failing to disclose information regarding Plaintiff’s withdrawals from trust account versus return on investments, and overconcentration / unsuitability of investments.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Robert Crothers in Firm Osaic Wealth, INC.

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

Currently financial advisor Robert Crothers (Crothers), currently employed by brokerage firm Osaic Wealth, 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 $5,000.00 on July 19, 2024.

Recommended or purported “high risk private placement” is alleged to be unsyitable.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Gene Griffin in Firm Cfd Investments, INC.

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Gene Griffin (Griffin), currently associated with Cfd Investments, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Griffin 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 $71,000.00 on July 20, 2024.

Customer made an unsolicited purchase of PTON stock. Customer alleges that he also requested a stop loss to be put in place at the time of that transaction, however that stop-loss transaction was never placed.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Michael Hirthler in Firm LPL Financial LLC

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Michael Hirthler (Hirthler), currently associated with LPL Financial LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Hirthler 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 $3,000,000.00 on July 18, 2024.

Customer alleges failure to follow instructions regarding option trades and poor performance with respect to customer’s managed portfolio. Time period 2019-2024.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jerome Messana in Firm Aegis Capital CORP.

April 22, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Jerome Messana (Messana), currently associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has been subject to at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints. Several of those complaints against Messana concern allegations of high frequency trading activity also referred to as churning or excessive trading among other securities laws violations.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint with a damage request of $300,000.00 on July 19, 2024.

From approximately 1/2009 – 10/2021 customer claims suitability, churning, unauthorized trading, failure to supervise, fraud & misrepresentation (Violations of Securities Law), unjust enrichment, lost opportunity damages, punitive damages and unsuitable use of margin. Note that the customer does not specify any trade dates or products so the dates the account was opened was provided along with the general type of securities purchased and sold.

Broker Mckinzie Valverdy in Puente Servicios Financieros LLC Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 21, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on July 24, 2024.

Client alleges Mckinzie Valverdy failed to follow instructions in July 2023 related to the purchase of two positions.