Securities Lawyers Blog

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Christopher Gordon in Firm Centaurus Financial, Inc.

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Christopher Gordon (Gordon), currently associated with Centaurus Financial, Inc., has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, alleging that Gordon 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 30, 2024.

Claimant alleges the RR recommended an unsuitable Oil & Gas Investment. No specific dates for the alleged activity were identified by the Prior Broker Dealer.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Jason Knoblauch in Firm Haywood Securities (usa) Inc.

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jason Knoblauch (Knoblauch), currently associated with Haywood Securities (usa) Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Knoblauch 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 $216,700.00 on August 30, 2024.

The Statement of Claim alleges claims arising out of investments that Claimants contend were unsuitable for them.

Broker Jared Tims in Osaic Wealth, Inc. Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Jared Tims (Tims), currently associated with Osaic Wealth, Inc., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Tims 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 $50,000.00 on August 30, 2024.

Claimant alleges their representative recommended an unsuitable oil and gas program.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Robert Lewis in Firm Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on August 30, 2024.

Customer verbally complained that financial advisor neglected to change Investment Objective of managed portfolio and client lost opportunity gain as a result. (10/1/2023-8/30/2024)

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Raymond Kramer in Firm Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Raymond Kramer (Kramer), previously associated with Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Kramer 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 $50,000.00 on August 30, 2024.

Clients allege unsuitable sale of GWG L Bonds held in her account at Schwab.

Broker Scott Stevens in Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Scott Stevens (Stevens), previously associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one regulatory, alleging that Stevens recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on September 25, 2024.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate that ceaseand-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Grays Peak Ventures LLC (“Grays Peak”), Scott B. Stevens (“Stevens”), and Michael Winterhalter (“Winterhalter”) (collectively “Respondents”). In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondents have submitted Offers of Settlement which the Commission has determined to accept. The commission finds that Respondents were officers, directors, or significant shareholders of Agentix Corp. (“Agentix”). While subject to the reporting requirements above, Respondents failed to file timely, or amend timely, reports of their positions and certain transactions in Agentix securities. As a result, Respondents violated Sections 13(d) and 16(a) and related rules. As a result, Grays Peak and Stevens violated Sections 13(d)(1) and 16(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 13d-1 and 16a-3 thereunder and Winterhalter violated Sections 13(d)(2) and 16(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 13d-2 and 16a-3 thereunder.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Stephen Sperling in Firm Wintrust Investments LLC

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Stephen Sperling (Sperling), previously associated with Wintrust Investments LLC, has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, alleging that Sperling 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 $22,739.76 on September 10, 2024.

Client alleges she was sold a five-year fixed annuity that did not meet her liquidity needs and overconcentrated her assets in annuities.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Christopher Michalman in Firm LPL Financial LLC

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Christopher Michalman (Michalman), previously associated with LPL Financial LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Michalman 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 $50,000.00 on August 30, 2024.

Claimant alleges the RR recommended an unsuitable Oil & Gas investment

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Ralph Trigg in Firm Nylife Securities Inc.

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on September 16, 2024.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Ralph M. Trigg (“Trigg” or “Respondent”). In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement which the Commission has determined to accept. The commission finds that from at least November 2016 through May 2018, Trigg acted as an unregistered broker for Black Hawk Funding, Inc. (“Black Hawk”) and one of its affiliated entities. Trigg solicited investors through his network of contacts, advised them on the merits of investing in various Black Hawk funds, discussed with investors the amount of their investments, and facilitated the purchase of the securities involved by ensuring that certain investors executed participation agreements to purchase the securities. Similarly, Trigg also solicited investors to purchase securities on behalf of a separate entity affiliated with Black Hawk and facilitated those transactions. For his fundraising and broker services, Black Hawk and the affiliated entity paid Trigg transaction-based commissions that totaled at least $211,000. As a result of his conduct, Trigg willfully violated Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act.

Broker Matthew Forlano in Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Firm Has Customer Complaint

April 1, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Matthew Forlano (Forlano), previously associated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one regulatory, alleging that Forlano recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

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

The Securities and Exchange Commission (‘Commission’) deems it appropriate that cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted against Matthew P. Forlano (‘Forlano’ or ‘Respondent’). In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement which the Commission has determined to accept. The commission finds that this proceeding concerns insider trading by Forlano in the securities of Maxar Technologies, Inc. (‘Maxar’) based on material nonpublic information provided to him by his nephew, Stephen A. Forlano Jr. (‘Forlano Jr.’). Forlano Jr. had received the material nonpublic information from his friend Anthony Viggiano (‘Viggiano’) who was employed at a global investment bank (the ‘Investment Bank’). Viggiano, in connection with his employment at the Investment Bank, was notified about a potential acquisition of Maxar by at least November 15, 2022. That same day, Viggiano tipped Forlano Jr. about the acquisition. Forlano Jr., in turn, tipped Forlano. Between December 2 and December 15, 2022, Forlano purchased Maxar securities in his brokerage account and tipped a close friend (the ‘Friend’) who also purchased Maxar securities. On December 16, 2022, a press release announced that Maxar had agreed to be acquired in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $6.4 billion (the ‘Maxar Deal’) and Maxar’s stock price increased nearly 125%. As a result of their purchases of Maxar securities, Forlano profited by more than $8,000 and the Friend generated a profit of over $10,000. Forlano’s conduct violated Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule10b-5 thereunder.