Securities Lawyers Blog

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

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on December 27, 2021.

The customer alleges unsuitable investment recommendations in October of 2021.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Ernest Collyer in Firm Royal Alliance Associates, INC.

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Ernest Collyer (Collyer), previously associated with Royal Alliance Associates, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Collyer 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 December 31, 2021.

Individual other than, but associated with, customer alleges that representative failed to follow customer’s instructions to change beneficiary on retirement account.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Michael Brown in Firm National Securities Corporation

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Michael Brown (Brown), previously associated with National Securities Corporation, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Brown 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 December 23, 2021.

Breach of fiduciary duty. Negligence.

Broker Eric Weschke in Kalos Capital, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Eric Weschke (Weschke), previously associated with Kalos Capital, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Weschke 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 $535,000.00 on December 26, 2021.

Negligence, breach of fiduciary, breach of contract, fraud, breach of securities regulatory requirements, and failure to supervise

Broker Dean Jaeger in Raymond James Financial Services, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Dean Jaeger (Jaeger), currently associated with Raymond James Financial Services, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Jaeger 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 $30,000.00 on December 22, 2021.

Client alleged advisor did not manage account in their best interest. Allegation Activity Dates: 10/29/2019 – 12/22/2021.

Broker Robert Williams in Capital Investment Group, INC. Firm Has Customer Complaint

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Robert Williams (Williams), currently associated with Capital Investment Group, INC., has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Williams 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 January 03, 2022.

This is a product case, in which the firm was the only named respondent. The claim alleges that the firm did not conduct a reasonable due diligence of the product purchased by the client, Hospitality Investors Trust, Inc. (“HIT”), a publicly registered non-traded real estate investment trust. HIT was issued by American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. The client purchased $50,000 of HIT on or about 10/22/2015. HIT subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, 2021, and is ongoing.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Herman Kahn in Firm Kestra Investment Services, LLC

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Herman Kahn (Kahn), previously associated with Kestra Investment Services, LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Kahn 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 $110,000.00 on December 29, 2021.

Claim alleges that the FP and firm failed to disclose the risky nature of 2 investments and that the transactions were not suitable based on investment objectives and risk tolerance.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Tim Peyton in Firm LPL Financial LLC

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Tim Peyton (Peyton), currently associated with LPL Financial LLC, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Peyton 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 $750,000.00 on January 03, 2022.

The customers allege lack of suitability and failure to conduct proper due diligence as it relates to the purchase of two alternative investment products. They further allege over concentration and the failure to disclose the risk factors of the investment products in question.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Stephen Frantz in Firm Nylife Securities LLC

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on January 04, 2022.

Customer’s POA alleges that the recommendation to purchase annuities, including variable annuities purchased in June 2006 and March 2017 resulted very little liquidity. The POA requests to transfer or rollover the funds without any surrender fees or other penalties.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker James Woods in Firm Oppenheimer & CO. INC.

December 13, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a award / judgment customer complaint with a damage request of $6,989,702.00 on December 28, 2021.

Woods was a subject of the customers’ complaint against his member firm that asserted the following causes of action: violations of FINRA Rules; breach of fiduciary duty; aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty; breach of contract and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing; unlawful sales of securities; and respondeat superior/agency by estoppel liability.