Aegis Capital Corp

Broker Margaret Laquidara in Aegis Capital Corp. Firm Has Customer Complaint

January 29, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Margaret Laquidara (Laquidara), previously associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. Several of those complaints against Laquidara 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 $1,548,002.51 on July 30, 2021.

Claimant alleges that his advisor recommended unsuitable investments in annuities in February 2019. Claimant’s causes of action are suitability; diversification; self-dealing; violation of Reg BI; churning and failure to supervise.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Johnny Guan in Firm Aegis Capital Corp.

January 26, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Johnny Guan (Guan), previously 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 Guan 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 on August 25, 2021.

Excessive trading

Broker Scott Hananel in Aegis Capital Corp. Firm Has Customer Complaint

January 14, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Scott Hananel (Hananel), previously associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has at least 4 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, one regulatory event, alleging that Hananel recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on March 29, 2022.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Hananel consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he engaged in excessive and unsuitable trading in customer accounts. The findings stated that because Hananel decided which stocks to trade in his customers\\u2019 accounts and when to trade them, and exercised discretionary authority in connection with some of the trades in the accounts, he controlled the volume and frequency of trading in, and therefore exercised de facto control over, his customers\\u2019 accounts. Hananel\\u2019s short term trading in the customers\\u2019 accounts was excessive and unsuitable given the customers\\u2019 investment profiles, generating significant losses and trading costs in the form of commissions, markups and markdowns. In total, the customers, some of whom were senior citizens, paid commissions and trading costs of $1,473,118.00 and incurred losses of $2,103,176. The findings also stated that Hananel exercised discretionary trading authority in customer accounts without having obtained prior written authorization from the customers or approval from his member firm to treat the accounts as discretionary.

Broker Peter Fetherston in Aegis Capital Corp. Firm Has Customer Complaint

January 14, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Peter Fetherston (Fetherston), previously associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, one regulatory event, alleging that Fetherston recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on May 03, 2022.

Fetherston was named a respondent in a FINRA complaint alleging that he converted and misused customer funds. The complaint alleges that Fetherston induced two customers, a married couple, to write him three checks totaling $89,000 by falsely representing to them that they owed him commissions and that he would use a portion of the funds to purchase additional investments in their account at his member firm. The customers did not owe Fetherston any commissions, and Fetherston never invested any of the funds on their behalf. Instead, Fetherston deposited the checks into his personal bank account and spent the funds on personal expenses, including paying off significant debt. The complaint also alleges that Fetherston falsely stated that the customers gave him the funds to help him pay his medical bills and expenses. Then, Fetherston provided FINRA with a handwritten note, purportedly drafted and signed by the customers, stating that they gave Fetherston three checks totaling $89,000 to help him to pay his medical expenses and associated costs. The customers, however, neither wrote nor signed any such note, and they did not give Fetherston any funds to help him pay his medical expenses and associated costs. In addition, Fetherston falsely testified that the customers gave him the money for medical expenses and other associated costs, and that the customers wrote and signed the handwritten note. The complaint further alleges that Fetherston failed to respond to a written request for information. Fetherston provided a partial response to FINRA’s request, but the response was incomplete because he failed to identify the medical expenses that he paid with the money obtained from the customers.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Joseph Valdini in Firm Aegis Capital Corp.

January 13, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Joseph Valdini (Valdini), previously associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has at least 4 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, one regulatory event, alleging that Valdini recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on July 12, 2022.

Respondent Valdini failed to comply with an arbitration award or settlement agreement or to satisfactorily respond to a FINRA request to provide information concerning the status of compliance.

Broker Yann Faho in Aegis Capital Corp. Firm Has Customer Complaint

January 10, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Yann Faho (Faho), previously associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, one regulatory event, alleging that Faho recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on December 15, 2023.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Faho consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he caused his member firm to maintain incomplete books and records by using his personal mobile phone to communicate via text message with firm customers regarding securities-related business. The findings stated that these text messages included Faho seeking and obtaining authorization to buy and sell stocks, discussion of specific investment recommendations, provision of market updates, and conversations about account performance. Faho’s firm did not capture or maintain these test messages, as it was required to do under the Exchange Act and FINRA Rules.

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Alan Appelbaum in Firm Aegis Capital Corp.

January 10, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Alan Appelbaum (Appelbaum), previously associated with Aegis Capital Corp., has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, 2 regulatory events, alleging that Appelbaum recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

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

The Securities and Exchange Commission (‘Commission’) deems it appropriate and in the public interest that public administrative proceedings be, and hereby are, instituted Alan Z. Appelbaum (‘Respondent’). In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement (the ‘Offer’) which the Commission has determined to accept. The Commission finds that on November 14, 2023, a final judgment was entered, by consent, against Appelbaum, providing permanent injunctive relief under Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (‘Securities Act’) and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, in the civil action entitled Securities and Exchange Commission v. Alan Z. Appelbaum, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The Commission’s complaint filed in the above-referenced civil action alleged that, from July 2017 through May 2019, Appelbaum disregarded his obligations to seven customers and violated the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws by making unsuitable investment recommendations. The complaint further alleged that Appelbaum engaged in unauthorized trading, also in violation of the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws.

Broker Michael Lapushner in Aegis Capital Corp. Firm Has Customer Complaint

January 5, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on November 05, 2025.

Claimant alleges unsuitable investments, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, misrepresentation and omission, overconcentration

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Adam Stern in Firm Aegis Capital Corp.

January 5, 2026 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on November 05, 2025.

Claimant alleges unsuitable investment, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, misrepresentation and omission, overconcentration

There are Recent Customer Complaints with Broker Stephen Giannantonio in Firm Aegis Capital Corp.

December 19, 2025 | by Staff Attorney

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on October 28, 2025.

Time frame: Unspecified. Customers allege breach of fiduciary duty, unsuitable investments, material misrepresentations, material omissions, breach of FINRA rules and breach of contract on the part of Registered Representative in relation to the customers investments.