Articles Tagged with IFS Securities

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Adam Fritzsche (Fritzsche), previously associated with Ifs Securities, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Fritzsche 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 $108,079.08 on October 20, 2020.

Customer alleges the following: that 2 of her signatures were falsified on investment documentation; that her liquid net worth, net worth, and annual income were misrepresented on investment paperwork; that copies of account documentation were not provided at her request; that the investment recommendation was unsuitable; and that the registered representative was not adequately supervised. Time period of claim: 9/25/12 – 10/20/20

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker James Flynn (Flynn), previously associated with Ifs Securities, has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, alleging that Flynn 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 $499,999.00 on March 14, 2024.

Claimants allege the Representative recommended illiquid, complex and unsuitable alternative investments. Further, claimant alleges that representative altered forms and made materially false and misleading statements regarding the investments.

According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Anselmo Contreras (Contreras), previously associated with Ifs Securities, has been subject to at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint. Several of those complaints against Contreras  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 March 26, 2024.

Statement of Claim alleges an investment recommendation was made for the purpose of generating high commissions and fees and that Claimants were deprived of the ability to generate reasonable returns that would have been received in a diversified portfolio.

shutterstock_113632177-300x249According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) advisor Robert Jamison (Jamison), formerly associated with PNC Investments, in December 2018, was sanctioned and barred from the securities industry by FINRA over accusations of potentially selling unapproved products.

In December 2018 FINRA alleged that Jamison consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to provide testimony to FINRA related to allegations that he, in connection with private securities transactions, referred customers to an individual who was not registered and who may have recommended or sold unsuitable securities to those customers.

The providing of loans or selling of notes and other investments outside of a brokerage firm constitutes impermissible private securities transactions – a practice known in the industry as “selling away”.

At this time it is unclear the nature and scope of Jamison’s activities.  Jamison’s disclosures include any outside business activities (OBAs) disclosures.  The only disclosure is an involvement with Crump Life Insurance.

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shutterstock_27786601-300x200According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Thomas Williams (Williams) has been subject to five customer complaints and one termination for cause during his career.  Williams is currently employed by IFS Securities.  Several of the the customer complaints against Williams concern allegations of high frequency trading activity also referred to as churning and unsuitable investments.

In October 2018 a customer filed a complaint alleging their account was excessively traded, churning, and unsuitable investments.  The claim alleged $50,000 in damages and is currently pending.

In August 2010 Williams was terminated by First Allied Securities, Inc. (First Allied) in connection with allegations that a customer complained over unsuitable investments, misrepresentation, and breach of fiduciary duty.

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shutterstock_176351714-300x200According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) former advisor Judith Bufis (Bufis), formerly associated with Kovack Securities Inc. (Kovack Securities) in East Brunswick, New Jersey has been accused by FINRA over private securities transactions.

In October 2018 Bufis consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that she failed to provide documents and information requested by FINRA in connection with potential private securities transactions.  In so doing she accepted a bar from the securities industry.

At this time it is unclear the nature or scope of the alleged outside business activities (OBAs) and private securities transactions.  Bufis public disclosures state that she engaged in the sale of insurance and annuities but discloses not other activities.

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shutterstock_20354401-300x200The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating claims against Fortune Financial Services, Inc. (Fortune Financial) broker Bruce Musselman (Musselman). According to BrokerCheck records, Musselman has been subject to nine customer complaints and one criminal regulatory action.

Most recently, in February 2013, customers alleged that Musselman recommended unsuitable investments, misrepresented securities, over-concentrated customer funds into aggressive investments, and excessively used margin. The dispute was settled at $14,900.

In August 2011, a customer alleged that from 2007 to 2009, Musselman recommended highly risky investments that were unsuitable and inappropriate to customer’s needs. The customer requested $80,000 in damages.

shutterstock_112866430-300x199Former IFS Securities, Inc. (IFS) and Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (Voya) broker James Flynn (Flynn) has been subject to at least ten customer complaints, two employment terminations for cause, three tax or civil judgment liens, and one bankruptcy proceeding.  According to a BrokerCheck report many of the customer complaints concern alternative investments and direct participation products (DPPs) such as non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs).  The attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP have extensive experience handling investor losses caused by these types of products.

In February 2017 Voya discharged Flynn accusing the broker of providing misleading information to the firm during a complaint investigation.  Despite numerous customer complaints and financial troubles IFS hired Flynn anyway only to also discharge him a year later in February 2018.  IFS claims that Flynn was terminated because he executed unauthorized trades.

In addition, Flynn was subject to large tax liens totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.  In April 2005 Flynn disclosed a tax lien of over $256,000.  Thereafter, Flynn declared bankruptcy in April 2013.  The fact that a broker cannot manage his own personal finances is material information for a client to consider.  In addition, the types of products clients have alleged were unsuitable are high commission products that may be recommended to generate high profits for the advisor at the expense of the client.

shutterstock_26269225-300x200According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor Coleman Devlin (Devlin), formerly associated with IFS Securities (IFS), has been subject to 14 customer complaints.  In addition, Devlin has been subject to two regulatory matters and has been terminated by two firms for cause.  In June 2016 Devlin was discharged from Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (Stifel, Nicolaus) on allegations of unauthorized trading.  Thereafter, The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) conducted its own investigation of Devlin’s trading activities.

In October 2017, FINRA found that Devlin effected discretionary trades in five customer accounts without obtaining prior written authorization from the customers and without acceptance of the accounts as discretionary by his member firm.

Devlin has also been subject to numerous customer complaints over the course of his career.  The most recent case was filed in November 2017 and alleged unsuitable investments.  The customer seeks $600,000 in damages and the claim is currently pending.

shutterstock_180968000-300x200According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor George Warner (Warner), currently associated with Chelsea Financial Services (Chelsea Financial), has been subject to one customer complaint, one regulatory action, and two terminations for cause.  According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in June 2013, LPL Financial LLC (LPL Financial) terminated Warner for cause alleging that he obtained client signatures on black account transfer forms.  Thereafter, Warner was terminated from NFP Advisors Services (NFP Advisors) under similar circumstances.  NFP Adviosrs claimed in November 2014 that Warner corrected client documents after the client had signed them.

In April 2017, FINRA sanctioned Warner stated that Warner altered various customer documents on at least five occasions after the documents had already been signed by the customers. FINRA found that Warner corrected or included the customer’s anticipated liquidity needs, net worth, liquid net worth, and/or annual income on new account forms, alternative investment disclosure forms, and an IRA application.

Often times, brokers change client information or have clients sign documents in blank in order to use false information to purchase products that the client is otherwise not qualified to purchase.

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