Articles Tagged with Investment Attorney

shutterstock_15963142-300x200According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor Clarence McGill (McGill), formerly registered with GWN Securities Inc. (GWN Securities) has been been sanctioned and barred by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).  According to FINRA, McGill consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings because he refused to produce information FINRA requested in connection with its investigation of his possible participation in the unsuitable recommendations of investment products to customers.  FINRA’s statement does not include a description of how many customers were involved in the investigation or the types of products and services under inquiry.

According to McGill’s records and public disclosures he is listed as the director and president of The McGill Group which engages in insurance sales and appears to be a d/b/a for the broker.

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shutterstock_112866430-300x199The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating previously registered broker Mariondy Fernandez (Fernandez). According to BrokerCheck Records held by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Fernandez has been subject to 19 customer disputes, 10 of which are still pending. The majority of these disputes concern violations of various securities laws regarding Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds.

Most recently, in June 2018, a client alleged that Fernandez violated various securities laws, was negligent to industry standards, breached fiduciary duty, and failed to supervise in the case of the customer’s investments in Puerto Rico bonds and closed-end funds. This dispute is currently still pending.

In December 2017, a customer similarly alleged that Fernandez unsuitably placed the customer into Puerto Rico municipal bonds and over-concentrated the customer’s funds in the investments. In addition, the customer alleges failure to supervise and negligence. The customer has requested $1,910,000 in damages. this dispute is currently still pending.

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shutterstock_93611890-200x300The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating First Standard Financial Company LLC (First Standard Financial) broker Rocco Roveccio (Roveccio). According to BrokerCheck Records, Roveccio has been subject to five customer complaints, two of which are still pending. Roveccio has also been subject to a pending regulatory matter, two liens, and a criminal action.

In May 2018, a customer alleged that Roveccio was executing unauthorized trades and recommending unsuitable investments to the customer. The customer has requested $1,500,000 in damages. This dispute is currently still pending.

In January 2018, a customer alleged that Roveccio was executing trades in the account without the customer’s prior permission and also engaged in churning of the account. The customer has requested $115,995.25. This dispute is currently still pending.

shutterstock_25054879-300x200The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating claims against Coastal Equities, Inc. (Coastal Equities) broker Andrew Pravlik (Pravlik). According to BrokerCheck records, Pravlik has been subject to a regulatory matter in which the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned Pravlik for various violations of the securities laws. In 2009, Pravlik falsely labeled 30 redemption requests as Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) when he entered them into the firm’s mutual fund system. By doing so, he prevented a deferred sales charge that would have applied to the redemptions, and falsified the firms records.  In May 2010, Pravlik was fined $5,000 and suspended for 90 days.

In addition, Pravlik also been subject to two customer complaints concerning unsuitable risky investments, one of which is still pending

In October 2017, customers alleged that Pravlik placed them in unsuitable investments that did not match with their investment portfolio. The customer has requested damages of $175,000. This dispute is still pending.

shutterstock_175835072-300x199The investment lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating the regulatory action brought by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against Michael Resciniti (Resciniti). According to BrokerCheck records, Resciniti was suspended by FINRA in December 2017 for seven months.  In addition, Resciniti has been subject to five customer disputes and three regulatory orders. Three of the customer disputes are still pending.  Many of the claims allege churning and unauthorized trading.

In November 2017, FINRA found that Resciniti executed 31 unauthorized transactions in two of his customer’s accounts. The duration of his suspension is 7 months.

In addition, in February 2016, Resciniti resolved a bankruptcy filing and has a tax lien of over $115,000.  Bankruptcies and large tax liens are a potential sign that the advisor has difficulty managing their own finances.  FINRA provides this information to the public because it is material for consumers to know whether or not their advisor’s financial situation influences the advisor’s recommendations.

shutterstock_145368937-300x225According to BrokerCheck records financial advisor John Maloney (Maloney), formerly employed by Edward Jones has been subject to five customer complaints and one termination for cause.  According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in May 2016 Edward Jones terminated Maloney stating that he did not adhere to the firm’s policy regarding suitability of recommendations.  Most of a Maloney’s customer complaints allege that Maloney made unsuitable recommendations in equity securities.

In November 2017 a customer made allegations of misrepresentation, suitability, breach of fiduciary duty, and churning of her accounts.  The claim is currently pending.

In September 2017 a customer alleged an unsuitable investment recommendation in Fire Eye stock causing losses of $329,523.  The claim is currently pending.

shutterstock_61848763-300x203The investment attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints against Cambridge Investment Research broker John Provonost (Pronovost).

According to BrokerCheck records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a customer alleged in February 2018 that Pronovost engaged in unsuitable investments.  Another customer alleged in March 2018 that Pronovost engaged in unsuitable investments and misrepresented the investor’s needs.

Pronovost allegedly sold the LJM Preservation and Growth Fund to multiple customers (LJMAX, LJMCX, LJMIX).  Investors may have been unaware of the risks associated with this investment, as the fund’s name belies its risky strategy. Gana Weinstein LLP has already filed a case against Cambridge Investment Research, Mr. Pronovost’s employer for the sale of the LJM Preservation and Growth Funds.

shutterstock_190371500-300x200The securities lawyers at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating complaints against broker Alexander Kibrik (Kibrik). According to BrokerCheck records, Kibrik currently has two pending customer complaints.

In March 2017, a customer alleged unauthorized trading and unsuitability. The customer is requesting $413,045 in this pending dispute.

In July 2015, a customer alleged breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and breach of contract. The customer is requesting $21,125,000 in this pending dispute.

shutterstock_120556300-300x300The investment lawyers at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating the regulatory action brought by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against Donald Southwick (Southwick).

According to BrokerCheck records, without admitting or denying the findings, Southwick consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to perform a reasonable basis suitability analysis prior to recommending investments to his customers. The findings also stated that Southwick recommended unsuitable transactions in the securities accounts of two customers by recommending purchases that resulted in an over-concentration of illiquid private offerings, inconsistent with their investment objectives and risk tolerance. Southwick has been suspended from the securities industry for six months.

Moreover, Southwick has been subject to two customer complaints.

shutterstock_188874428-300x200The investment attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating a customer complaint brought against former RBC Capital Broker Martin Olson.  According to BrokerCheck Records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Olson was subject to a customer complaint in December 2016.

In December 2016, Olson was named in a customer complaint that asserted breach of fiduciary duty, violation of the Michigan Securities Act and fraud. Olson was found jointly and severally liable and the customer was awarded $250,000 in damages.

The term “securities fraud” covers a range of illegal activities involving the deception of investors or the manipulation of the financial markets. Fraud includes false representations, unauthorized trading, value manipulation, and Ponzi schemes. Investors are protected against fraudulent securities activities by several different civil laws.

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