Articles Tagged with Merrill Lynch

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on August 20, 2024.

The customer alleges failure to follow instructions in July 2024.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Donald Hansen (Hansen), previously associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include 2 customer complaints, alleging that Hansen recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on August 22, 2024.

Claimant alleges excessive and unauthorized trading, misrepresentation and failure to follow instructions in account from 2015 to 2023.

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.

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating claims that Broker Mario Martinez (Martinez) has been accused by investors of engaging in fraudulent misappropriation of their funds. According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), it appears that Martinez was employed by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated at the time of the activity.  If you have been a victim of Martinez’s alleged misconduct our firm may be able to assist you in recovering funds.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a settled customer complaint on December 18, 2024.

Customer alleges misappropriation by the Registered Representative. Customer also alleges that she made a loan to the Registered Representative.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Anthony Bottini (Bottini), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least 2 disclosable events. These events include one customer complaint, one regulatory, alleging that Bottini recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on January 30, 2025.

Respondent Bottini failed to respond to FINRA requests for information.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Alexandre Maltez (Maltez), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Maltez 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 February 04, 2025.

Breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and reg bi

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

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a pending customer complaint on February 01, 2025.

Client alleges failure to follow instructions February 2025.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Fernando De la vega (De la vega), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least 3 disclosable events. These events include 3 customer complaints, alleging that De la vega 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 $400,000.00 on March 11, 2025.

The customers allege unsuitable investment recommendations and misrepresentations.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker William King (King), previously associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least 10 disclosable events. These events include 9 customer complaints, one tax lien, alleging that King recommended unsuitable investments in different investment products including debt securities among other allegations and complaints.

FINRA BrokerCheck shows a final customer complaint on March 03, 2025.

Without admitting or denying the findings, King consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he exercised discretion when he placed trades in six brokerage accounts held by four firm customers, three of whom were seniors, without prior written authorization from the customers and without his member firm having accepted the accounts as discretionary. The findings stated that King discussed investment strategy with the customers but had not received authorization to exercise discretion. In addition, King inaccurately attested in compliance questionnaires that he had not exercised discretionary trading authority in customer accounts.

According to records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) financial Broker Nicholas Peterson (Peterson), currently associated with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, has at least one disclosable event. These events include one customer complaint, alleging that Peterson 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 $300,000.00 on September 04, 2024.

Client alleges unsuitable investment recommendations.

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