Articles Tagged with RBC

shutterstock_189322280-300x234According to BrokerCheck records kept by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) advisor Patrick Hudson (Hudson), in June 2015, was terminated by his then employer RBC Capital Markets (RBC).  RBC stated that Hudson was terminated due to undisclosed outside business activities and the sale of unapproved products.

Thereafter, in August 2017, FINRA brought action against Hudson finding that Hudson participated in private securities transactions in the form of promissory notes, without providing written notice or seeking written from RBC. FINRA found that Hudson’s outside real estate business entered into a series of promissory notes away from the firm totaling $490,000. In addition, Hudson participated in multiple outside businesses without providing prior written notice to the firm.  FINRA determined that on at least 21 occasions Hudson sent letters on firm letterhead to various third-parties for the purpose of verifying the assets of firm customers but that Hudson failed to submit these letters to the firm’s operations support department for supervisory review.

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”.

shutterstock_85873471-300x200Our securities fraud attorneys are investigating customer complaints filed with The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against Samuel Koltun (Koltun) currently associated with RBC Capital Markets, LLC (RBC) alleging unsuitable investments in Puerto Rico municipal bonds among other claims.  According to brokercheck records Koltun has been subject to six customer complaints and one regulatory action.

Puerto Rico municipal bonds are speculative investments based upon the deteriorating finances of the island.  Many brokers have been accused of peddling these bonds in large concentrations to clients.  In September 2016 a customer filed a complaint against Koltun alleging over concentration in Puerto Rico bonds from 2012 through 2015.  The claim alleges $80,000 in damages and is currently pending.  In another complaint filed in April 2016, the customer alleges $260,000 caused by overconcentration in Puerto Rico municipal bonds.  The claim is currently pending.

Brokers in the financial industry have the fundamental responsibility to treat investors fairly.  This obligation includes making only suitable investments for their client.  The suitable analysis has certain requirements that must be met before the recommendation is made.  First, there must be reasonable basis for the recommendation for the investment based upon the broker’s and the firm’s investigation and due diligence.  Common due diligence looks into the investment’s properties including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, the issuer, the likelihood of success or failure of the investment, and other relevant factors.  Second, if there is a reasonable basis to recommend the product to investors the broker then must match the investment as being appropriate for the customer’s specific investment needs and objectives.  These factors include the client’s age, investment experience, retirement status, long or short term goals, tax status, or any other relevant factor.

shutterstock_179203760The investment lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating at least four customer complaints brought before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against John McGinnis (McGinnis) working out of Escondido, California alleging the sale of promissory notes, private placements, and private loans.  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 unclear the nature and scope of McGinnis’ outside business activities and private securities transactions.  However, according to McGinnis’ public records his outside business activities includes Orchards of AZ LLC, a real estate business.  Often times, brokers sell promissory notes and other investments through side businesses as accountants, lawyers, or insurance agents to clients of those side practices.

McGinnis entered the securities industry in 1987.  Since July 2008 through September 2015 McGinnis has been associated with RBC Capital Markets, LLC.

shutterstock_156562427The securities lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints filed with The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against broker Lisa Lowi (Lowi).  According to BrokerCheck records Lowi has been subject to at least 21 customer complaints with approximately 18 of those complaints being filed in the last two years.  The recent customer complaints against Lowi allege securities law violations including unsuitable investments that relate to concentrations in energy bond related investments.   The complaints in total allege millions in investor losses and damages

As reported by the Wall Street Journal the drop in oil and energy prices and the industry downturn has made it difficult for many companies to refinance their debts.  According to Bloomberg, U.S. high-yield debt issued to junk-rated energy companies grew four-fold to $208 billion.  Most of these companies are now struggling to stay afloat with oil prices at $45. Nonetheless, oil and gas and commodities related investments have been recommended by brokers under the assumption that commodities prices would continue to go up. Some experts are saying that if production volume continues to be as high as it currently is and demand growth weak that the return to $100 a barrel is years away.

Before recommending investments in oil and gas and commodities related investments, brokers and advisors must ensure that the investment is appropriate for the investor and conduct due diligence on the company in order to understand the risks and prospects of the company. Many of these companies relied upon high energy prices in order to sustain their operations.

shutterstock_145368937The securities fraud lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints filed with The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) against broker Paul Blum (Blum). According to BrokerCheck records Blum has been the subject of at least eight customer complaints three of which have been filed since 2015. The customer complaints against Blum allege a number of securities law violations including that the broker made unsuitable investments, and excessive trading among other claims.

The most recent customer complaint filed in December 2015 and alleged negligence in recommending the purchase of bonds that defaulted from February 2009 until April 2014 claiming $450,000 in damages. The claim is still pending. In November 2015, another client filed a complaint alleging Blum invested in high yield bonds without consultation between May 2013 and May 2014 resulting in $133,000 in damages. The dispute is currently pending.   In a third complaint filed in November 2015, an investor claimed that Blum invested in appropriate bonds from 2005 through 2015 causing $140,000 in damages. The claim was settled.

Brokers have a responsibility treat investors fairly which includes obligations such as making only suitable investments for the client. In order to make a suitable recommendation the broker must meet certain requirements. First, there must be reasonable basis for the recommendation the product or security based upon the broker’s investigation and due diligence into the investment’s properties including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, and other relevant factors. Second, the broker then must match the investment as being appropriate for the customer’s specific investment needs and objectives such as the client’s retirement status, long or short term goals, age, disability, income needs, or any other relevant factor.

shutterstock_188874428According to the BrokerCheck records kept by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker Jeffrey Fladell (Fladell) has been the subject of at least 6 customer complaints, one regulatory action, and one criminal matter. Customers have filed complaints against Fladell alleging securities law violations including churning and excessive trading, unsuitable investments, negligence, and overconcentrated positions among other claims. Most of the claims against Fladell relate to allegations that the investor was concentrated in municipal bonds or other debt obligations that caused losses. For instance once complaint alleged damages of $1,000,000 as a result of concentration in municipal bonds that were inconsistent with the client’s objective of principal protection.

Fladell entered the securities industry in 1970. From March 1995, until October 2009, Fladell was associated with J.B. Hanauer & Co. Since October 2009, Fladell became associated with RBC Capital Markets, LLC out of the firm’s Parsippany, New Jersey office location.

All advisers have a fundamental responsibility to deal fairly with investors including making suitable investment recommendations. In order to make suitable recommendations the broker must have a reasonable basis for recommending the product or security based upon the broker’s investigation of the investments properties including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, and other relevant factors. In addition, the broker must also understand the customer’s specific investment objectives to determine whether or not the specific product or security being recommended is appropriate for the customer based upon their needs.

shutterstock_187532306The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ordered RBC Capital Markets (RBC) to pay a $1 million fine and approximately $434,000 in restitution to customers for alleged supervisory failures resulting in sales of unsuitable reverse convertibles.

As a background, a reverse convertible is an interest-bearing note where repayment of the principal is tied to the performance of an underlying asset, such as a stock or basket of stocks. Investor risk of loss comes from changes in the value of the underlying asset. If the asset falls below a certain level at maturity or during the term of the reverse convertible the investor can suffer losses. In February 2010, FINRA issued a regulatory notice on reverse convertibles emphasizing the need for firms to perform a suitability analysis in connection with sales of reverse convertible because they are complex product.

FINRA and the SEC have both expressed alarm at the growing popularity of complex products. Complex securities include, but are not limited to equity-indexed annuities, leveraged and inverse-leveraged exchange traded funds, reverse convertibles, alternative mutual funds, exchange traded products, and structured notes. A 2012 SEC study on investor financial literacy found that retail investors, and particularly the elderly and minorities, lack basic financial literacy skills. Combining a general lack of financial literacy with an investment product landscape that increasingly focuses on ever more complex product offerings and investors are more reliant on their advisers than ever. Accordingly, retail investors do not always fully appreciate the risks involved with these.

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP recently filed a complaint against RBC Capital Markets, LLC (RBC) and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC (Morgan Stanley) accusing their registered representative Bruce Weinstein (Weinstein) of churning (excessive trading) and making unsuitable recommendations. In addition, the complaint alleged that the brokerage firms failed to properly supervise Weinstein’s activities.

The claimant alleged that he is the owner of a small business who had very little investment experience with stocks, bonds, or any other investment products.  In addition, the claimant has no other financial or investment training and is generally unsophisticated in financial matters.  The complaint also alleged that Weinstein knew that the claimant was providing the broker with approximately 100% of his liquid assets.  The claimant alleged that even though he did not tell the broker that he desired to speculate with 100% of his liquid assets, Weinstein incorrectly marked claimant’s investment objective as speculation.  Claimant alleged that the broker also incorrectly selected his investment experience in options, stocks, and bonds as being 20 years.  In fact, the claimant had no options trading experience.

According to the complaint, Weinstein immediately began executing a highly leveraged and excessive trading investment strategy in claimant’s account.  The claimant alleged that Weinstein’s trading was made without authorization or prior notice to the client.  The claimant alleged that the broker’s trading generated exorbitant commissions for himself while providing no material benefit to his client.  For example, in the May 2011, the claimant alleged that his account lost 44.8% of its value in a single month.  During this month, it was alleged that the broker excessively day traded options such as Apple causing losses of $23,228 in Apple options or nearly 21% of the claimant’s entire liquid net worth.

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