Articles Tagged with Unauthorized Trading

shutterstock_62862913-259x300The investment fraud attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (Wells Fargo) broker Peter Malis (Malis). According to BrokerCheck Records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). According to BrokerCheck Records, Malis has been subject to five customer disputes, the majority concerning unsuitable investments in mutual funds, municipal bonds, and limited partnerships.

Most recently, in December 2017, a customer alleged that from February 2006 to December 2016, Malis placed the customer in unsuitable investments and executed trades in the account without the customer’s consent.

In September 2016, a customer alleged that from March 2002 to January 2016, Malis placed the customer in unsuitable investments and engaged in unauthorized trades and churning of the account. The case was settled at $1,100,000.

In May 1995, a customer alleged that Malis placed the customer in unsuitable mutual funds and limited partnerships. The case was settled at $12,500.

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shutterstock_128856874-300x200The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are currently investigating previously registered broker Edward Mirabella (Mirabella). According to BrokerCheck records kept by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Mirabella has been subject to 5 customer disputes, 2 of which are still pending. Mirabella has also been subject to two tax liens. The majority of these disputes involve unsuitable investment recommendations, unauthorized trading, and breach of fiduciary duty.

Most recently, in November 2017, a customer alleged that Mirabella churned the customer account and engaged in unsuitable investment transactions. The customer has requested $879,584 in damages. This dispute is currently still pending.

In January 2014, a customer alleged that Mirabella was executing unauthorized trades in the customer account. The customer has requested $40,000 in damages. This complaint is currently still pending.

shutterstock_143685652-300x300The securities attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating potential claims against former Capital Securities Management Inc. broker Teryl Trenchard (Trenchard). According to Trenchard’s BrokerCheck records, he was identified in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation on March 10, 2017. FINRA is examining alleged fraudulent activities of Trenchard.

Trenchard was terminated by Capital Securities Management on March 10, 2017 based upon the FINRA investigation for fraud.

In a pending customer complaint, it has been alleged that Trenchard engaged in misappropriation, forgery, fraud and unauthorized trading in unsuitable transactions between 2005 and 2017. The alleged damages are $1,800,000.

shutterstock_64859686-300x300The investment lawyers at Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints against Pennsylvania Broker/Investment Advisor Nadav Baum (Baum). According to BrokerCheck records, Baum has been subject to fourteen customer complaints and two regulatory sanctions. The customer complaints allege that Baum engaged in securities law violations, including making unsuitable investments in client’s accounts.

In March 2017, the New Jersey Bureau of Securities sanctioned Baum after he allegedly failed to comply with the terms of a supervisory agreement. He was ordered to cease and desist and to pay a fine of $6,000.

In August 2009, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) sanctioned Baum following allegations he executed discretionary trades without written authorization in the account of a deceased customer and executed discretionary trades in other accounts without authorization. He was issued a 30-day suspension and a fine of $15,000.

shutterstock_186180719-300x216The investment lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating the allegations made by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against barred broker Clay Hoffman. In June 2016, Hoffman was suspended by FINRA for his alleged failure to respond to FINRA’s request for information. Hoffman was later barred in November 2016 for his alleged failure to respond to multiple requests for documents and information related to an investigation.

Prior to the most recent suspension, Hoffman’s license as a broker was revoked and suspended, according to BrokerCheck. During May 2016, Hoffman alleged failed to pay a $5,000 fine for a previous case, which resulted in the revocation of his license. Additionally, Hoffman’s broker license was suspended during February 2016 due to the findings that allege that Hoffman engaged unauthorized business practices. Allegedly, Hoffman executed discretionary transactions in a customer’s account without any written authorization from the customer or firm.

In April 2015, a customer complaint was filed against Hoffman for alleged misrepresentation, unsuitability, and unauthorized trading. During his employment at SunTrust Investment and Summit Brokerage Services, Hoffman allegedly caused a loss for his client due to the misrepresentation of Mutual Funds. The alleged damages were $234,697.00 and the case settled at $90,000.

shutterstock_61142644-300x225Our firm is investigating customer disclosure claims concerning broker John Nelson Crook (Crook). Crook’s FINRA BrokerCheck record shows several disclosures of allegations concerning churning (excessive trading, unauthorized trading, unsuitability, and breach of fiduciary duty. His BrokerCheck records also show a disclosure concerning an employment separation after allegations.

In July 2015, Crook was discharged from Raymond James & Associates Inc due to the findings that that the financial advisor allegedly did not respond in a timely manner to a supervisory review of trading activity. In addition, Crook allegedly did not provide a legitimate explanation for the trading activity in a certain client’s account, which lead to his termination from the firm in July 2015.

The most recent customer complaint against Crook was received in November 2015.During the period between August 2006 and June 2015, Crook allegedly engaged in excessive and unauthorized trading. Crook allegedly also recommended unsuitable investment products to his client, fraudulently misrepresented, and breached his fiduciary duty. The alleged damages are worth over $4 Million and the case is currently pending.

shutterstock_170949320-300x199Gana Weinstein LLP’s investment fraud attorneys are looking into multiple customer disputes filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against broker Rodger James Burskey (Burskey) that led to a regulatory action by FINRA. According to Burskey’s FINRA BrokerCheck records, there are several disclosures on his record pertaining to unauthorized, unsuitable, and excessive trading. Burskey has dealt with an employment separation and was barred by FINRA from the securities industry. In December 2016, Burskey was barred by FINRA from having any registration capacities in the securities industry. He consented to the sanctions and findings of FINRA and refused to appear on the record regarding allegations of making unsuitable recommendations and engage in discretionary trading.

Burskey entered the securities industry in 1985 and was last employed at Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. until November 2015. He was previously registered at:

• US Allianz Securities, Inc. (February 1999 – November 2006)

shutterstock_95416924-300x225The securities lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints filed with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against broker Tracy Rae Turner (Turner). According to BrokerCheck records, Turner has been subject to at least 31 customer complaints, two employment separations for cause, one regulatory, and one financial among other claims during his 22 years of experience. The customer complaints against Turner alleges securities law violations that including unauthorized trading, fraud, breach of contract, negligence, and failure to supervise among other claims.

In a FINRA regulatory action against Turner in November 2016, the agency alleged that he offered and sold interests to investors totaling approximately $4.1 million without giving prior notice to and receiving prior written permission from his member firm. For successfully soliciting these investments, Turner received approximately $270,000 in compensation. A decision was rendered in April 2017 which resulted in barring Turner from FINRA association and fining him for $272, 879.04. The findings of the decision also alleged that Turner created a publically available offering memorandum to market sales of interest in private securities without providing a sound evaluation of investments and included false and misleading statements.

In June 2009, Turner was permitted to resign from his position at CapWest Securities, Inc. for conducting sales in states where he was not registered.

shutterstock_185582-300x225The investment lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating a pending customer complaint filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against Silvano Rolando Trino (Trino). According to FINRA’s BrokerCheck record for Trino, there are at least 4 disclosures on Trino’s records, all pertaining to customer complaints. The customer complaints against Trino allege unauthorized use of margin, unsuitable trading, and churning.

All brokers who are registered with FINRA are required to disclosure customer complaints and arbitrations, regulatory actions, employment terminations, bankruptcy filings, and criminal or civil judicial proceedings.

The most recent customer complaint against Trino was filed with FINRA in September 2014 alleging unauthorized use of margin, unsuitable trades, and churning. This claim occurred during Trino’s current employment at Northeast Securities, Inc.

shutterstock_188269637-300x200Gana Weinstein LLP’s securities fraud investigation has uncovered a complaint filed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against broker Gerald O’Halloran (O’Halloran). O’Halloran was  formerly associated with Kovack Securities Inc. The complaint alleges that O’Halloran has been the subject of at least eight customer complaints, two employment separations for cause, and one criminal charge. The customer complaints against O’Halloran is a makeup of allegations of numerous securities law violations, including that O’Halloran engaged in unauthorized trades, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty & breach of contract among other claims.

The most recent complaint against O’Halloran was filed in August 2016, alleging $135,000.00 in damage stemming from violation of trading negligently, misrepresentation, omission of a material fact, breach of fiduciary duty & breach of contract in customer’s account while employed at Credit Suisse Securities. The claim is currently pending.

In 2011 a customer filed a complaint alleging unauthorized trades in the account during February 2011 claiming $14,000.00 in damages. The case was resolved with the customer receiving $27,000.00.

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