Articles Posted in Investment Fraud

The recent arrest of former broker Gary Basralian (CRD #14385) for defrauding two clients of $2.1 million also raises allegations of failure to supervise about his brokerage firm, Royal Alliance Associates (CRD #23131.) According to news reports, Basralian embezzled money from two elderly women and used the funds for his…

FINRA has barred former broker Gary Basralian (CRD# 14385) after allegations of stealing more than $2 million from two clients and using the money to pay his personal expenses. He is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of investment adviser fraud. His last employer was Royal…

Centaurus Financial has been the recipient of multiple FINRA actions, including 11 regulatory events and 8 reported arbitration claims. Not all of these are major issues, but they could be relevant to an investor doing business with Centaurus. The SEC has strict rules about how a broker-dealer operates, runs their…

Lawrence Hagedorn is barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Respondent failed to request termination of his suspension within three months of the date of the Notice of Suspension; therefore, he is automatically barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Lawrence Hagedorn was registered…

Jeffrey Palish was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Palish, a former Wells Fargo stockbroker, consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that over approximately three years, he converted more than $180,000 for his personal use from…

A new program has launched with the goal of educating everyone about this problem According to a 2017 survey conducted by the Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA), two-thirds of caregivers reported that they had an elderly family member who at one time or another was a target of some sort…

Shane Jason Kelly (CRD# 3152000) was recently suspended by FINRA. He was previously registered as a broker and investment advisor, but currently has no registrations. His last known employer was IFP Advisors, Inc. (CRD# 125112) of Tampa, FL. Kelly’s previous employers include: LPL Financial, (CRD# 6413) of Port Lucie, FL,…

FINRA has suspended broker Jeffrey Paul Dragon (CRD# 1874038) for 21 months and sanctioned him $50,000 in relation to a series of customer complaints.  He has since been subjected to a second customer dispute after being terminated. Dragon was last employed by Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. (CRD#…

Palm Beach, Florida-based Gary Edward Adkin (CRD# 3084484) is currently registered as a broker and investment advisor employed by Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (CRD# 793.) Adkin has been with the firm since 12/4/2015, and was previously employed by Barclay’s and Lehman Brothers. In addition to his current registration with…

FINRA and the SEC has fined Aegis Capital $1.3 million stemming from multiple reporting violations, including failing to report suspicious trades to the SEC. The regulators also allege that Aegis CEO and owner Robert Eide was responsible for causing the violations when he failed to respond to reports of suspicious…