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Articles Posted in Churning

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William Athes (William Nicholas Athes CRD#: 3165470) is a currently registered broker employed by SW Financial (CRD#: 145012 of Melville, NY.) His previous employers include Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD#:148366), also of Melville, K.C. Ward Financial (CRD#:145135) of Ronkonkoma, NY, and Securities America, Inc. (CRD#:10205) of Port Jefferson, NY. He has been in the industry since 1999. A client filed a dispute on 5/4/2020 alleged that from 5/2/2019 to 4/23/2020, Athes engaged in unsuitable trading, breach of contract and fiduciary duty, and churning. This claim is pending, and the client requests damages of $84,932.35. Following this dispute, FINRA began an investigation and issued a preliminary determination on 9/14/2020 to recommend disciplinary action against Athes after allegations of churning, unsuitable recommendations, and other similar allegations.William Athes (William Nicholas Athes CRD#: 3165470) is a currently registered broker employed by SW Financial (CRD#: 145012 of Melville, NY.) His previous employers include Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD#:148366), also of Melville, K.C. Ward Financial (CRD#:145135) of Ronkonkoma, NY, and Securities America, Inc. (CRD#:10205) of Port Jefferson, NY. He has been in the industry since 1999. Continue reading ›

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Robert Buffington (CRD#:5220332) is a previously registered broker whose last employer was Aegis Capital Corp. (CRD# 15007) of New York, NY. Prior employers include Gunnallen Financial, Inc (CRD#:17609), Maxim Group LLC (CRD#:120708) and Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. (CRD#:79), all of New York. He has been in the industry since 2007. No current employment information is available. Buffington is the subject of four disclosures, all customer disputes. The most recent was filed on 3/9/2020, with allegations of unsuitability, and breaches of contract and fiduciary duty in an unspecified time frame. This dispute requests damages of $642,224.00. Two previous disputes were filed on 1/17/2020 and 1/21/2020, respectively. Both contain allegations of unsuitability, churning, common law fraud, and breaches of contract and fiduciary duty. The dispute filed on 1/17 claims a timeframe of November 2018 through the present. The other dispute has an unspecified time frame. All three of these disputes are pending.Robert Buffington (CRD#:5220332) is a previously registered broker whose last employer was Aegis Capital Corp. (CRD# 15007) of New York, NY. Prior employers include Gunnallen Financial, Inc (CRD#:17609), Maxim Group LLC (CRD#:120708) and Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. (CRD#:79), all of New York. He has been in the industry since 2007. No current employment information is available. Continue reading ›

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David Weisberg is a currently suspended broker who was last registered with Worden Capital Management LLC in New York, New York. Weisberg was suspended by FINRA for findings that he “engaged in excessive and unsuitable trading in the account of an elderly customer.”David Weisberg is a currently suspended broker who was last registered with Worden Capital Management LLC in New York, New York. Weisberg was suspended by FINRA for findings that he “engaged in excessive and unsuitable trading in the account of an elderly customer.”

Before working at Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD# 148366), Weisberg worked at Legend Securities, Inc. (CRD# 44952, expelled), First Midwest Securities, Inc. (CRD# 21786), JHS Capital Advisors, Inc. (CRD# 112097), Fordham Financial Management, Inc. (CRD# 20996), and John Thomas Financial (CRD# 40982, expelled). He had been in the industry since 2009. Continue reading ›

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One of the most common claims from unhappy investors is against stockbrokers who churn or excessively trade their account to generate commissions for themselves. Every dollar spent on fees, costs, or commissions is money that needs to be recovered through profit just for the investor to break even. The higher the commissions an investor pays, the less likely they are to make a profit.One of the most common claims from unhappy investors is against stockbrokers who churn or excessively trade their account to generate commissions for themselves.

Every dollar spent on fees, costs, or commissions is money that needs to be recovered through profit just for the investor to break even. The higher the commissions an investor pays, the less likely they are to make a profit. Continue reading ›

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Demos Argyros (CRD#: 1325219), a currently-registered broker working for Oppenheimer & Co. (CRD# 249) in St. Louis, Missouri, is the subject of 5 disclosures on his FINRA BrokerCheck report. Argyros has been in the industry since 1985 and was previously registered at CIBC World Markets Corp. (CRD#: 630), Kemper Securities Group, Inc. (CRD#: 19616), Blunt Ellis & Loewi Incorporated (CRD#: 7580), and others.Demos Argyros (CRD#: 1325219), a currently-registered broker working for Oppenheimer & Co. (CRD# 249) in St. Louis, Missouri, is the subject of 5 disclosures on his FINRA BrokerCheck report.

Argyros has been in the industry since 1985 and was previously registered at CIBC World Markets Corp. (CRD#: 630), Kemper Securities Group, Inc. (CRD#: 19616), Blunt Ellis & Loewi Incorporated (CRD#: 7580), and others. Continue reading ›

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James Bradley Schwartz (CRD# 3043085) is a former registered broker whose last employer was Joseph Gunnar & Co. LLC (CRD#:24795) of New York, NY. Previous employers include First Standard Financial Company LLC (CRD#:168340) of Garden City, NY, and Aegis Capital Corp. (CRD#:15007) of Melville, NY.  He has been in the industry since 1998.During his tenure with Aegis (2013 through 2016), Schwartz was the subject of six customer disputes, all of which were settled by the firm. The allegations against Schwartz were similar: unauthorized and excessive trading, unsuitable recommendations, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, misrepresentation, and others. The damages requested for these six disputes totaled $6,861,954.47, and the damages awarded totaled $2,730,286.36.James Schwartz (CRD# 3043085) is a former registered broker whose last employer was Joseph Gunnar & Co. LLC (CRD#:24795) of New York, NY. Previous employers include First Standard Financial Company LLC (CRD#:168340) of Garden City, NY, and Aegis Capital Corp. (CRD#:15007) of Melville, NY.  He has been in the industry since 1998. Continue reading ›

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FINRA has alleged that in 2011 and 2012, Ami Forte engaged in unsuitable trading with the account of a client who was very near death. With this account, Forte generated more than $9 million in commissions in less than a year. In 2016, Forte was fired by Morgan Stanley after the estate of Roy M. Speer, co-founder of the Home Shopping Network, sued Morgan Stanley for $40 million. In March 2016, a FINRA panel gave more than $34 million to the Speer estate for its claim against Morgan Stanley.FINRA has alleged that in 2011 and 2012, Ami Forte engaged in unsuitable trading with the account of a client who was very near death. With this account, Forte generated more than $9 million in commissions in less than a year. In 2016, Forte was fired by Morgan Stanley after the estate of Roy M. Speer, co-founder of the Home Shopping Network, sued Morgan Stanley for $40 million.

In March 2016, a FINRA panel gave more than $34 million to the Speer estate for its claim against Morgan Stanley. Continue reading ›

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Gabriel Block (CRD#: 2103543, aka Gabe Block) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last employer was First Standard Financial Company LLC (CRD#:168340) of Red Bank, NJ. His previous employers include National Securities Corporation (CRD#:7569) and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (CRD#:249), both of Red Bank, as well as others in Purchase, NY, St. Louis, MO, Charlotte, NC, Boca Raton, FL, and New York, NY. No current employment information is available. He began in the industry in 1990.Gabriel Block (CRD#: 2103543, aka Gabe Block) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last employer was First Standard Financial Company LLC (CRD#:168340) of Red Bank, NJ. His previous employers include National Securities Corporation (CRD#:7569) and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (CRD#:249), both of Red Bank, as well as others in Purchase, NY, St. Louis, MO, Charlotte, NC, Boca Raton, FL, and New York, NY. No current employment information is available. He began in the industry in 1990. Continue reading ›

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You may have heard the term “churning” in discussions of investments and securities. But you probably won’t know what it means unless you’ve actually experienced it. (Hint: it has nothing to do with butter.)“Churning” is when a broker and/or firm conducted extra trading in your account for the sole purpose of earning additional commissions from the transactions. If you’ve ever looked at an account statement and thought, “that’s quite a lot of broker commissions,” it could mean that your account has been churned.Cetera Advisor Networks will be paying about $1.4 million in fines and restitution related to a former broker who made multiple short-term mutual fund purchases. The broker received sales awards in 2013 and 2014 from the firm. FINRA fined Cetera $700,000, and ordered the firm to pay $691,800 in customer restitution.You may have heard the term “churning” in discussions of investments and securities. But you probably won’t know what it means unless you’ve actually experienced it. (Hint: it has nothing to do with butter.)

“Churning” is when a broker and/or firm conducted extra trading in your account for the sole purpose of earning additional commissions from the transactions. If you’ve ever looked at an account statement and thought, “that’s quite a lot of broker commissions,” it could mean that your account has been churned. Continue reading ›

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Devin Michael McCabe (CRD#: 5645799) is a registered broker currently employed with Westpark Capital, Inc. (CRD#:39914) of Fort Lauderdale, FL. He was previously employed by Laidlaw & Company (UK) LTD. (CRD#:119037), Sterne Agee Financial Services, Inc. (CRD#:18456), and Emmett A Larkin Company, Inc. (CRD#:6625), all of Fort Lauderdale. He has been in the industry since 2009.McCabe is the subject of two disclosures. The first disclosure was filed on 5/15/2018. The customer alleges “churning, unauthorized and unsuitable trading from 2015-2017,” and requests damages of $25,413.00. The claim is currently listed as “pending.”Devin Michael McCabe (CRD#: 5645799) is a registered broker currently employed with Westpark Capital, Inc. (CRD#:39914) of Fort Lauderdale, FL. He was previously employed by Laidlaw & Company (UK) LTD. (CRD#:119037), Sterne Agee Financial Services, Inc. (CRD#:18456), and Emmett A Larkin Company, Inc. (CRD#:6625), all of Fort Lauderdale. He has been in the industry since 2009.

Devin Michael McCabe is the subject of two disclosures. The first disclosure was filed on 5/15/2018. The customer alleges “churning, unauthorized and unsuitable trading from 2015-2017,” and requests damages of $25,413.00. The claim is currently listed as “pending.” Continue reading ›

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