FINRA Arbitration

WFG Investments Broker Carl Busch Fined and Suspended by FINRA

March 7, 2016 | Silver Law Group

WFG Investments Broker Carl Busch Fined and Suspended by FINRA on silverlaw.com

Broker’s record includes failure to supervise, tax liens and civil judgments.

In his 46 years in the securities industry, Oklahoma City investment advisor Carl Busch has six disclosure events listed on his official FINRA BrokerCheck record. The most recent event in December 2015 shows that FINRA sanctioned Busch $5,000 and suspended him from participating in the securities industry as an advisor for 45 days.

According to the disciplinary action details, Busch failed to adequately supervise a registered representative of his firm, WFG Investments, who allegedly:

Have You Enlisted the Financial Services of William Bailey?

February 29, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Have You Enlisted the Financial Services of William Bailey? on silverlaw.com

Broker’s securities industry career is tainted with allegations, suspensions, and sanctions.

For a second time in his 25-year securities industry career, Bailey has been suspended from acting as a broker or otherwise associating with firms that sell securities to the public. This most recent suspension in November 2015 is due to Bailey’s failure to comply with an arbitration award or settlement agreement or to satisfactorily respond to a FINRA request to provide information concerning the status of compliance. According to FINRA records, Bailey was employed by Next Financial until 2008.

Bailey’s first FINRA suspension took place in September 2010 and involved allegations that Bailey made fraudulent and unsuitable mutual fund and variable annuity switch recommendations to retired and unsophisticated customers with little or no economic benefit to the customers. It was also alleged that Bailey failed to disclose key facts about investment choices, made investment trades without consulting his clients, and failed to disclose potential sales charges that ultimately cost his customers over $90,000.00 in unnecessary costs. At the same time, Bailey derived approximately $105,000.00 in commissions from these transactions.

Broker Richard Drown Disappeared According to Firm

February 22, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Broker Richard Drown Disappeared According to Firm on silverlaw.com

Allegations of unauthorized trading and client abandonment tarnish 34-year career.

In June 2015, investment firm D.A. Davidson & Company formally discharged broker Richard G. Drown, Jr. after the broker allegedly “disappeared,” abandoning both his duties and his clients. According to Drown’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, the firm filed an Employment Separation After Allegations report, saying that his whereabouts remained unknown.

Pending customer disputes remain open on Drown’s FINRA record and involve allegations of unauthorized transactions and misappropriation of funds in two customer accounts owned by a mother and daughter. In particular, Drown is accused of transferring funds from the customer trust brokerage accounts to the trust’s outside bank accounts during two separate time periods.

Have You Lost Money After Investing with Christopher F. Veale?

February 16, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Have You Lost Money After Investing with Christopher F. Veale? on silverlaw.com

As of August 18, 2015, Veale has been suspended by FINRA

With numerous complaints filed against him, several judgments, a felony charge and various other allegations after a lengthy career in the industry, Christopher Veale remains in hot water with FINRA.

The trouble for Veale began as early as August of 2000, when a customer complained that the then Rhode Island broker made unauthorized trades in their account. Although this dispute was denied, it was just the beginning of what would become a career fraught with allegations.

South Florida Broker, Walter Priebe, Receives FINRA Disciplinary Action

February 15, 2016 | Silver Law Group

South Florida Broker, Walter Priebe, Receives FINRA Disciplinary Action on silverlaw.com

Florida stockbroker suspended from securities activity for 6 months due to misconduct

Walter P. Priebe, from Pompano Beach, FL, is accused of engaging in outside business activities without telling his registered firm, Investacorp. Priebe worked for Investacorp between March 1989 and July 2014, when his position in that company was terminated.

The FINRA report alleges that Priebe served as a primary or successor trustee for numerous trusts that were associated with his firm (and was paid for this role). He did not, however, disclose this outside business role and on several occasions, indicated that he had fully disclosed all outside business associations.

Failure to Adequately Supervise Prompts FINRA Suspension of Roman Luckey

February 11, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Failure to Adequately Supervise Prompts FINRA Suspension of Roman Luckey on silverlaw.com

Ineffective supervision leads to FINRA suspension of financial services provider

Roman T. Luckey, formerly registered with Newport Coast Securities Inc., was fined $15,000 and also suspended for 14 months by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in August 2015 for failure to appropriately supervise his staff, who were taking advantage of clients by excessive trading, churning and making unsuitable financial recommendations.

The FINRA report maintains that Luckey failed to act on numerous obvious red flags concerning five of the financial representatives he supervised that impacted 24 client accounts between 2008 and 2013.

Alain Florestan Guilty of Putting Profits Before Customers

February 11, 2016 | Silver Law Group

New York broker Alain Florestan faces allegations of misconduct and unsuitable trading.

After 16 years in the securities industry, New York financial broker Alain Florestan is no longer registered to act as a financial advisor or representative in the securities industry. During his career, Florestan experienced 10 disclosure events reported on his FINRA BrokerCheck.

The most recent allegation against Florestan names him as a respondent in a case involving $1.1 million in customer trading losses while these same customers paid over $1 million in commissions and fees. The disciplinary action alleges that during his time with Caldwell International Securities Corporation (CISC), Florestan and his colleagues “put profits before customers, growth before compliance, and subterfuge before transparency.”

FINRA Permanently Bars Texas Broker Joe L Buckner

January 17, 2016 | Silver Law Group

FINRA Permanently Bars Texas Broker Joe L Buckner on silverlaw.com

Buckner can no longer act as a broker or associate with any member of FINRA in any capacity

Joe L. Buckner has been barred by FINRA as of December 2015. As a result of his refusal to respond to the FINRA’s request for information, the Texas broker can no longer associate with any member of FINRA in any capacity.

Buckner’s employment history includes Brazos Securities in Dallas and in his early days, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith in New York, New York.

Abern Barred by FINRA for Failing to Cooperate

January 12, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Abern Barred by FINRA for Failing to Cooperate on silverlaw.com

FINRA made a request to meet but Andrew Abern was a no show.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) took decisive action in 10/15 against former Dalton Strategic Investment Services broker, Andrew Abern, for failing to cooperate with their investigation. Specifically, Abern did not appear at a scheduled FINRA on-the-record interview. FINRA was investigating allegations that Abern recommended a customer refinance his home and use the proceeds toward the purchase of variable annuities. This ban means that he can no longer have any contact or activity with FINRA firms.

Long history of questionable conduct

Marat Zeltser Has Been Barred By FINRA After Numerous Allegations of Misconduct

January 10, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Marat Zeltser Has Been Barred By FINRA After Numerous Allegations of Misconduct on silverlaw.com

Allegations include willful violation of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, among others

Marat Zeltser has a long history in the financial services industry, including working as a broker for various firms in New York, New York since 2003.

While employed by Caldwell International Securities Corporation, allegations against Zeltser included mishandling accounts, losing a client’s money and failing to follow client’s requests to sell a security. He also allegedly invested monies in an unsuitable triple leverage EFT’s over long periods of time.