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Articles Posted in FINRA Disciplinary Actions

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for January 2021, the following individuals were suspended from FINRA for failing to comply with a FINRA arbitration award or settlement agreement pursuant to FINRA rules:

NAME FORMER EMPLOYERS
  Dane Brinkman   Kovack Securities Inc.
  UBS Financial Services Inc.
  Jonah Engler   Global Arena Capital Corp
  HFP Capital Markets LLC
  David Fleming, Jr.   Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
  Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc.
  Justin Harris   Morgan Stanley
  Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
  Eric Roark   Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
  Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
  Yousuf Saljooki   Worden Capital Management LLC
  Solomon Whitney Financial
  Josef Schaible   Templum Markets LLC
  Auto Aftermarket Securities, LLC
  David Sheppard   Meyers Associates, L.P.
  Aegis Capital Corp.
  Paul Stanford   Santander Securities LLC
  Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
  Gary Strange   Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
  William Joseph Capital Management LLC
  Robert Whittenburg   Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
  Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for January 2021, the following individuals were barred from FINRA and cannot currently work for a FINRA brokerage firm for failing to provide FINRA with information it requested or to keep information current with FINRA pursuant to FINRA rules:

NAME FORMER EMPLOYERS
  Casey Brougham   Nationwide Securities, LLC
  Nationwide Securities, Inc.
  Derek Edwards   PFS Investments Inc.
  Curt Giacobbe   MML Investors Services, LLC
  NYLife Securities LLC
  Young Ju Kim
  Kevin Lafollette   Nationwide Investment Services Corporation
  Paul McGonigle   LPL Financial LLC
  SII Investments, Inc.
  Naveed Mitha   Suntrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
  Jose Montero   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Cleavon Tidball   T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc.
  Transamerica Investors Securities Corporation

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James Couture (James Kenneth Couture CRD#: 4460284) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD#:6413) of Worchester, MA. His previous employers included Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation (CRD#:3870), also of Worchester, MA, New England Securities (CRD#:615) of New York, NY, and Morgan Stanley DW Inc. (CRD#:7556) of Purchase, NY. He has been in the industry since 2001.  LPL Financial discharged Couture on 6/17/2020 after discovering that he had:  Changed identifying information, account balances and distributions in customer account statements Maintained and comingled customer funds Used an unapproved email addressJames Couture (James Kenneth Couture CRD#: 4460284) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD#:6413) of Worchester, MA. His previous employers included Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation (CRD#:3870), also of Worchester, MA, New England Securities (CRD#:615) of New York, NY, and Morgan Stanley DW Inc. (CRD#:7556) of Purchase, NY. He has been in the industry since 2001. Continue reading ›

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for December 2020, the following individuals were suspended from FINRA and cannot currently work for a FINRA brokerage firm for failing to provide FINRA with information it requested or to keep information current with FINRA pursuant to FINRA rules. However, these individuals remain bound by the securities arbitration agreement to arbitrate any disputes between themselves and their former customers:

NAME FORMER EMPLOYERS
  Jamie Bennett   Silber Bennett Financial, Inc.
  Silver Portal Capital LLC
  Chelsea Flohr   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Jon Foster   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Mark Grenier   David Lerner Associates, Inc.
  Maxim Group LLC
  Dorinda Lumpkin   BBVA Securities Inc.
  Jorge Pica   Suntrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
  Stephens Inc.
  Aaron Pierett   Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
  Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Alexander Walker   Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for December 2020, the following individuals were suspended from FINRA for failing to comply with a FINRA arbitration award or settlement agreement pursuant to FINRA rules:

NAME FORMER EMPLOYERS
  Katie Blando   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
  Thomas Marino   R.M. Stark & Co., Inc.
  J.W. Cole Financial, Inc.
  Narinder Singh   Farmers Financial Solutions, LLC
  ProEquities, Inc.

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for December 2020, the following individuals were barred from FINRA and cannot currently work for a FINRA brokerage firm for failing to provide FINRA with information it requested or to keep information current with FINRA pursuant to FINRA rules:

NAME FORMER EMPLOYERS
  Michael Albarella   HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.
  People’s Securities, Inc.
  Dean Grosskreutz   Allstate Financial Services, LLC
  Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.

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Michael Pina (Michael Kris Pina CRD#: 5922058) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was PFS Investments Inc. (CRD#:10111) of Fort Lauderdale, FL. He has been in the industry since 2011, and began working with PFS in 2013.  A client filed a dispute on 2/4/2019 alleging that she gave Pina a check for $20,000, under the impression that it was to be invested. The firm settled for the damages requested, which was $20,000.  On 3/7/2019, PFS Investments allowed Pina to resign after he admitted borrowing $20,000 from a client. The firm terminated his registration in a Form U5 filed with FINRA, disclosing the circumstances of his termination. Based on the Form U5, FIRNA began its investigation.Michael Pina (Michael Kris Pina CRD#: 5922058) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was PFS Investments Inc. (CRD#:10111) of Fort Lauderdale, FL. He has been in the industry since 2011, and began working with PFS in 2013.

A client filed a dispute on 2/4/2019 alleging that she gave Pina a check for $20,000, under the impression that it was to be invested. The firm settled for the damages requested, which was $20,000. Continue reading ›

Peter Ianace (Peter Vincent Ianace CRD#: 3238078) is a formerly registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD#:19616) of Plano, TX. His previous employers include Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD#:7691) of Frisco, TX, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (CRD#:149777) and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (CRD#:8209), both of Plano, TX. He has been in the industry since 1999. Ianace is the subject of two current customer disputes, filed on 8/7/2020 and 8/24/2020, with similar allegations of unsuitable recommendations. One client also alleges that Ianace “neglected to reduce the over-concentrated and over-leveraged nature of their accounts.” Both disputes are currently listed as “pending.” FINRA began an investigation into Ianace’s business activities outside of his firm after he failed to report them. Ianace initially cooperated with the investigation, but stopped in August of 2020. After declaring to FINRA staff that he would not provide any further assistance or documentation, FINRA issued an Acceptance, Waiver & Consent (AWC) which Ianace signed.Peter Ianace (Peter Vincent Ianace CRD#: 3238078) is a formerly registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD#:19616) of Plano, TX. His previous employers include Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD#:7691) of Frisco, TX, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (CRD#:149777) and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (CRD#:8209), both of Plano, TX. He has been in the industry since 1999. Continue reading ›

Christ Baltas (Christ Elias Baltas CRD: 2570499) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD#:148366) of Melville, NY. His previous employers include Wilmington Capital Securities, LLC (CRD#:133839) also of Melville, Kovack Securities Inc. (CRD#:44848) of Fort Lauderdale FL, and Quest Capital Strategies, Inc. (CRD#:16783) of Laguna Hills, CA. He has been in the industry since 1995.  In August of 2020, FINRA sent Baltas a notice to appear for on-the-record testimony in relation to its investigation of his supervision of a registered representative. This representative had made trading recommendations that were potentially unsuitable while Baltas was a supervisor. Although Baltas acknowledged receipt of FINRA's notice, he notified staff that he would not be appearing for testimony at any time.Christ Baltas (Christ Elias Baltas CRD: 2570499) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD#:148366) of Melville, NY. His previous employers include Wilmington Capital Securities, LLC (CRD#:133839) also of Melville, Kovack Securities Inc. (CRD#:44848) of Fort Lauderdale FL, and Quest Capital Strategies, Inc. (CRD#:16783) of Laguna Hills, CA. He has been in the industry since 1995. Continue reading ›

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