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Articles Posted in Unauthorized Trading

Mark J. Flanagan

CRD#1949836

Silver Law Group is investigating former Highland Park, Illinois-based Citigroup Global Markets broker Mark J. Flanagan after he failed to respond to an official request for information and was temporarily suspended by FINRA.

Donald A. Devito

CRD# 1096364

Silver Law Group is investigating former Albany, New York-based Wells Fargo broker Donald A Devito after multiple FINRA complaints alleging unauthorized trading and unsuitable investment recommendations.

Paul A. Falcon

CRD# 2464566

Silver Law Group is reviewing customer complaints against Boca Raton office of Aegis Capital Corp. broker Paul A. Falcon that alleges he exercised unauthorized trading in client brokerage accounts, provided unsuitable investment recommendations and engaged in excessive trading

Silver Law Group is analyzing claims of unauthorized trading and unsuitable investments by former Delray Beach, Florida based Cetera Advisors LLC (CRD#10299) broker Christopher R. Hickman (CRD# 3267599).  The complaints allege that Hickman recommended unsuitable trades and investments and carried out unauthorized trades over the course of many years.

According to Hickman’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, FINRA suspended and fined Hickman in July 2017 for five months and fined him $5,000. On multiple occasions throughout his career, clients have alleged losses to due to unauthorized trading and unsuitability. The earliest FINRA reported incident was in November of 2007 up until the most recent event in July of 2017.

Hickman was employed and registered by Cetera Advisors LLC from September of 2009 until July of 2015. Previously he was employed by Banc Of America Investment Services (CRD#16361) from 2006  to 2009.

Former LPL Financial Broker Mark Tauzin Suspended and Fined by FINRA on silverlaw.comSilver Law Group is investigating former Puerto Rico-based Popular Securities, LLC (CRD# 8096) broker Manuel Angel Mejia-Gomez (CRD# 2259727) after FINRA suspended him.

According to Mejia-Gomez’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, FINRA suspended and fined Mejia-Gomez in December 2016 for three months and fined him $15,000.  According to Mejia-Gomez’s BrokerCheck report, he exercised discretionary authority in customers’ accounts.  On multiple occasions, Mejia-Gomez liquidates securities in the account of a customer in order to meet the customer’s cash flow obligations.

The FINRA suspension follows Mejia-Gomez’s resignation from Popular Securities in January 2015.  Popular Securities permitted Mejia-Gomez to resign because he allegedly conducted unauthorized trades to amass commissions.  Prior to that, in December 2014 a complaint alleging unauthorized trading against Mejia-Gomez was settled.

South Florida Broker Giovanni Acevedo Accused of Converting Funds and Providing False Information to FINRA on silverlaw.comSilver Law Group is investigating former New York, New York-based broker William V. Siegel (CRD# 4407213) after FINRA permanently barred Siegel from selling securities to the public.

According to Siegel’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) suspended Siegel in April 2016 after he failed to comply with an arbitration award or settlement or to satisfactorily respond to a FINRA request to provide information concerning the status of compliance with either.

FINRA suspended Siegel despite permanently barring him in October 2015 for failing to respond to a FINRA request for information.

John Hurry May Face FINRA Charges, Sanctions Following Allegations on silverlaw.comSilver Law Group is investigating former Coral Gables, Florida broker James P. Scullin (CRD# 1577362) for unauthorized trading in customer accounts among other allegations.

According to Scullin’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, UBS Financial Services Inc. (CRD# 8174) terminated Scullin when UBS learned that he actively traded in an undisclosed commodities account outside UBS, exercised discretion without written authorization in violation of firm policy, and entered an unauthorized trade.

According to an Acceptance, Waiver & Consent (“AWC”) entered into between FINRA and Scullin in May 2016, FINRA found that Scullin placed a trade of over $5 million without informing the individuals with authority over the account.  Further, when one of the individuals questioned the unauthorized trade, Scullin concealed the trade.

Silver Law Group is investigating former Mississippi-based Morgan Stanley (CRD# 149777) broker Hilary J. Zimmerman (CRD# 2191841) over unauthorized trading allegations.

According to Zimmerman’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, Zimmerman is the subject of seven (7) disclosures.  Out of the seven disclosures, Zimmerman has had three (3) settled on his behalf and one (1) in which a FINRA arbitration panel found in favor of the claimants.

In 2010, multiple claimants alleged Zimmerman excessively traded their accounts in unsuitable transactions, and the FINRA arbitration panel awarded over $387,000 to the claimants.

Silver Law Group is investigating former Las Vegas, Nevada-based Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. (CRD# 6363) broker Cheryl L. Wallace (CRD# 4839255) after she was discharged by Ameriprise for unauthorized trading among other allegations.

According to Wallace’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, Wallace was discharged from Ameriprise in February 2016 after she allegedly failed to follow clients’ instructions, communicated incorrect information to the client and used discretion on trades in the accounts.

Four months later, in June 2016, FINRA permanently barred Wallace from acting as a broker or otherwise associating with firms that sells securities to the public after she failed to respond to a FINRA request for information.

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