Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog

FINRA Bars Broker Meaghan Johnson After Allegations in Eight Customer Complaints Totaling $1.3M in Damages

September 5, 2018 | Silver Law Group

South-Florida-Broker-Brian-Michael-Berger-Permanently-Barred-by-FINRA-1024x683-300x200 Former broker and investment advisor Meaghan Marie Johnson (CRD #5754123) has been barred by FINRA after customers filed eight complaints in 2017. She was previously employed by Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (CRD #2881) of McLean, VA, and briefly by Signator Investors, Inc. (CRD #468) of Vienna, VA. She resigned from Northwestern on 01/19/2017, and began as a registered representative in the financial industry in 2010.

Johnson was, at the time of her resignation, under an internal review by Northwestern after client complaints filed towards her colleague. Multiple allegations of client signature forgery brought questions of Johnson’s potential for involvement in the same actions. The eight customer complaints were filed after Johnson left the firm. The total amount of these eight complaints is $1,314,616.13.

FINRA sent two requests to Johnson for documents and related information, but she did not comply and failed to provide the requested information. FINRA later sent a request to Johnson to appear in a hearing for on-the-record testimony on April 13, 2018. On April 12, 2018, Johnson refused, informing FINRA staff that she would not appear for testimony on the requested date, nor in the future.

Some of National Securities Corporation’s FINRA-Reported Brokers

September 5, 2018 | Silver Law Group

These four brokers have been accused of numerous infractions

National Securities Corporation has been operating for decades and has offices and brokers all over the U.S. Unfortunately, however, a significant percentage of their brokers have been involved in numerous customer complaints. Here are just a few examples of how National Securities employees have allegedly violated FINRA rules:

James Eichner

FINRA Bans Broker Ramon Herrera

August 31, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Ramon Arturo Herrera (CRD #6021170) is a former registered broker and investment advisor, barred by FINRA. His last registered employer was Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD #19616) of Union City, NJ.

A customer dispute was filed by a client’s POA on 01/13/2018. The POA alleged that from 04/17/2018 through 11/17/2018, one of two financial advisors assigned to her conducted excess trading and made and an unauthorized withdrawal of $75,010 from her personal savings account. The FA in question was not named in the complaint. The case was settled for $105,000.

The next customer dispute was filed on 04/04/2018, alleging that Herrera withdrew funds from multiple client accounts without their permission. That case is pending, and the requested damages total $20,000.

FINRA Suspends IFS Broker James Flynn

August 31, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Abern-Barred-by-FINRA-for-Failing-to-Cooperate-200x300 James Travis Flynn (CRD #3082615) is a former registered broker and investment advisor who has been suspended by FINRA after he failed to respond to a request for information. Flynn’s suspension is effective 6/25/2018, and unless he complies with the requests for information, he will be automatically barred on 9/4/2018. He is prohibited from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity.

Flynn was last registered with IFS Securities (CRD #40375) of Greenville, SC, until 2/20/2018. There are 18 disclosures of varying types in his record, including judgments, a bankruptcy, and two employment discharges. The first, from IFS Securities, came after allegations of “trading ahead of authorization.” The second, on 2/10/2017, was by Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., (CRD#:2882) after allegations that Flynn “provided misleading information to the Firm during a complaint investigation.”

Although Flynn is barred from association with any FINRA company, he is still under FINRA’s jurisdiction, and FINRA can still conduct arbitration.

Silver Law Group has filed a FINRA Arbitration Against MetLife Securities / MSI Financial Services and ELE Wealth Advisors Concerning Selling Away Claims

August 31, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Silver Law Group has filed a FINRA arbitration claim against MetLife Securities / MSI Financial Services (“MetLife”), ELE Wealth Advisors and their former broker, Gail Milon (CRD# 1766745) after Milon sold an investment in Tallahassee, Florida-based Cambridge Capital Group LLC.

The statement of claim alleges the Claimant had invested with Milon for over a decade. In or around 2017, Milon induced her to invest in Cambridge Capital Group. The investment was supposed to be a short-term, real estate investment.

Milon became involved with Cambridge Capital Group, a company affiliated with Phillip “Tim” Howard of Howard & Associates. Cambridge Capital Group is affiliated with numerous other companies, including but not limited to Cambridge Capital Advisors; Cambridge Capital Wealth Advisors L.L.C.; Cambridge Capital Insurance Agency LLC; Cambridge Capital Funding, Inc.; Cambridge Sports and Entertainment, LLC; and Cambridge Graduate University, Inc. (collectively “Cambridge Capital”).

Bradley Tennison Discharged and Barred By FINRA After Selling Away Allegations

August 29, 2018 | Silver Law Group

South-Florida-Broker-Brian-Michael-Berger-Permanently-Barred-by-FINRA-1024x683-300x200 Bradley Joseph Tennison (CRD #1561988) is a former registered broker and investment advisor who has recently been barred by FINRA. He was last registered with Genos Wealth Management of Mesa, AZ. He was previously employed with Oberlin Financial Corp. (CRD #103717) of Bryan, OH, First Allied Securities, Inc. (CRD #32444) of San Diego, CA, and D.E. Frey & Company, Inc. (CRD #23595) of Denver, CO. No current employment information is available. He has been in the industry since 1989.

Tennison has six disclosures, three of which are related to a client dispute that is currently pending. On 4/24/2018, a former firm client contacted Genos Wealth with a written complaint requesting assistance with a $300,000 investment Tennison recommended, called “The Joseph Project.” The letter alleges no statements were ever issued, and she was unsuccessful in getting her capital back or any of the promised returns. The client was told by Tennison that it was a 12 month “investment” with a 5% enhancement. She wired the $300K from her bank directly to where Tennison instructed her.

Upon examination, it was discovered that this “investment opportunity” was not something recommended or offered by the firm, and there were no records available. Tennison was “minimally responsive” to the firm’s request for information. On 4/25/2018, Genos Wealth discharged Tennison after he admitted that the former client’s money was wired to a third party that wasn’t investment related.

Senior Citizens in Florida Reportedly Scammed into Investing in Fake Fish Farm

August 29, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Several older investors reportedly fell victim to the scam, including a former police officer

From 2013 to 2014, several senior citizens living in South Florida invested over $400,000 in Blue Ocean Farm, a fish farm company. Three purported financial professionals reportedly solicited funds for the farm – Rebecca Gonzalez and Matthew Braun of Boca Raton and Michael Creamer of St. Petersburg. There was just one problem: the Florida Department of Law Enforcement says that the company was completely bogus.

The scheme was allegedly spearheaded by Gonzalez, and now she, Braun, and Creamer are facing several charges, including fraud, selling unregistered securities, and the sale of securities by an unregistered person. The trio reportedly targeted six older investors, all of which handed over thousands of dollars.

FINRA Suspends Registered Individuals in August 2018 for Failing to Comply with FINRA Rules

August 28, 2018 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 2018, 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:

NAME	FORMER EMPLOYERS
Lindsey Brown
Michael Dalton	Charles Schwab & Co., Inc
William Downing	Coastal Equities, Inc.
William Downing	J.W. Cole Financial, Inc.
James Flynn	IFS Securities
James Flynn	VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc
Keven Gayle	NY Life Securities LLC
Lloyd Johnston	Capital Financial Services, Inc
Lloyd Johnston	Legacy Financial Services, Inc
John Kurzhal	UBS Financial Services Inc
Beatriz Lira	State Farm VP Management Corp
Beatriz Lira	Beatriz Lira Insurance Company
Cristhelle Medina	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Cristhelle Medina	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Bradley Pace	LPL Financial LLC
Bradley Pace	A.J. Pace & Co, Inc.
Ivan Reyes	Alexander Capital, L.P.
Ivan Reyes	Craft Capital Management LLC
David Rodgers	Allstate Financial Services, LLC
David Rodgers	Rodgers Capital Management
Michael Sekusky
Jimmy Tran	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Jimmy Tran	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Anthony Valois	PHX Financial, Inc
Anthony Valois	Meyers Associates, L.P.
James Ward	Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration to help recover investment losses due to stockbroker misconduct. If you have any questions about how your account has been handled, call to speak with an experienced securities attorney. Most cases handled on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay legal fees unless we are successful.

FINRA Names Registered Individuals Suspended in August 2018 for Violations of FINRA Rules

August 28, 2018 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 2018, 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
Thomas Bennett	Bancwest Investment Services, Inc
	U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc
Eddy Blizzard	Suntrust Investment Services, Inc.
	M & T Securities, Inc
Vincent Canzoneri	Sigma Financial Corporation
	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc
Barry Connell	Morgan Stanley
	UBS Financial Services Inc
Charles Cox	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Chase investment Services Corp
Shane Dawkins	Westpark Capital
	Joseph Stone Capital LLC
Mark Flanagan	Citigroup Global Markets Inc
	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Donald Gambony III	Invest Financial Corporation
	MetLife Securities Inc.
Scott Hartman	Morgan Stanley
	Sanford C. Bernstein & Co, LLC
Evelyn Hernandez	Morgan Stanley
	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Alexander Kibrik	Garden State Securities, Inc
	Radnor Research & Trading Company LLC
James Polese	Morgan Stanley
	UBS Financial Services Inc
Leslie Slaughter	Waddell & Reed
	TD Ameritrade, Inc
Kenneth Tyrrell	Cary Street Partners
	UBS Financial Services Inc

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration to help recover investment losses due to stockbroker misconduct. If you have any questions about how your account has been handled, call to speak with an experienced securities attorney. Most cases handled on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay legal fees unless we are successful.

Our lawyers have extensive experience collecting FINRA arbitration awards, prevailing on Motions to Vacate FINRA arbitration awards and using various collection efforts to enforce FINRA awards after they are received.

In August 2018, FINRA Bars Registered Individuals for Failing to Comply with FINRA Rules

August 28, 2018 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 2018, 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
Gregory Connell
Ashley Evans
Valbona Keja-Dasilva	Suntrust Investment Services, Inc
Valbona Keja-Dasilva	CCO Investment Services Corp
Keesang Kim	MML Investors Services, LLC
Keesang Kim	Pruco Securities, LLC
Cynthia Moore	Huntington Investment Company
Joshua Stephens-Anselm	J.P. Morgan Securities
Joshua Stephens-Anselm	J. P. Morgan Chase Bank
John Stoddard	Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
John Stoddard	Investools
David Wells
Yuhong Zhou	Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc
Yuhong Zhou	World Financial Group, Inc

FINRA makes this information available, in part, to inform investors about potential red flags or problems with certain stockbrokers. If you invested with anyone in this report and have questions about your legal rights, our attorneys will talk with you at no cost to explain your legal rights and about how we can help recover your investment losses through securities arbitration or litigation.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration to help recover investment losses due to stockbroker misconduct. If you have any questions about how your account has been handled, call to speak with an experienced securities attorney. Most cases handled on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay legal fees unless we are successful.