Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog

FINRA Creates Interactive Game Intended to Help Investors Combat Fraud

July 7, 2015 | Silver Law Group

According to the Financial Fraud Research Center, Americans lose $50 billion each year to fraud. Further, research funded by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Education Foundation (Foundation) discovered that roughly 80 percent of consumers over the age of 40 said they had been solicited for a potentially fraudulent scheme. In order to combat this, the Foundation has developed an interactive game designed to educate investors on how to spot the tactics used by individuals who commit fraud.

“Con ‘Em If You Can”

The game, called “Con ‘Em If You Can,” was developed by the Foundation and the D2D Fund. It is intended to provide an entertaining way for investors to learn about fraudulent tactics. Fraud criminals use persuasion to take advantage of investors. Often, these individuals ask investors about such items as their health, family, and hobbies and use that information to complete their fraudulent acts. Fraudulent schemes may include promising a quick path to wealth or leading investors to believe that there is a limited supply for something.

Customer Files Claim Against Wells Fargo For Investing in F-Squared Investments

June 30, 2015 | Silver Law Group

A customer of Wells Fargo Advisors filed a FINRA complaint against Wells Fargo to seek the money he lost when his adviser invested his monies in “F-Squared Investments.” The customer’s claim is that Wells Fargo failed to supervise his adviser properly, and also did not do the required due diligence in the investment that he recommended (F-Squared). The customer is also seeking lost opportunity damages, which is the money he could have made if his money were invested in an S&P 500 Fund.

The SEC launched an investigation into F-Squared Investments and its co-founder and CEO Howard Present, in 2013. According to the SEC’s Order of December 2014, F-Squared Investments agreed to pay $35 million and admit wrongdoing to settle charges that it defrauded investors through false advertising about its flagship product (AlphaSector). The SEC alleged that while marketing AlphaSector into the largest active ETF (“exchange-traded funds”) strategy in the market, F-Squared falsely advertised a successful seven-year track record for the investment strategy based on the actual performance of real investments for real clients. In reality, the algorithm was not even in existence during the seven years of purported performance success. The data used in F-Squared’s advertising was actually derived through backtesting, although F-Squared and Howard Present specifically advertised the investment strategy as “not backtested.” Further, the hypothetical data contained a substantial performance calculation error that inflated the results by approximately 350 percent.

According to news reports, the customer in this case is an elderly person who claims that Wells Fargo did not perform due diligence on investments prior to selling them to the public. Additionally, the customer claims that Wells Fargo failed to properly supervise one of its advisers and recommendations the advisor made to the client, who described himself as a “moderately conservative investor seeking moderately conservative growth”, concerning his investment risk. The client claims that had Wells Fargo conducted full due diligence on the F-Squared product, it would have discovered red flags, additionally seeing that the ETF-based F-Squared product was not appropriate for a moderately conservative investor.

Broker Mark Joy Lane Barred by FINRA for Failure to Respond to FINRA Request for Information

June 30, 2015 | Silver Law Group

Mark Joy Lane, a former broker for Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and Walnut Street Securities, Inc., was permanently barred by FINRA from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Lane worked at Walnut from February 2004 to September 2013 and at Cetera from September 2013 to August 2014.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Former Kovack Securities Broker Curtis Milakovich Barred by FINRA

June 16, 2015 | Silver Law Group

Curtis Milakovich was permanently barred by FINRA for association with any FINRA member in any manner for failing to respond to FINRA’s request for information. Milakovich worked at Kovack Securities from May 2011 until November 2013, when he resigned after Kovack received an inquiry from one of Milakovich’s clients about the nature and volume of the trading activity in her account and commissions charged. Kovack believed that the inquiry might evolve into a complaint and was considering setting aside a portion of Milakovich’s commissions to cover any potential claim from the client. There is 2013 complaint on Milakovich’s CRD that was settled in 2014 for $55,000, a portion of which Milakovich is responsible for paying. This complaint alleges unsuitable transactions and unauthorized and excessive trading.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Former Securities America Broker Judith Woodhouse Permanently Barred by FINRA

June 16, 2015 | Silver Law Group

Judith Woodhouse, a former broker at Securities America, was permanently barred by FINRA for association with any FINRA member in any capacity for failing to respond to FINRA’s request for information. Woodhouse worked for Securities America from December 2008 through February 2013 and then again from July 2013 through September 2014. It appears that she had a previous suspension in February 2013 for participating in private securities transactions away from her prior firm, EPlanning Securities in 2009. She was fired from Securities America in August 2014 for failure to follow firm policies and procedures relating to the borrowing of funds and relating to responding to supervisory requests.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Jenna Connett, Formerly a Broker at Morgan Stanley, Permanently Barred by FINRA

June 16, 2015 | Silver Law Group

Jenna Connett was permanently barred by FINRA for association with any FINRA member in any capacity for failing to respond to FINRA’s request for information. Connett worked at Morgan Stanley in Red Bank, NJ from June 2009 until she was suspended by FINRA in July 2014. Prior to working at Morgan Stanley, Connett worked at Citigroup Global Markets.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Josh Abernathy, O.N. Equity Sales Company Broker, Permanently Barred by FINRA

June 16, 2015 | Silver Law Group

A former broker with O.N. Equity Sales Company in Norfolk, Virginia, was permanently barred by FINRA. Josh Abernathy was barred from association in any manner with any FINRA member for failing to provide information requested by FINRA. Abernathy was registered with The O.N. Equity Sales Company from February 2013 until August 2014. Prior to working at O.N., he worked at Next Financial Group and MML Investors Services. Abernathy also owned and controlled his own investment company called Omega Investment Group which he allegedly used to operate a Ponzi scheme.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Former Oppenheimer Broker Darrell Raymond Permanently Barred by FINRA for Failing to Provide Information

June 16, 2015 | Silver Law Group

FINRA permanently barred Darrell Raymond after Raymond failing to respond to a request by FINRA for information. Raymond worked at Oppenheimer & Co, Inc. from March 2013 until February 2014. Prior to Oppenheimer, he was at Dinosaur Securities and Next Financial Group.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Ameriprise Broker Joel Blum Suspended by FINRA for Unauthorized Trading

June 15, 2015 | Silver Law Group

Joel Blum, currently with Ameriprise Financial Services, was suspended by FINRA for 20 days for a dispute occurring when he was a broker at Merrill Lynch. FINRA found that he executed discretionary transactions in customers’ accounts without written authorization. In addition, it was found that he marked the order tickets for these transactions as unsolicited; when in fact they were solicited. He was also fined $10,000.00 by FINRA. Blum worked at Merrill Lynch from May 2008 until February 2014.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.

Broker Michael Patrick O’Neill Fined and Suspended by FINRA for Impersonating a Former Customer

June 15, 2015 | Silver Law Group

National Securities Corporation broker Michael O’Neill was suspended by FINRA for 20 days and fined $5,000 for impersonating a former customer to assist the customer in obtaining information from a FINRA member firm about the customer’s own account. This was apparently done with the customer’s approval. O’Neill has worked at National Securities Corporation since August 2013. Prior to working at NSC, he was a broker at Brookville Capital Partners.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide 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.