A National Securities Arbitration & Investment Fraud Law Firm

$70 MILLION Recovery for Investment Fraud
$44 MILLION Recovery for Ponzi Scheme Victims
$25 MILLION Recovery Against National Brokerage Firm
$9.1 MILLION FINRA Arbitration Award Against Brokerage Firm
$7.9 MILLION Securities Arbitration Award Against Stockbroker
$1 MILLION Securities Arbitration Award for Elder Financial Fraud
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The Securities And Exchange Commission recently released a bulletin on their investor website warning about frauds that incorporate digital assets and cryptocurrencies into their scams.  Investing in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and other so-called “digital assets” are a truly 21st Century way to invest. For someone who is tech-savvy as well as educated with investing, dipping into crypto may be a next-generation investment that offers returns on an investment.    Blockchain-based and without physical currency, digital assets and crypto are only issued and traded electronically, making defrauding investors even easier than before. There is no central overseeing agency, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC.)  Unfortunately, like so-called “pot stocks,” crypto trading has also become a fraudster’s dream.The Securities And Exchange Commission recently released a bulletin on their investor website warning about frauds that incorporate digital assets and cryptocurrency into their scams.

Investing in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and other so-called “digital assets” are a truly 21st Century way to invest. For someone who is tech-savvy as well as educated with investing, dipping into crypto may be a next-generation investment that offers returns on an investment. Continue reading ›

John Edgar Simmons, Jr. (CRD: #4878890) is a former registered broker and insurance advisor whose last known employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD#:6413) of Gulf Breeze, FL. He was previously employed with Investors Capital Corp. (CRD#:30613) of Pensacola, FL, LPL Financial in McMinnville, TN, and Edward Jones (CRD#:250), also of McMinnville. He has been in the industry since 2005.  LPL terminated Simmons employment and filed a Form U5 with FINRA on 9/17/2020 indicating his discharge from the firm. The stated reason for his discharge was the result of an internal review investigating Simmons involvement in a private securities transaction. He neither notified the firm nor sought permission.  During the course of FINRA’s investigation, staff sent Simmons a letter requesting he supply information and documentation related to the allegations in the Form U5. FINRA staff sent the letter on 02/24/2021. Simmons’ attorney responded by letter on 3/9/2021, acknowledging receipt of the FINRA request and indicating that he would not provide any information now or in the future. His denial violates FINRA Rules 8210 and 2010, and led to a letter of Acceptance, Waiver & Consent (AWC). The letter includes a bar on any involvement with a FINRA member in any capacity. John Edgar Simmons, Jr. (CRD: #4878890) is a former registered broker and insurance advisor whose last known employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD#:6413) of Gulf Breeze, FL. He was previously employed with Investors Capital Corp. (CRD#:30613) of Pensacola, FL, LPL Financial in McMinnville, TN, and Edward Jones (CRD#:250), also of McMinnville. He has been in the industry since 2005. Continue reading ›

Jeffrey Warren (CRD:#2707969) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (CRD#:249) of Boca Raton, FL. He was previously employed with Wachovia Securities, LLC (CRD#:19616), also of Boca Raton, UBS Financial Services Inc. (CRD#:8174) of Weehawken, NJ, and Prudential Securities Incorporated (CRD#:7471) of New York, NY. Warren has been in the industry since 1996.  On February 10, 2021, a customer filed a dispute with requested damages of $125,000. The customer alleged that in January of 2021, Warren deposited a check from a deceased client’s trust without the approval of the trust’s beneficiaries. The customer was also a beneficiary of said trust. The firm denied the client’s claim.Jeffrey Warren (CRD:#2707969) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (CRD#:249) of Boca Raton, FL. He was previously employed with Wachovia Securities, LLC (CRD#:19616), also of Boca Raton, UBS Financial Services Inc. (CRD#:8174) of Weehawken, NJ, and Prudential Securities Incorporated (CRD#:7471) of New York, NY. Warren has been in the industry since 1996. Continue reading ›

First High-School Education Group (FHS) is being investigated by Silver Law Group regarding possible violations of the federal securities laws.  If you purchased shares of First High-School Education Group (FHS), contact Silver Law Group at (800) 975-4345 or at ssilver@silverlaw.com.  First High-School Education Group is a Chinese company that is the largest operator of private high schools in Western China and the third largest operator in all of China.    Initial Public Offering (IPO)  First High-School Education Group held its initial public offering (IPO) in March, 2021, with the sale of 7.5 million shares at $10 per share. Valuable Capital Limited, TFI Securities, The Benchmark Company, and Futures Limited were joint bookrunners for the offering with Maxim Group LLC, AMTD Global Markets, Boustead Securities LLC, Futu Inc,Fosun Hani Securities Limited, and US Tiger Securities Inc acting as co-managers.First High-School Education Group (FHS) is being investigated by Silver Law Group regarding possible violations of the federal securities laws.

If you purchased shares of First High-School Education Group (FHS), contact Silver Law Group at (800) 975-4345 or at ssilver@silverlaw.com. Continue reading ›

Edward Turley (Edward L Turley/Ed Turley/Edward Lawrence Turley, CRD# 1872294) is a previously-registered broker and investment adviser who last worked for JP Morgan Securities in San Francisco, California. Turley was previously registered with Lehman Brothers in New York City, CS First Boston Corporation, and Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. He had worked in the industry since 1988. Disclosures Edward Turley has eight disclosures on his publicly-available FINRA BrokerCheck report, including 1 employment separation after allegations and seven customer disputes:

Edward Turley (CRD# 1872294, a/k/a “Edward L Turley,” Ed Turley,” “Edward Lawrence Turley,”) is a previously-registered broker and investment adviser who last worked for JP Morgan Securities (CRD#: 79) of San Francisco, California.

Turley was previously registered with Lehman Brothers, CS First Boston Corporation, and Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc., all of New York, NY. He began in the industry in 1988. Continue reading ›

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for September 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
  John Barrett   Emerson Equity LLC
  Lincoln Financial Advisors Corproation
  Amanda Berry   MML Investors Services, LLC
  NYLife Securities LLC
  Michael Bramlett   Country Capital Management Company
  Christopher Fisher   PFS Investments Inc.
  Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
  Berhane Kassahun   AXA Advisors, LLC
  MSI Financial Services, Inc.
  Christy McWilliams   Jackson National Life Distributors LLC
  Kevin Nevin   Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC
  Sandlapper Securities, LLC
  Antoine Rogers   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Alfredo Vazquez   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  David Villarreal III   U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
  Morgan Stanley
   Jonathan Ward   State Farm VP Management Corp.

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.

FINRA Rule 8210 allows FINRA’s enforcement attorneys the authority to investigate matters under its regulatory purview. FINRA Rule 8210 requires a stockbroker or other registered person of the request to provide documents or information “with respect to any matter in [an] investigation, complaint, examination or proceeding.”

The subject matter of a FINRA investigation or inquiry can include almost anything relating to the brokerage industry or the financial advisor’s activities.  FINRA regulatory rules allow for broad authority to investigate violations of FINRA’s rules and regulations including, Rule 2010 (a FINRA member “shall observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade”). Under Rule 2010 FINRA can seek any documents or other information that FINRA believes is relevant to its inquiry.  In 2013, FINRA announced in a regulatory notice that the scope of Rule 8210 had been clarified, stating that “all aspects of the relationship between a broker-dealer and its associated persons are potentially the subject of a Rule 8210 request.”

Securities Arbitration Claims Against Barred Brokers

Even after a broker is barred from the industry or otherwise faces disciplinary action, investors can still pursue stockbroker misconduct claims against their financial advisor and/or their brokerage firms.  Financial Advisors who have engaged in misconduct or otherwise violated FINRA rules or regulations frequently surrender their license rather than cooperate in a FINRA investigation. In the past, FINRA has barred brokers from the industry for participating in Ponzi schemes, elder financial fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and other misconduct. While a bar from the securities industry can be a powerful piece of evidence for investors pursuing FINRA arbitration claims against their advisors and/or their brokerage firms, investors should work with experienced securities and investment fraud attorneys to help maximize their recovery.

FINRA arbitration is separate and distinct from FINRA’s regulatory obligations. In our experience, FINRA regulatory focuses on punishing the wrongdoers but rarely results in compensation for the victims. For investors who have been defrauded by a financial advisor or others, FINRA arbitration is frequently the best place to secure a recover for losses.

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.

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for September 2021, 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
  Ryan Burneo   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Jamila Fields   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
  William Friedman   Pinnacle Investments, LLC
  Woodstock Financial Group, Inc.
  Paul Furusho   APW Capital, Inc.
  LPL Financial LLC
  Charles Lopez   Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
  Toni Marshall   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Tarek Mohamed   Bankers Life Securities, Inc.
  Vincent Pepe   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Tara Pierce   LPL Financial LLC
  Investment Centers of America Inc.
  Rachel Rodriguez   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Kezia Simeon   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Tara Supron
  Alex Taylor   Allstate Financial Services, LLC
  Isaac Yamoah

Continue reading ›

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for September 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
  Sam Aziz   David A. Noyes & Company
  Coastal Equities, Inc.
  Gary Helbling   Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
  Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
  Kevin Nevin   Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC
  Sandlapper Securities, LLC
  James Reittinger   U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Jameson Shin   LPL Financial LLC
  Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
  Joseph Stengel   LPL Financial LLC
  Pruco Securities, LLC
  Philip Zaczek   Valic Financial Advisors, Inc.
  Morgan Stanley

Continue reading ›

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 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
  Omer Ali-Taha   BB&T Investment Services, Inc.
  Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
  Katie Blando   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

Continue reading ›

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 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
  Lorenzo Atkins   The Huntington Investment Company
  Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
  Samantha Beasley   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Cyntera Belser   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Annie Bohossian   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Tiffany Burgess
  Jinnie Chean   Allstate Financial Services, LLC
  Lawrence Ehren   Landolt Securities, Inc.
  Oberweis Securities, Inc.
  Michael Goonan   Equitable Advisors, LLC
  Park Avenue Securities LLC
  Courtney Mahdak   Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
  John Margain   State Farm VP Management Corp.
  Janie Royal   Key Investment Services LLC
  Joseph Valenti   Newbridge Securities Corporation
  Reid & Rudiger LLC

Continue reading ›

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