LPL Financial

LPL Financial Fined $2.75M For AML And Complaint Failures

February 11, 2019 | Silver Law Group

FINRA recently fined LPL Financial (CRD #6413) for failing to disclose customer complaints and for failures in the firm’s anti-money laundering (AML) program.

David-Levy-of-Titus-Rockefeller-LLC-Permanently-Barred-from-Broker-Activity-After-Long-Career-of-Suspicious-Activity-300x200 A misunderstanding with FINRA’s rule caused LPL to ignore dozens of customer complaints. The firm incorrectly failed to file and/or update registered representatives U4 or U5 forms to disclose dozens of reportable customer complaints that should have been filed. These claims requested compensatory damages of $5,000 or more. A representative for FINRA stated, “LPL incorrectly construed this phrase to mean that the firm was not required to report any complaint that did not expressly request compensation, even when the customer alleged a sales practice violation that caused a loss of $5,000 or more, and the complaint, when viewed as a whole, made clear that the customer was seeking compensation.” LPL has been the subject of multiple customer complaints frequently filed as securities arbitration claims, claiming significant damages.

LPL also failed to file suspicious activity reports related to its AML program. Because of inaccurate guidance in the firm’s internal processes, including a “fraud case chart,” employees failed to investigate unauthorized attempts to access customer accounts. More than 400 “hacking” attempts of customer accounts went unreported.

FINRA Suspends Broker Bradley Pace

January 24, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Bradley Taylor Pace (CRD #2097427) is a previously registered broker whose last employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413) of Orlando, FL. His previous employers include A.J. Pace & Co., Inc. (CRD #24228), also of Orlando, TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc. (CRD #7870) of Omaha, NE, and Quick & Reilly, Inc. (CRD #11217) of New York, NY. No current employment information is available. He began in the industry in 1991.

Are-or-Were-Unsuitable-Non-Traded-REITs-in-Your-Portfolio-300x224 FINRA sent Pace a request for information, which he did not respond to by the requested deadline. FINRA then suspended Pace, indefinitely and in all capacities, effective 06/28/2018. Should Pace fail to request termination of his suspension within a 3-month time frame, he will be barred by FINRA from any association with any FINRA member firm. There is no indication of what prompted the request, or if any complaints were involved.

Pace is also the subject of a customer dispute, filed on 1/26/2018. In it, the customer alleged “unsuitability relating to the purchase of a REIT investment and misrepresentation relating to the liquidity of the REIT investment.” However, the claim was denied, and no additional information is available.

Silver Law Group is Investigating Sanders Spangler of LPL Financial LLC

July 26, 2018 | Silver Law Group

South-Florida-Broker-Brian-Michael-Berger-Permanently-Barred-by-FINRA-1024x683-300x200
Sanders Spangler (CRD #4188542) was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Spangler consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to appear for on-the-record testimony requested by FINRA in connection with an investigation into potential unauthorized trading in customer accounts.

Sanders Spangler was registered with LPL Financial’s Texas office until March 2017 when he was discharged for exercising discretionary power in customer account(s), in violation of firm policy.

Contact Our Firm if You’ve Invested with Sanders Spangler

Silver Law Group is Investigating Joshua Ellis of LPL Financial LLC

July 26, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Joshua Ellis (CRD #5500165) was suspended on March 26, 2018 from associating with any FINRA member firm in all capacities. If Ellis fails to request termination of the suspension within three months of the date of the Notice of Suspension, he will automatically be barred on May 31, 2018 from association with any FINRA member in all capacities pursuant to FINRA Rule 9552(h).

South-Florida-Broker-Brian-Michael-Berger-Permanently-Barred-by-FINRA-1024x683-300x200 Joshua Ellis was with LPL Financial in its Kennesaw, Georgia office until October 2017 when he was discharged for failing to timely respond to inquiries from the firm’s compliance department.

Contact Our Firm if You’ve Invested with Joshua Ellis

Broker David Schmerber Subject of Customer Dispute

June 21, 2018 | Silver Law Group

David Schmerber (CRD #2093918) is a currently registered broker and investment advisor with Cetera Advisors of Centerville, OH. He has been in the industry since 1990. His previous employers include:

LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413)
Smith Barney Inc. (CRD #7059)

Former South Florida-based LPL Financial Broker Pedro O. Diaz Under Investigations After Termination from LPL Financial

June 14, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Silver Law Group is investigating former Coconut Creek, Florida-based LPL Financial broker Pedro O. Diaz (CRD# 4877003) after LPL Financial discharged him for short-term trading in mutual funds. Short-term trading in mutual funds, according to Diaz’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, a violation of LPL Financial’s policies.

LPL Financial had employed Diaz since March 2010 and terminated him in December 2017. Now, Newbridge Securities Corporation employs Diaz at its Boca Raton, Florida branch.

Diaz, who has been in the securities industry at South Florida brokerage firms for 12 years, also is an insurance agent. Diaz sells fixed annuities and spends 10 percent of his time doing so.

FINRA Bars Former LPL Financial Broker Sonya Camarco After SEC Brings Charges Alleging Misappropriation of $2.8 Million of Client Funds

June 14, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Silver Law Group is investigating former Colorado Springs, Colorado-based LPL Financial LLC broker Sonya Camarco (CRD# 2427529) after FINRA permanently barred her from the industry.

According to Camarco’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, FINRA barred Camarco in September 2017 after she failed to respond to its inquiry for information.

Sonya Camarco’s Employment with LPL Financial

Silver Law Group is Investigating Melvin Case of LPL Financial

May 1, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Melvin Case (CRD# 2393464) has been with LPL Financial in Jacksonville, Florida since 2008. In 2017, he was discharged from the firm in relation to a 2016 felony criminal charge in Duval County Circuit Court. Case pled guilty to exploitation of an aged adult and was sentenced to two years of probation. According to LPL Financial, Case was converting this elderly individual’s funds for his own personal benefit. This guilty plea also led FINRA to bring a regulatory action against Case in January 2018. FINRA found that Case failed to timely disclose his felony charge and guilty plea to the agency; he was suspended for six months and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

Case has also been the subject of several customer disputes. In 2017, one of Case’s customers brought a claim alleging Case made misrepresentations and poor recommendations in connection with the customer’s purchase of variable annuities. In another dispute from 2004, a Claimant similarly alleged that Pruco Securities (Case’s former employer) and Case made unsuitable recommendations and misrepresentations in connection with insurance products purchased by the Claimant. That case settled for $100,000, with Case responsible for paying two-thirds of the settlement.

FINRA requires its members to “have a reasonable basis to believe that a recommended transaction or investment strategy” is suitable for a customer given their individual needs. FINRA also requires that its members refrain from engaging in fraudulent or deceptive practices with their customers.

Silver Law Group is Investigating Claims Against Florida-Based LPL Financial Broker Melvin Case for Unsuitable Investments, Churning And Exploitation of an Aged Adult

January 9, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Melvin Case

CRD#2393464

Silver Law Group is investigating Jacksonville, Florida-based LPL Financial broker Melvin Case following multiple customer complaints alleging unsuitable investment recommendations, churning, and misrepresentation.

Case is not currently employed by any FINRA registered brokerage. He was previously employed by firm LPL at their Jacksonville, FL office, where he was employed since 2008. Case was discharged from LPL over allegations of criminal charges involving exploitation of an aged adult after converting the victim’s money to his own benefit.

According to FINRA’s BrokerCheck report on Case, a complaint was received in August of 2017 alleging that Case had provided unsuitable investment recommendations and engaged in churning and misrepresentation. The complaint alleges over $6,000 in damages and settled in September for $9,023.

An unsuitable recommendation is a serious form of potential broker misconduct. A broker’s employing firm is responsible for overseeing the broker to prevent such misconduct. Failure to supervise is a claim made against a brokerage firm in these situations.

Unauthorized trading occurs when a broker facilitates a transaction without the permission of the customer in a non-discretionary account. According to FINRA, it is one of the common investor issues along with misrepresentation, cold-calling, and unsuitability.

Often, unauthorized trading is accompanied by churning. Churning occurs when the account frequently trades for no apparent reason but to generate fees and commissions.

Also, among other investment tenets, brokers are required to recommend suitable investments to their customers. This requires that the broker: Investigates and conducts due diligence into the investment’s attributes including its benefits, risks, tax consequences, and other relevant factors to form a reasonable basis for the recommendation of the product; and appropriately matches the investment with the customer’s specific investment needs and objectives, such as the customer’s retirement status, long or short-term goals, age, disability, income needs, or any other relevant factors.

When a broker or brokerage firm fails to recommend investments to its customers along those guidelines, there must be accountability. If you have lost money on an investment that did not fit your investment profile, you may be able to recover some or all of your lost money.

FINRA arbitration is a fast, efficient way to recover your lost investment funds due to unsuitable investment recommendation or unauthorized trading. The Silver Law Group works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay us nothing unless we recover money for you. Our Florida licensed attorneys can represent you in any Florida securities or investment fraud matter.

If you invested with LPL Financial and Melvin Case and have lost money doing so, you may be able to recover some or all of your losses. We are experienced in recovering investor losses due to broker/brokerage firm misconduct and mismanagement through FINRA arbitration.

Silver Law Group represents the interests of investors who have been the victims of investment fraud. If you have questions about your legal rights, please contact Scott Silver of the Silver Law Group for a free consultation at ssilver@silverlaw.com or toll-free at (800) 975-4345.

New York-based LPL Financial Broker Thomas Borruso Under Investigation For Unsuitable Investment Recommendations

January 9, 2018 | Silver Law Group

Thomas J Borruso

CRD#5475175

Silver Law Group is investigating former Melville, New York-based LPL Financial broker Thomas Borruso after a customer allegation of breach of unsuitable investment recommendations and over concentration was received by FINRA.