Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog

Frauds can go undetected for years, so what can investors do to prevent, identify, and address this growing issue? In a financial environment where a uniform fiduciary standard for brokers doesn’t yet exist, it pays for clients to be constantly vigilant for signs of stockbroker and investment fraud. Even when…

Paul Vernon’s former clients say he stole millions from Cryptsy, which traded Bitcoin and other digital currencies, and then fled the country with $8M in investor funds. Now we’re representing them in a class action lawsuit. Paul Vernon, CEO of Project Investors Inc., which does business as Cryptsy, a Delray…

If you decide to use FINRA’s dispute resolution process to resolve a dispute with a broker or financial firm, you have two options, arbitration and mediation. When investors have a dispute with a brokerage firm registered with FINRA that cannot be settled through mutual agreement or outside settlement, the case…

Crowdfunding, like any investment, has both risks and benefits. Before investing, make sure you understand both. As of May 2016, investors are able to buy stock in early-stage companies through crowdfunding, a system in which companies raise small amounts of money through many people, typically on internet-based platforms. To many,…

You would think that it would be easy to spot a Ponzi scheme when there are so many victims, but the truth is a lot more complicated Ponzi schemes are fraudulent investment schemes that involve paying fake investment returns with funds contributed by new investors. Organizers of Ponzi schemes often…

FINRA dispute resolution resolves disputes between customers and stockholders or Wall Street involved in fraudulent or negligent broker activity If you’re an investor and have a dispute with a securities firm or broker that can’t be settled through a mutual agreement or outside settlement, the case may be arbitrated or…

FINRA issues permanent bar from securities industry after failing to respond to the allegations and two counts of theft while employed at Independent Financial Group As of July 2016, Minnesota broker John Vernon Health has been barred by FINRA. His history in the financial services industry dates back to 1993…

The Silver Law Group has filed an arbitration claim before FINRA on behalf of two Florida teachers alleging, among other things, that financial advisor Curtis Milakovich (CRD# 5471527) churned their accounts while two national broker/dealers turned a blind eye. The claim also alleges that the two national broker/dealers did not…

Former Dakota Securities International (“Dakota”) broker Christopher R. Mcnamee (CRD# 4271195) is under investigation for recommending unsuitable investments to his customers. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) arbitration complaint, according to Mcnamee’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, alleges damages in the amount of $1 million.  Aside from unsuitable recommendations, the FINRA arbitration…

Millions of dollars in awards go unpaid by defunct brokerage firms, boiler rooms, and unscrupulous brokers—what is FINRA doing to address this growing issue? A recent report from the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA) says that 75 awards (approximately one third of all money awarded to clients in FINRA…