Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog

Churning is a Type of Securities Fraud What is churning? Simply put, churning is defined as excessive trading. While that sounds a bit benign and seemingly acceptable, here’s the catch: investment churning is actually considered to be the excessive purchasing and selling activity of securities (including stocks, bonds, mutual funds,…

Formerly of Cetera Advisors, you may not be the only one who has suffered. Investment broker Bruce Michael Sabourin (CRD #2556826), most recently with Cetera Advisors, once again has a FINRA reported disclosure. Sabourin is now permanently barred from acting as a broker or otherwise associating with firms that sell…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Orlando, Florida-based DFRF Enterprises, LLC, its owner, and several of its promoters with operating a $15 million pyramid and Ponzi scheme falsely promising over 1,400 investors in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking communities in Massachusetts, Florida, and elsewhere interests in non-existent gold mines…

In the news again. According to the FINRA website, Alex Makarovsky is once again in the hot seat for allegedly violating FINRA By-Laws and SEC rules. Makarovsky was most recently registered with Blackbook Capital, LLC. Let’s go back a few years to build some context on his history. In 2010,…

Currently employed by and registered with Blackbook Capital, LLC Since 1997, Michael Anthony McGregor has been registered with FINRA as a General Securities Representative (GSR). Through the years, McGregor has been subject to judgments and liens that have not been properly reported. By not reporting them, Michael McGregor is in…

Alleged mismanagement of funds and failure to provide documentation to FINRA lead to Industry Bar FINRA had questions for Robert Tricarico, Tricarico did not provide the information requested. And now Robert Tricarico is permanently barred from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity. That means he is barred from…

Earlier this year, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) barred Wesley Smith from working for any FINRA member.  The broker had been previously registered with Edward Jones from January of 2008 to September of 2014. According to the CRD, Mr. Smith had not passed any principal/supervisory exams, but had passed…

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for June 2015, 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   Jason Wade…

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for June 2015, the following individuals’ licenses were revoked for failure to pay fines and/or costs to FINRA pursuant to FINRA rules: NAME FORMER EMPLOYERS   Frank E. Brickell   World Trade Financial Corporation   Ameritrade   Rodney Preston Michel   World Trade Financial Corporation…

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for June 2015, 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   Frank Carmen…