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Articles Posted in Stockbroker Misconduct

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William Winchester (William Forrest Winchester III CRD# 4404327, aka “Bill Woods”) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last employer was Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. (CRD# 10641) of Chattanooga, TN. His previous employers include Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (CRD# 6694), LPL Financial LLC (CRD# 6413), Suntrust Investment Services, Inc. (CRD# 17499) also of Chattanooga.  He has been in the industry since 2001. Raymond James terminated Winchester on 2/20/2020 after the discovery that he had engaged in three “loan arrangements”—two personal and one business. One loan included a promissory note that was related to his role as an executor for the estate of the client’s father. He then went to Cadaret. Following the termination by Raymond James, on 6/11/2020, the Tennessee Securities Division fined Winchester $45,000 and required him to “Comply with the Tennessee Securities Act of 1980, complete five FINRA training courses, and be on heightened supervision for three years.”William Winchester (William Forrest Winchester III CRD# 4404327, aka “Bill Woods”) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last employer was Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. (CRD# 10641) of Chattanooga, TN. His previous employers include Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (CRD# 6694), LPL Financial LLC (CRD# 6413), Suntrust Investment Services, Inc. (CRD# 17499) also of Chattanooga.  He has been in the industry since 2001. Continue reading ›

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Silver Law Group represents victims of Philip Riposo on a contingency fee basis. Philip Riposo (Philip Anthony Riposo CRD# 400056) is a former broker and investment advisor last registered with United Planners’ Financial Services Of America A Limited Partner (CRD#:20804) of Cave Creek, AZ. Previous employers include Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. (CRD#:10641) of New Bedford, MA, LPL Financial Corporation (CRD#:6413) of East Falmouth, MA, and Securities America, Inc. (CRD#:10205) of Lavista, NE. He has been in the industry since 1973.Silver Law Group represents victims of Philip Riposo on a contingency fee basis. Philip Riposo (Philip Anthony Riposo CRD# 400056) is a former broker and investment advisor last registered with United Planners’ Financial Services Of America A Limited Partner (CRD#:20804) of Cave Creek, AZ. Previous employers include Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. (CRD#:10641) of New Bedford, MA, LPL Financial Corporation (CRD#:6413) of East Falmouth, MA, and Securities America, Inc. (CRD#:10205) of Lavista, NE. He has been in the industry since 1973. Continue reading ›

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Ahmed Gheith (Ahmed Ghassan Gheith, CRD# 5783957, aka Andy Gheith, Anthony Gheith) is a currently registered broker employed with Ceros Financial Services, Inc. (CRD# 37869) of Staten Island, NY. His previous employers include Noble Capital Markets, Inc. (CRD# 15768), Paulson Investment Company LLC (CRD#:5670), and Aegis Capital Corp. (CRD# 15007), all of New York, NY. He has been in the industry since 2010. While at Paulson Investment, A customer filed a dispute against Gheith on 4/13/2017, alleging fraud, negligent representations, negligence and unjust enrichment. The client requested damages of $1M, and the claim was settled for $165,000. Gheith responded that this claim was withdrawn and the claim settled by the firm without any financial contribution from him. Paulson then discharged Gheith on 08/11/2017 for this customer-submitted arbitration, along with “violations of firm WSPs, failure to provide honest answers on annual questionnaires, violations of FINRA Rule 3280.”Ahmed Gheith (Ahmed Ghassan Gheith, CRD# 5783957, aka Andy Gheith, Anthony Gheith) is a currently registered broker employed with Ceros Financial Services, Inc. (CRD# 37869) of Staten Island, NY. His previous employers include Noble Capital Markets, Inc. (CRD# 15768), Paulson Investment Company LLC (CRD#:5670), and Aegis Capital Corp. (CRD# 15007), all of New York, NY. He has been in the industry since 2010. Continue reading ›

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for May 2023, 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
  Albert Foronda   Spartan Capital Securities, LLC
  Worden Capital Management LLC
  Mark Miranda   Spartan Capital Securities, LLC
  Network 1 Financial Securities, Inc.
  Yvonne Nguyen   NYLIFE Securities LLC
  Alexandra Smith   J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC
  Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
  Kenneth Wade   Cetera Advisors Networks LLC
  PFS Investments Inc.

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for May 2023, 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
  Damian Baird   Moors & Cabot, Inc.
  Morgan Stanley
  Bridget Fernandez   Ultimate Financial Investments, LLC
  UBS Financial Services Inc.
  Rajesh Gupta   Morgan Stanley
  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Donald Smith   Provident Private Capital Partners, Inc.
  Vestax Securities Corporation
  Brian Wurdemann   RBC Capital Markets, LLC
  UBS Financial Services Inc.

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for May 2023, 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
  Michael Cutrone   Neuberger Berman BD LLC
  Ronald Diaz   Morgan Stanley
  J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Mulan Greenway
  Joshua Lovings
  Josette Santos   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Harold Stephenson   LPL Financial LLC
  Herrmann Securities, Inc.

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Damian Baird (Damian Mark Baird CRD# 3097243) is a previously registered broker and investment advisor most recently employed with Moors & Cabot, Inc. (CRD# 594) of Boston, MA. His previous employers include Morgan Stanley (CRD# 149777) of Williamsville, NY, UBS Financial Services Inc.   (CRD# 8174) of Buffalo, NY, and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (CRD# 19585) of Depew, NY.  He has been in the industry since 1998. FINRA Arbitration Involving Damian Baird Baird was suspended by FINRA following an arbitration proceeding in January of 2023 brought by his previous employer, Morgan Stanley, who alleged that he had failed to repay three notes totaling $888,403.12. FINRA requested documents and information, which Baird failed to produce. He also failed to attend the evidentiary hearing conducted via videoconference.

Damian Baird (Damian Mark Baird CRD# 3097243) is a previously registered broker and investment advisor most recently employed with Moors & Cabot, Inc. (CRD# 594) of Boston, MA. His previous employers include Morgan Stanley (CRD# 149777) of Williamsville, NY, UBS Financial Services Inc.   (CRD# 8174) of Buffalo, NY, and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (CRD# 19585) of Depew, NY.  He has been in the industry since 1998. Continue reading ›

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Christopher Kennedy (Christopher Booth Kennedy CRD# 4498061) is a former registered broker and investment advisor last employed with Western International Securities, Inc. (CRD#:39262) of Woodland Hills, CA. His previous employers included Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (CRD# 146251) of New York, NY, Western International Securities, Inc. (CRD# 39262) and Financial West Group (CRD# 16668, expelled by FINRA on 2/13/2020) of Tarzana, CA. He has been in the industry since 2002.  Kennedy was discharged by Western International on 8/27/2021 with cause, “Clients have alleged unauthorized options trading and failure to adhere to discretionary options sales orders.” No additional information is available. However, Kennedy’s CRD includes ten customer disputes dated from 9/10/2021 through 6/9/2022. Of the ten, seven are settled, and three are listed as “pending.” All have allegations of misconduct including improper trading and other breaches of fiduciary duty.  Christopher Kennedy (Christopher Booth Kennedy CRD# 4498061) is a former registered broker and investment advisor last employed with Western International Securities, Inc. (CRD#:39262) of Woodland Hills, CA. His previous employers included Spartan Capital Securities, LLC (CRD# 146251) of New York, NY, Western International Securities, Inc. (CRD# 39262) and Financial West Group (CRD# 16668, expelled by FINRA on 2/13/2020) of Tarzana, CA. He has been in the industry since 2002.  Continue reading ›

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Cathie Joughin (Cathie Ann Joughin CRD# 1044884, a/k/a “Cathie Joughin Barnard,” “Cathie Ann Goughin,” “Cathie Joughin”) is a previously registered broker and investment advisor whose last employer was Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC (CRD# 6363) of Bakersfield, CA. Her previous employers include Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (CRD#:11025) and Wedbush Securities Inc. (CRD# 877), also of Bakersfield, and Triquest Financial, Inc. (CRD# 6596) of Glendale, CA. She is not currently registered with any FINRA member firm, has been in the industry since 1982. Ameriprise Termination And FINRA Investigation On 12/17/2021, Joughin voluntarily resigned from her employment at Ameriprise “while under review for compliance policy violations related to a fiduciary relationship.” No additional details are available. In January of 2022, Ameriprise filed a Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration (Form U5) with FINRA listing the investigation as the reason for her departure.Cathie Joughin (Cathie Ann Joughin CRD# 1044884, a/k/a “Cathie Joughin Barnard,” “Cathie Ann Goughin,” “Cathie Joughin”) is a previously registered broker and investment advisor whose last employer was Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC (CRD# 6363) of Bakersfield, CA. Her previous employers include Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (CRD#:11025) and Wedbush Securities Inc. (CRD# 877), also of Bakersfield, and Triquest Financial, Inc. (CRD# 6596) of Glendale, CA. She is not currently registered with any FINRA member firm, has been in the industry since 1982. Continue reading ›

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