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Articles Posted in Stockbroker Misconduct

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On September 10, 2020, the Unites States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil Complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against defendants RRBB Asset Management, LLC and Carl S. Schwartz. According to the “Summary” contained in the SEC’s Complaint, Schwartz engaged in “cherry picking,” the act of disproportionately allocating profitable trades to accounts held by certain clients while allocating less profitable trades to other clients. The SEC alleges that by engaging in “cherry picking,” RRBB and Schwartz earned substantial management fees and convinced their clients that RRBB and Schwartz were better money managers than they really were. This conduct, according to the SEC’s Complaint, violates the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.On September 10, 2020, the Unites States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil Complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against defendants RRBB Asset Management, LLC and Carl S. Schwartz. According to the “Summary” contained in the SEC’s Complaint, Schwartz engaged in “cherry picking,” the act of disproportionately allocating profitable trades to accounts held by certain clients while allocating less profitable trades to other clients. Continue reading ›

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Jeffrey Cohen (CRD: #2528929) is a registered broker and investment advisor currently employed by Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC (CRD#:282448) of Henderson, NV. His previous employers include Moloney Investment Advisory LLC (CRD#:282140) of Laguna Miguel, CA, Moloney Securities Co., Inc. (CRD#:38535) also of Henderson, and Western International Securities, Inc. (CRD#:39262), of Westlake Village, CA. He has been in the industry since 1994. Cohen is the subject of seven disclosures, six of which were filed in the last year. From 8/23/2019 through 7/13/2020, these disputes all allege “unsuitability” and unsuitable recommendations of “alternative investments” in their claims against Cohen. The combined claims total $7,200,000. None of the claims contain a rebuttal statement from Cohen.Jeffrey Cohen (CRD: #2528929) is a registered broker and investment advisor currently employed by Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC (CRD#:282448) of Henderson, NV. His previous employers include Moloney Investment Advisory LLC (CRD#:282140) of Laguna Miguel, CA, Moloney Securities Co., Inc. (CRD#:38535) also of Henderson, and Western International Securities, Inc. (CRD#:39262), of Westlake Village, CA. He has been in the industry since 1994. Continue reading ›

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Dennis J. Murphy (a/k/a Dennis James Murphy) (CRD# 4840274), a previously-registered broker, has been barred from the securities industry by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for failing to appear for testimony in connection with a FINRA investigation concerning his employer’s supervision of potentially unsuitable trading. Failing to cooperate with FINRA in this manner constituted a violation of FINRA Rules and Murphy was barred from associating with any FINRA member firm in any capacity.Dennis J. Murphy (a/k/a Dennis James Murphy) (CRD# 4840274), a previously-registered broker, has been barred from the securities industry by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for failing to appear for testimony in connection with a FINRA investigation concerning his employer’s supervision of potentially unsuitable trading. Failing to cooperate with FINRA in this manner constituted a violation of FINRA Rules and Murphy was barred from associating with any FINRA member firm in any capacity. Continue reading ›

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Arthur Stewart Hoffman (a/k/a Art S. Hoffman) (CRD# 3193754) has been barred from the securities industry following his failure to provide documents and information in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation into his suspension from employment for violation of company policies. Hoffman began his securities career in 1999 and has been based in Glendale, Arizona for the past decade. Most recently, Hoffman was registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC from 2016-2020 and prior to that, Hoffman worked for Wedbush Securities Inc. According to Hoffman’s CRD Report, published by FINRA, he was discharged from Ameriprise Financial Services LLC for “company policy violations related to outside business activities and private securities transactions.”

Arthur Hoffman (a/k/a Arthur Stewart Hoffman, “Art S. Hoffman”, CRD# 3193754) has been barred from the securities industry following his failure to provide documents and information in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation into his suspension from employment for violation of company policies. Hoffman allegedly sold to his clients investments in a cryptocurrency fund or similar investment without disclosing material facts. Silver Law Group has seen a rise in claims against financial advisors for improperly investing client’s money in various cryptocurrency or bitcoin related funds. Continue reading ›

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The SEC’s Division of Enforcement’s Retail Strategy Task Force and Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) have released an investor alert encouraging investors to be careful when investing in offerings that are “broadly advertised”. Did you invest with an unregistered stockbroker? Investments take many forms; many securities are investments other than stocks listed on a national exchange. Over the last decade, some of the largest Ponzi schemes in America were assisted by unregistered financial advisors selling unregistered securities. While investments which are not directly tied to the stock market may seem attractive at first, many of these investments are still high risk and are being sold under false pretenses. Ponzi schemes targeting unsophisticated investors seeking conservative investments still dominate our headlines and are frequently perpetrated by those who seek to hide behind exemptions from registration or compliance with the federal securities laws.The SEC’s Division of Enforcement’s Retail Strategy Task Force and Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) have released an investor alert encouraging investors to be careful when investing in offerings that are “broadly advertised”.

Did you invest with an unregistered stockbroker? Investments take many forms; many securities are investments other than stocks listed on a national exchange. Over the last decade, some of the largest Ponzi schemes in America were assisted by unregistered financial advisors selling unregistered securities. Continue reading ›

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 2020, 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
  Ignacio Del Campo   Epic Capital Securities
  Insigneo Securities, LLC
  Marvin Egorin   Wedbush Securities Inc.
  Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Frank Grant IV
  Stefano Listella   J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
  Great Point Capital LLC
  Jonathan Malone   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Brill Securities, Inc.
  Evan Nadelman   Aegis Capital Corp.
  Forefront Capital Markets LLC
  Jon Scheier   Edward Jones
  Andrew Slocum   Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
  Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
  Elizabeth Sollars   Allstate Financial Services, LLC
  Junior Tonkam   PFS Investments Inc.
  Ricardo Turlan   UBS Financial Services Inc.
  BBVA Securities Inc.

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 2020, 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
  Cynthia Barrera   Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
  David Braunlich   PTR, Inc.
  Benjamin & Jerold Brokerage I, LLC
  Richard Coleman   SW Financial
  Richard James & Associates, Inc.
  Cindy Fuzie   Morgan Stanley
  MML Investors Services, LLC
  Michael Garris   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  Rajesh Gupta   Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
  JP Morgan Securities LLC
  James McEnerney, Jr.   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
  Scott McVicker   Market Wise Securities, inc.
  Transamerica financial Resources, Inc.
  Daniel Motherway   National Securities Corporation
  UBS Financial Services, Inc.
  Jaime Rivera   First Southern, LLC
  Herbert J. Sims & Co. Inc.

Continue reading ›

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According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for July 2020, 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
  Joanna Abdelhadi   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
  Kenneth Butschek   ProEquities, Inc.
  Securities Management & Research, Inc.
  Nathaniel Clay   Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.
  National Securities Corporation
  Paula Collins   TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC
  Oppenheimerfunds Distributor, Inc.
  Alan Lau   Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
  Wells Fargo Investments, LLC
  Stanley Martin   Allstate Financial Services, LLC
  H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc.
  Scott Mason   Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.
  Western Wealth Management, LLC
  John Santariello   Arive Capital markets
  Cape Securities Inc.
  Marc Winters   Wedbush Securities Inc.
  UBS Financial Services Inc.

Continue reading ›

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged former Morgan Stanley broker Michael Barry Carter with fraud for stealing from his customers, including an elderly client. The complaint filed by the SEC alleges that Carter, a currently-barred broker who was last registered with Morgan Stanley in their McLean, Virginia office, made dozens of unauthorized wire transfers from his client’s accounts to his personal bank account, which amounted to millions of dollars. It is alleged that Carter falsified documents to make the transfers and made unauthorized sales of client’s securities.The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged former Morgan Stanley broker Michael Barry Carter with fraud for stealing from his customers, including an elderly client.

The complaint filed by the SEC alleges that Carter, a currently-barred broker who was last registered with Morgan Stanley in their McLean, Virginia office, made dozens of unauthorized wire transfers from his client’s accounts to his personal bank account, which amounted to millions of dollars. It is alleged that Carter falsified documents to make the transfers and made unauthorized sales of client’s securities. Continue reading ›

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James McKinney is a barred broker who was last registered with Cetera Advisors in Tulsa, Oklahoma. McKinney’s record shows that in 2019 he was barred from associating with a FINRA member firm after he failed to comply with FINRA requests for information. Customer disputes on McKinney’s record allege misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence. Before working for Cetera Advisors LLC (CRD# 10299) starting in 2012, McKinney was previously registered with Securian Financial Services, Inc. (CRD# 15296). He had been in the industry since 1991.James McKinney is a barred broker who was last registered with Cetera Advisors in Tulsa, Oklahoma. McKinney’s record shows that in 2019 he was barred from associating with a FINRA member firm after he failed to comply with FINRA requests for information. Customer disputes on McKinney’s record allege misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence. Continue reading ›

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