Stockbroker Misconduct

Anthony Sica of Joseph Gunnar

January 15, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Anthony Sica (CRD #1332626) has been employed by Joseph Gunnar since November 2003. Previous employment includes Wachovia Securities, LLC from January 2001 to October 2003, Prudential Securities Incorporated from April 1993 to January 2001, Lehman Brothers Inc. from August 1985 to April 1993 and McLaughlin, Piven, Vogel Inc. from January 1985 to August 1985.

According to the FINRA BrokerCheck, there have been complaints against Anthony Sica.

Leon-Vaccarelli-Fined-and-Sanctioned-by-FINRA-300x199-1-300x199 In 2017, while employed by Joseph Gunnar, allegations shown without admitting or denying the findings, Sica consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he made unsuitable recommendations to an elderly customer living on a fixed income. The findings stated that Sica repeatedly recommended that the customer purchase high-risk, speculative securities that were inconsistent with her investment profile. Sica’s recommendations often resulted in an undue concentration of the customer’s account, which represented substantially all of her liquid assets, in speculative securities. Further, Sica often engaged in short-term in-and-out trading of the speculative investments in the customer’s accounts causing substantial losses. Sica’s recommendations resulted in losses of more than $150,000. The findings also stated Sica engaged in unauthorized trading by placing trades in the IZRA accounts of a customer who Sica knew was deceased causing aggregated losses on the trades totaling approximately $3,039.

George Mathis of Raymond James & Associates

January 15, 2019 | Silver Law Group

George Mathis (CRD #4271854) has been employed with Raymond James & Associates since November 2011. Previous employment included Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC from January 2008 to November 2011, Wachovia Securities, LLC from January 2008 to May 2009 and A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. from November 2000 to January 2008.

According to the FINRA BrokerCheck, there have been complaints against George Mathis.

Allegations-of-Sales-Practice-Violations-Cloud-Broker-Kenneth-Dlouhy-‘s-Record-300x200 In 2016 while employed by Raymond James & associates, Inc., Client alleges unsuitably, misrepresentation, omissions, breach of fiduciary duty, violations of NASD Conducts Rule 301(A), Conduct Rule 2010, FINRA Conduct Rule 2010, FINRA Rule 2111, Negligence, and breach of contract and vicarious liability. The activity date is 9/03/2013 through 1/28/2016. The complaint settled for $70,000.00.

Douglas Leone of Salomon Whitney LLC

January 14, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Douglas Leone (CRD #2453784) has been employed with Salomon Whitney Financial since March 2013. Previous employment includes Newport Coast Securities, Inc. from October 2008 to March 2013 and Basic Investors Inc. from August 2005 to October 2008.

Leon-Vaccarelli-Fined-and-Sanctioned-by-FINRA-300x199-1-300x199 Leone was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. The sanctions were based on findings that Leone failed to attend an on-the-record interview during an investigation by FINRA. The findings stated that FINRA opened an investigation into Leone’s potential unsuitable recommendations and excessive trading in customer accounts. FINRA twice requested that Leone appear at an on-the-record interview to provide testimony.

The decision became final May 21, 2018.

John Galinsky of First Dominion Capital Corp.

January 14, 2019 | Silver Law Group

John Galinsky (CRD #1513926) has been employed with First Dominion Capital since November 2017. Previous employment includes National Securities Corporation from January 2012 to November 2017, Fintegra LLC from January 2010 to December 2011 and Advanced Equities from November 1999 to October 2009.

Leon-Vaccarelli-Fined-and-Sanctioned-by-FINRA-300x199-1-300x199 Galinsky was fined $7,500 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for 10 business days. Without admitting or denying the findings, Galinsky consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he sent emails to prospective and current investors that were not fair and balanced and did not provide a sound basis for evaluating the facts regarding a company involved in a private securities offering or the offering itself. The findings stated that on two occasions, Galinsky forwarded an email to a customer, which removed references to a patent infringement lawsuit that had recently been filed against the company involved in the offering. By doing so, Galinsky caused his email to be misleading, in that it appeared to forward the entire email that he had received when, in fact, it did not.

The suspension was in effect from May 21, 2018, through June 4, 2018.

David Krumrey of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.

January 11, 2019 | Silver Law Group

David Krumrey (CRD #4121845) was employed by Oppenheimer & Co, Inc. from March 2009 through September 2017. Previous employment included Stanford Group Company from January to March 2009 and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. from March 2000 to Jan 2009.

Stephen-Grivas-Permanently-Barred-by-FINRA-300x210 Krumrey is barred from association with an FINRA member in any capacity. Respondent failed to request termination of his suspension within three months of the date of the Notice of Suspension; therefore, he is automatically barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity.

Contact Our Firm if You’ve Invested with David Krumrey

Vicente Davila of Morgan Stanley

January 11, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Vicente Davila (CRD #4419824) was employed by Morgan Stanley from April 2016 through February 2018. Previous employment included Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. from November 2009 to May 2016 and Barclays Capital Inc. from April 2002 to September 2002.

Zachary-Bader-Suspended-After-Multiple-Allegations-of-Churning-300x232 Davila was suspended on April 27, 2018, from associating with any FINRA member firm in any capacity. If Davila fails to request termination of the suspension within three months of the date of the Notice of Suspension, he will automatically be barred on July 6, 2018, from association with any FINRA member in any capacity pursuant to FINRA Rule 9552 (h).

Contact Our Firm if You’ve Invested with Vicente Davila

Steven Pagartanis of Lombard Securities Incorporated

January 11, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Abern-Barred-by-FINRA-for-Failing-to-Cooperate-200x300 Steven Pagartanis (CRD #1958879) was employed by Lombard Securities Inc. from September 2017 through March 2018. Previous employment included Cadaretm Grant & Co, Inc. from September 2012 to March 2017 and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. from August 2011 to September 2012.

Pagartanis was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Pagartanis consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to appear for FINRA on-the-record testimony in connection with an investigation of allegations that he made fraudulent misrepresentation to customers and misappropriated customers’ funds.

Contact Our Firm if You’ve Invested with Steven Pagartanis

Marc Korsch of Centaurus Financial, Inc.

January 11, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Marc Korsch (CRD #5525226) has been employed by Centaurus Financial, Inc. since February 2014. Korsch was registered with the following firms: Trustmont Financial Group, Inc. from March 2011 to March 2014, Capital Financial Services, Inc. from July 2010 to March 2011, Variable Investment Advisors, Inc. from April 2010 to July 2010 and Gradient Securities, LLC from July 2009 to April 2010.

Christopher Robert Hickman is Sanctioned by FINRA on elderfinancialfraudattorneys.com According to the FINRA BrokerCheck, there have been complaints against Marc Korsch.

In 2018, while employed by Centaurus Financial, Inc., Claimant alleges that recommendation of annuity switches are unsuitable and that the fees, surrender penalties/charges and annuity terms were not adequately discussed.

Broker John Cione Subject of $600K Customer Dispute

January 4, 2019 | Silver Law Group

John Michael Cione (CRD #1742561) is a registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Independent Financial Group (CRD #7717) of San Diego, CA. His previous employers include Sentra Securities Corporation (CRD #10249) and Spelman & Co., Inc. (CRD #10232) both of Phoenix, AZ and Foresters Equity Services, Inc. (CRD #18464), also of San Diego. He has been in the industry since 1987.

FINRA Reports Brokers Nas Adel Allan and Gregory Anastos Made Unsuitable Recommendations on elderfinancialfraudattorneys.com One of Cione’s customers recently filed a dispute, alleging that from September 2007 and August 2016, he made unsuitable recommendations for investments that incurred financial losses and “lost opportunity.” For this claim, the client is asking for damages of $671,490.00. Cione denies the claim and intends to defend it.

Cione has one previous regulatory disclosure from 1990, issued by the National Association Of Securities Dealers, Inc. (predecessor to FINRA.) He was censured and fined $2,000. No additional information is available.

Ex-broker, Robert Basile, Pleads Guilty to Stealing $130,000 from his Elderly Mother

January 4, 2019 | Silver Law Group

South-Florida-Broker-Brian-Michael-Berger-Permanently-Barred-by-FINRA-300x200-300x200 The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. has barred former Waddell & Reed broker, Robert Lee Basile (CRD #2392772). He faces two years of probation after pleading guilty to embezzlement and theft from an elder.

Basile’s mother opened a brokerage account with Waddell and Reed in 2014, shortly after his son joined the firm. Basile served as the broker for the account, but between January 2015 and October 2017, he allegedly withdrew funds to keep for himself. He used them to pay for his own living expenses without her consent.

Police began an investigation after they received information about elder abuse from adult protective services. The report states that the abuse occurred in Boise, Idaho, where Basile’s mother resides.