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Articles Posted in Unsuitable Investment Advice

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Keith Simmons (Keith Frederick Simmons CRD: #730619) is a broker and investment advisor with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD#:7691) of Miami, FL. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 1981, and is registered in 30 states. Simmons is the subject of a customer dispute filed on 5/29/2020 by a client who alleges “unsuitable investment recommendations.”  The client requests damages of $8,000,000. No additional information is available. The dispute is currently listed as “pending.” A previous customer dispute filed on 12/2/2009 alleges “misrepresentation regarding the liquidity and risk of auction rate securities in June 2008.”  This case involved the sale of auction rate securities.  Merrill Lynch settled for $300,000, the cost of repurchasing these securities. The case was settled to avoid the continued cost and uncertainty of litigation. Simmons took no part in the settlement. A customer dispute filed on 10/17/1997 alleged that Simmons “oversold” a client’s shares without authorization. The client requested reinstatement of the shares, worth $9,000. Merrill Lynch settled the matter for $9,000 to avoid litigation.Keith Simmons (Keith Frederick Simmons CRD: #730619) is a broker and investment advisor with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD#:7691) of Miami, FL. He has been with Merrill Lynch since 1981, and is registered in 30 states. Continue reading ›

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Christ Baltas (Christ Elias Baltas CRD: 2570499) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD#:148366) of Melville, NY. His previous employers include Wilmington Capital Securities, LLC (CRD#:133839) also of Melville, Kovack Securities Inc. (CRD#:44848) of Fort Lauderdale FL, and Quest Capital Strategies, Inc. (CRD#:16783) of Laguna Hills, CA. He has been in the industry since 1995. In August of 2020, FINRA sent Baltas a notice to appear for on-the-record testimony in relation to its investigation of his supervision of a registered representative. This representative had made trading recommendations that were potentially unsuitable while Baltas was a supervisor. Although Baltas acknowledged receipt of FINRA's notice, he notified staff that he would not be appearing for testimony at any time.Christ Baltas (Christ Elias Baltas CRD: 2570499) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Worden Capital Management LLC (CRD#:148366) of Melville, NY. His previous employers include Wilmington Capital Securities, LLC (CRD#:133839) also of Melville, Kovack Securities Inc. (CRD#:44848) of Fort Lauderdale FL, and Quest Capital Strategies, Inc. (CRD#:16783) of Laguna Hills, CA. He has been in the industry since 1995. Continue reading ›

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On behalf of investors, Silver Law Group is investigating junk bonds offered by now-bankrupt Hornbeck Offshore Services. Hornbeck Offshore bonds were sold to clients when they held a D rating by Standard and Poor’s, the lowest rating possible. About Hornbeck Offshore Services Hornbeck Offshore Services calls itself a “leading provider of marine transportation services to exploration and production, oilfield service, offshore construction and military customers.” After struggling with low oil prices and significant debt, including debt sold to investors as bonds, Hornbeck filed for bankruptcy. In September, 2020 Hornbeck announced that it had emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and completed a reorganization as a private company with a new board of directors. Investors in Hornbeck bonds lost their money.  On behalf of investors, Silver Law Group is investigating junk bonds offered by now-bankrupt Hornbeck Offshore Services. Hornbeck Offshore bonds were sold to clients when they held a D rating by Standard and Poor’s, the lowest rating possible.

About Hornbeck Offshore Services

Hornbeck Offshore Services calls itself a “leading provider of marine transportation services to exploration and production, oilfield service, offshore construction and military customers.” Continue reading ›

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William Friedman (William Sidney Friedman CRD#: 2475502) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Pinnacle Investments, LLC (CRD#:142910) of Boca Raton, FL. His previous employers include Woodstock Financial Group, Inc. (CRD#:38095), Newbridge Securities Corporation (CRD#:104065), and Brookstreet Securities Corporation (CRD#:14667), all of Boca Raton. He has been in the industry since 1994. Friedman is the subject of four disclosures, two of which are customer disputes. The most recent client dispute was filed on 11/20/2015, alleging that Friedman “pursued an inappropriate equity trading strategy which resulted in losses on the account. Client also indicated the rep exercised discretion over the account, breached his fiduciary responsibilities and suitability obligations.” The client requested damages of $50,000, and the firm settled the claim for $10,000. An additional note indicates that the original written complaint was denied earlier in the year, and became an arbitration case.William Friedman (William Sidney Friedman CRD#: 2475502) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was Pinnacle Investments, LLC (CRD#:142910) of Boca Raton, FL. His previous employers include Woodstock Financial Group, Inc. (CRD#:38095), Newbridge Securities Corporation (CRD#:104065), and Brookstreet Securities Corporation (CRD#:14667), all of Boca Raton. He has been in the industry since 1994. Continue reading ›

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Daniel Raupp (Daniel Phillip Raupp) is a broker currently registered with Concorde Investment Services in their Port Jefferson, New York branch office. Before joining Concorde, Raupp was previously registered with J.P. Turner & Company, LLC, Gunallen Financial, Inc, and Harrison Securities, Inc., which FINRA expelled in 2004. Daniel Raupp Disclosures Daniel Raupp has 7 disclosures on his publicly-available FINRA BrokerCheck report, which includes 6 customer disputes and 1 employment separation after allegations: September, 2020: A customer dispute alleged that “various investments recommended by the representative in 2014 to 2016 were unsuitable.” $400,000 in damages are requested and the claim is pending as of this writing.Daniel Raupp (Daniel Phillip Raupp) is a broker currently registered with Concorde Investment Services in their Port Jefferson, New York branch office. Before joining Concorde, Raupp was previously registered with J.P. Turner & Company, LLC, Gunallen Financial, Inc, and Harrison Securities, Inc., which FINRA expelled in 2004. Continue reading ›

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Thomas Marino (Thomas John Marino CRD#: 4438533) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose most recent employer was R.M. Stark & Co., Inc. (CRD#:7612) of Lake Worth Beach, FL. Previous employers include J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. (CRD#:124583) of Sarasota, FL, Newbridge Securities Corporation (CRD#:104065) of Boca Raton, FL, and Summit Brokerage Services, Inc. (CRD#:34643) of West Palm Beach, FL. He has been in the industry since 2001. Thomas Marino Customer Dispute On 4/12/2019, a customer filed a dispute alleging that Marino made “inappropriate and unsuitable investments for her risk tolerance.”  The client requested damages of $300,000, and the claim is reported as resolved. According to filings in the case, The causes of action relate to Respondent Marino’s alleged recommendation to transfer a portion of Claimant’s retirement assets from various variable annuities and to re-direct the investment proceeds into investments with Respondent Capstone, a single-member Limited Liability Company, owned and controlled by Respondent Marino. A financial advisor generally should not recommend an investment in a company in which he is personally invested. Mr. Marino’s interest in Capstone would need to be clearly explained to the investor and fully disclosed to his employer and the customer.Thomas Marino (Thomas John Marino CRD#: 4438533) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose most recent employer was R.M. Stark & Co., Inc. (CRD#:7612) of Lake Worth Beach, FL. Previous employers include J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. (CRD#:124583) of Sarasota, FL, Newbridge Securities Corporation (CRD#:104065) of Boca Raton, FL, and Summit Brokerage Services, Inc. (CRD#:34643) of West Palm Beach, FL. He has been in the industry since 2001. Continue reading ›

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Bradley Renberg (Bradley Leo Renberg CRD: #2155253, aka “Bradley Leo Rewberg”) is a currently registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Ameriprise Financial Services (CRD#: 6363) of West Des Moines, IA. He was previously employed by Ameriprise Advisor Services, Inc. (CRD#:5979), also of West Des Moines, and by Hibbard Brown & Co., Inc. (CRD#:18246, expelled by FINRA on 2/22/1996) of New York City. He has been in the business since 1991. A client dispute filed on 5/8/2019 alleged that from the five-year period of May 2014 through May 2019, Renberg “recommended unsuitable investments and transactions including high-risk investments in the energy and retail sectors.”  The clients requested damages of $380,000, and Ameriprise settled the case for $150,000, to avoid the potential expense of arbitration.Bradley Renberg (Bradley Leo Renberg CRD: #2155253, aka “Bradley Leo Rewberg”) is a currently registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Ameriprise Financial Services (CRD#: 6363) of West Des Moines, IA. He was previously employed by Ameriprise Advisor Services, Inc. (CRD#:5979), also of West Des Moines, and by Hibbard Brown & Co., Inc. (CRD#:18246, expelled by FINRA on 2/22/1996) of New York City. He has been in the business since 1991. Continue reading ›

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We previously reported on broker Kevin Richard Wilson (CRD #326701), who had two customer disputes filed in 2018. He is currently employed with Worden Capital Management, LLC (CRD#: 148366) of New York, NY. He has been in the industry since 1999. Since our previous report, there have been six more disputes with allegations of unsuitability and over-concentration. Two were settled, and four are listed as “pending.”We previously reported on broker Kevin Richard Wilson (CRD #326701), who had two customer disputes filed in 2018. He is currently employed with Worden Capital Management, LLC (CRD#: 148366) of New York, NY. He has been in the industry since 1999.

Since our previous report, there have been six more disputes with allegations of unsuitability and over-concentration. Two were settled, and four are listed as “pending.” Continue reading ›

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Joshua Stivers (Joshua Daniel Stivers CRD:#5708565) is a currently registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Kalos Capital, Inc. (CRD#: 44337) of Austin, TX. His previous employers include G.F. Investment Services, LLC (CRD#:132939) and Global Financial Private Capital, LLC (CRD#:132070), both of Austin, TX, and USA Wealth Management LLC (CRD#:122082) of Marble Falls, TX. He has been in the industry since 2009.Joshua Stivers (Joshua Daniel Stivers CRD:#5708565) is a currently registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Kalos Capital, Inc. (CRD#: 44337) of Austin, TX. His previous employers include G.F. Investment Services, LLC (CRD#:132939) and Global Financial Private Capital, LLC (CRD#:132070), both of Austin, TX, and USA Wealth Management LLC (CRD#:122082) of Marble Falls, TX. He has been in the industry since 2009. 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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