Unsuitable Investment Advice

Sharing Customer Losses Leads To FINRA Suspension For Raymond Menna

January 25, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Raymond Adam Menna (CRD #1918097) is a registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Planmember Securities Corporation (CRD #11869) of Farmingville, NY. His previous employers include Prime Capital Services, Inc. (CRD #18334) and Mutual Capital Corp. (CRD #106813), both of Ronkonkoma, NY. He has been in the industry since 1989.

Menna has a total of three disclosures, one regulatory and two customer disputes.

On 11/17/2017, a customer filed a dispute alleging that Menna engaged in unauthorized trading, unsuitable investing, misrepresentation and material omissions, and requested damages of $1,000,000. All parties agreed to a settlement of $260,000.00 to avoid the associated costs of litigation. The agreement included stipulations that there was no admission or denial of the charges, and all allegations were denied.

Florida Broker Mitchell Walk Subject Of Five Customer Disputes

January 25, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Mitchell Brian Walk (CRD #3195375) is a currently registered broker and investment advisor. He has been employed by Kestra Investment Services, LLC (CRD #42046) of Longwood, FL since 2001. He was previously employed by Securities America, Inc. (CRD #10205) of Lavista, NE. He has been in the industry since 2000.

Lawrence-LaBine-Under-Fire-for-Alleged-Unsuitable-Recommendations-and-More-300x200 Walk has five disclosures, all customer disputes in different stages. The most recent was filed on 08/14/2017, alleging that Walk made unsuitable recommendations to the client, and that Kestra Investment Services didn’t properly supervise those recommendations. The client is requesting damages of $72,000. The case is currently pending.

His next disclosure is also a pending customer dispute, filed on 10/4/2016. Walk is accused of misrepresentations in his recommendations (as well as other actions) in the sale of numerous alternative investment vehicles in August of 2014. This customer is requesting damages of $350,000.

FINRA Suspends Broker Lloyd Johnston Over Information Request And Multiple Tax Liens

January 25, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Lloyd Mark Johnston (CRD #1626695) is a previously registered broker and investment advisor who was last employed with Capital Financial Services, Inc. (CRD #8408) of Spokane, WA. He was previously employed with Legacy Financial Services, Inc. (CRD #38697) of Clinton, MD., Investors Capital Corp. (CRD #30613) of Lynnfield, MA, and Intersecurities, Inc. (CRD #16164) of St. Petersburg, FL. No current employment information is available. He has been in the industry since 1987.

Failure-to-Adequately-Supervise-Prompts-FINRA-Suspension-of-Roman-Luckey-300x200 FINRA suspended Johnston on 06/25/2018 indefinitely after he failed to respond to a request for information. The suspension will continue until he provides the requested information. Should Johnson decline to provide this information, continue not responding or fail to request termination of his suspension, the suspension will be converted to a bar. FINRA began its investigation on 02/08/2018.

Johnston was discharged from Capital Financial Services on 05/14/2018 for failing to disclose “reportable events” on his U4. While the reportable events were not described, BrokerCheck lists a total of 15 tax liens in his disclosures dating back to 2000.

FINRA Bars James Lyons After Unauthorized Trading Allegations And Employment Discharge

January 25, 2019 | Silver Law Group

James Edward Lyons (CRD #1020397) is a former broker and investment advisor who was last registered with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (CRD #705) of Shreveport, LA. He was previously employed by Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. (CRD #4161), also of Shreveport, and Capitol Securities Group, Inc. (CRD #8094). No current employment information is available. He has been in the industry since 1981.

Lyons is the subject of a current customer dispute with multiple claimants alleging a number of complaints, including unauthorized trading, fraudulent concealment, overconcentration, unsuitability and others. The actions in question occurred between 2001 and 2017. The damages requested total $5,000,000. The case is currently pending.

A similar complaint was filed on 04/29/2016, with many of the same allegations from 2/17/2011 – 4/29/2016. The client alleges unauthorized trading, churning, fraudulent omissions, suitability, and securities law violations at both the federal and state (Louisiana) level. The client requested damages of $1,200,000, and the case was settled for $400,000.

FINRA Suspends Broker Bradley Pace

January 24, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Bradley Taylor Pace (CRD #2097427) is a previously registered broker whose last employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413) of Orlando, FL. His previous employers include A.J. Pace & Co., Inc. (CRD #24228), also of Orlando, TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc. (CRD #7870) of Omaha, NE, and Quick & Reilly, Inc. (CRD #11217) of New York, NY. No current employment information is available. He began in the industry in 1991.

Are-or-Were-Unsuitable-Non-Traded-REITs-in-Your-Portfolio-300x224 FINRA sent Pace a request for information, which he did not respond to by the requested deadline. FINRA then suspended Pace, indefinitely and in all capacities, effective 06/28/2018. Should Pace fail to request termination of his suspension within a 3-month time frame, he will be barred by FINRA from any association with any FINRA member firm. There is no indication of what prompted the request, or if any complaints were involved.

Pace is also the subject of a customer dispute, filed on 1/26/2018. In it, the customer alleged “unsuitability relating to the purchase of a REIT investment and misrepresentation relating to the liquidity of the REIT investment.” However, the claim was denied, and no additional information is available.

More Customer Complaints Against Sean Brady, Claims Of $12.5M In Damages

January 24, 2019 | Silver Law Group

In August, we told you about former broker Sean Brady (CRD #4365173) who was recently barred by FINRA and discharged by his employer, First Allied Securities, Inc. (CRD #32444) of St. Louis, MO.

Allegations-of-Sales-Practice-Violations-Cloud-Broker-Kenneth-Dlouhy-‘s-Record-300x200 Since our last report, eight more customer disputes were recently filed against Brady, between 6/28/2018 and 07/03/2018. All these cases are pending, and the total of requested damages is an eye-watering $12,575,730.49.

Like the previous disclosures, these clients allege that Brady used the same practices, including:

FINRA Bans Charles Bloom

January 24, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Charles Lewis Bloom (CRD #4144108) is a former registered broker last employed by Chelsea Financial Services (CRD #47770) of Royal Palm Beach, FL. His previous employers include International Assets Advisory, LLC (CRD #10645) and IAA Financial LLC (CRD #6578) of West Palm Beach, FL, and U.S. Brokerage, Inc. (CRD #39307) of Wellington, FL. No current employment information is available. He has been in the industry since 2000.

FINRA began an investigation into Bloom’s trading practices in October of 2017 after allegations of unsuitable trading in at least three customer accounts. FINRA then requested Bloom to appear to give on-the-record testimony to FINRA regarding the investigation. He declined, and stated in a phone call that he would not give testimony at any time. On 7/17/2018, after signing an Acceptance, Waiver & Consent (AWC) letter, Bloom was indefinitely barred by FINRA effective immediately.

Are-or-Were-Unsuitable-Non-Traded-REITs-in-Your-Portfolio-300x224 Shortly after the FINRA action, a customer dispute was filed on 11/8/2017, alleging that Bloom misrepresented and made unsuitable recommendations with regard to a REIT (real estate investment trust.) The case is currently “pending,” and the damages requested are $99,326.84.

Client Accuses Broker Ralph Bianchi Of Recommending Unsuitable Puerto Rican Bonds

January 24, 2019 | Silver Law Group

FINRA Reports Brokers Nas Adel Allan and Gregory Anastos Made Unsuitable Recommendations on elderfinancialfraudattorneys.com Ralph Adams Bianchi (CRD #1513063) is a previously registered broker whose last known employer was Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (CRD #19616) of Flemington, NJ. His previous employers include The GMS Group, LLC (CRD #8000) of Livingston, NJ, and Moore & Schley, Cameron & Co. (CRD #6917). No current employment information is available. He began in the industry in 1986.

Bianchi has one disclosure on his record, a customer dispute filed on 01/19/2018. In it, the claimants allege that Bianchi made unsuitable investments in the Puerto Rican bond market. These recommendations were made between 2013 and 2017, when the Puerto Rico bond market found itself in a severe crisis. After the island was later devastated by Hurricane Maria, the financial market collapsed.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide to help recover investment losses due to stockbroker misconduct. If you have any questions about how your account has been handled, call to speak with an experienced securities attorney. Most cases handled on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay legal fees unless we are successful.

Broker Ralph Byer Of Merrill Lynch Has Seven Disclosures

January 22, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Ralph Michael Byer (CRD #1038411) is a registered broker and investment advisor currently employed with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (CRD #7691) of Plantation, Florida, where he has been since 1982.

Churning-1024x683-300x200 Byer has a total of seven disclosures, all of them customer disputes. The most recent was filed on 06/19/2018, alleging “excessive trading, unsuitable investment recommendations and misrepresentation from 1990 until 2018.” This case is currently pending.

His next previous dispute, filed on 02/03/2014, alleged misrepresentation involving a life insurance policy purchased in June of 1987. This claim was denied. However, the next dispute, filed on 01/27/2009, was settled for $7,000. The client alleged “unsuitable investment recommendations,” and requested damages of $100,000.

Broker Dexter Thomas Dies Leaving $9.2M In Customer Claims

January 22, 2019 | Silver Law Group

Dexter Leroy Thomas (CRD #1074222) is a formerly registered broker and investment advisor who was last employed with United Planners’ Financial Services Of America A Limited Partner (CRD #20804) of Dallas, TX. His previous employers include LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413), National Planning Corporation (CRD #29604) and Invest Financial Corporation (CRD #12984), all of Dallas. He began in the industry in 1983, and passed away on August 4, 2018.

FINRA-Permanently-Bars-Barry-Hartman-From-Securities-Activity-for-Alleged-“Selling-Away”-Activities-300x209 Two days before his death, United Planners discharged Thomas after he revealed to the firm that he had engaged in “selling away,” privately borrowing money and making investment arrangements with several individuals outside of the firm’s auspices. Many of these individuals later became customers of United Planners. Thomas revealed that he conducted these transactions without notifying the firm, and the firm promptly terminated his employment.

The first of a total of fifteen claims was filed on 7/31/2018, just two days before his discharge from United Planners. The last claim was filed on 9/23/2018. These claims alleged either “unsuitable investments” or detailing monies borrowed but not returned without the firm’s knowledge or approval. Of the fifteen claims listed in BrokerCheck, eight request financial damages from $22,000 to $8.1 million, for a total of $9,260,000. These claims are all listed as “pending.”