Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog

New York Broker Gregory Flemming Suspended by FINRA

August 2, 2016 | Silver Law Group

New York Broker Gregory Flemming Suspended by FINRA on silverlaw.com

Long history of misconduct ends seventeen-year career

Gregory Flemming, Jr. has a troubled past when it comes to his career in the securities industry. In addition to allegations of failing to disclose tax warrants, a tax lien and a judgment on his U4 (required industry documentation), he has also been accused of negligent misrepresentation, unsuitable private placement and failure to follow instructions to enter a stop loss order, the culmination of which is a permanent suspension from the industry.

Flemming has also been the subject of criminal charges, including one guilty charge for reckless endangerment in the first degree and another for criminal impersonation, disorderly conduct and aggravated unlicensed operator.

Barbara Fife Barred from Securities Industry After Two Decades

August 1, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Allegations concerning customer funds lead to permanent FINRA bar

Barbara Fife consented to the sanction that she failed to provide documents and information requested by FINRA during an investigation into accusations that she converted funds from a customer.

In October of 2015, a client reported that she wrote checks directly to Fife and that the funds were never invested or deposited into the the customer’s accounts. Damages in the amount of $257, 5000 were awarded to the client.

Liam O’Keefe, Fraud Advisors Investigation

August 1, 2016 | Silver Law Group

Liam O’Keefe, Fraud Advisors Investigation on silverlaw.com

FINRA has barred Liam Gerald O’Keefee alleging unauthorized trading, misappropriation of funds, and unsuitable recommendations.

As of October 20, 2015, Liam Gerald O’Keefee has been permanently barred by FINRA. O’Keefee consented to the sanctions and to the findings that he did not provide the information and documents requested by FINRA.

During his 16 years in the securities industry, O’Keefee was most recently employed with Triad Advisors in Danbury, Connecticut from April to October, 2015. For the seven years preceding that, he worked at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith in Southbury, Connecticut. He was also employed by Wachovia Securities, Prudential Securities, and Oppenheimer and Company.

In June 2016, FINRA Bars Registered Individuals for Failure to Comply with FINRA Rules

July 29, 2016 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for June 2016, 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
Vladimir Belyaev	Avenir Financial Group
Vladimir Belyaev	Coastal Equities, Inc.
Ho Choong Chung	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Ho Choong Chung	Key Investment Services LLC
Anthony S. Curcio	J.P. Morgan Clearing Corp.
George Jay Dobbins	Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P.
George Jay Dobbins	Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
William Lee Hutchinson	IFS Securities
William Lee Hutchinson	J.P. Turner & Company, LLC
Daniel Seunghun Lee	NYLife Securities LLC
Janice Jean Ling
Charles Little	PFS Investments Inc.
Charles Holman Phelps	Allstate Financial Services, LLC
Charles Holman Phelps	Edward Jones
Michael Taylor Shuttlesworth	Crown Capital Securities, L.P.
Michael Taylor Shuttlesworth	LPL Financial Corporation
Mark Francis Speakman	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Mark Francis Speakman	IDS Life Insurance Company
Christopher George Taylor	Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments
Christopher George Taylor	Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
Sheena Anne Toney	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Sheena Anne Toney	Chase Investment Services Corp.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration 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.

Registered Individuals Suspended by FINRA in June 2016 for Failing to Comply with FINRA Rules

July 29, 2016 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for June 2016, 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
Barry Boyd Blount, Sr.	Insight Advisors, LLC
	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Joseph Michael Carrino, Jr.	Brookstone Securities, Inc.
	National Securities Corporation
Victor Rosario Cassone	J.P. Turner & Company, LLC
	Pacific West Securities, Inc.
John F. Gannon	Morgan Stanley
	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Christopher Clarence Kennedy	Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
	Liberty Tree Advisors, LLC
William Francis Lex	Dinosaur Securities, LLC
	McGinn, Smith & Co., Inc.
Lewis Joseph Lucarine	State Farm VP Management Corp
	Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Brian Joseph Merrigan	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	BancWest Investment Services, Inc.
Nicholas McCauley Messore	LPL Financail LLC
	Morgan Stanley
James Marvin Mitchell	CBS Advisors LLC
	Community Bankers Securities, LLC
David Harold Noe	GunnAllen Financial, Inc.
	Birchtree Financial Services, Inc.
Edward Painter	UBS Financial Services Inc.
	Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Carrie Riley	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
	Morgan Stanley
Joseph Richard Rizzo, Jr.	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
	Securities America, Inc.
David Aaron Seigerman	Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
	Morgan Stanley
William Victor Siegel	Morgan Stanley
	Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.
Steven Craig Spitts	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Dean Witter Reynolds Inc.
Jeff David Snyder	Network 1 Financial Securities Inc.
	Rockwell Global Capital LLC
Carey Charles Stevens	Ridgeway & Conger, Inc.
	KCD Financial, Inc.
Gary Lee Wright	Pensionmark Financial Group, LLC
	Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration 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.

FINRA Suspends Registered Individuals in June 2016 for Violations of FINRA Rules

July 29, 2016 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for June 2016, 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:

NAME	FORMER EMPLOYERS
Aaron Carter Armstrong	NYLife Securities LLC
Kora L. Crowder	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Wensi Guzman	Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc.
Wensi Guzman	World Group Securities, Inc.
Demitrios Hallas	PHX Financial, Inc.
Demitrios Hallas	Forefront Capital Markets LLC
James Harrington	State Farm VP Management Corp.
Don Richard Iley	Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc.
Don Richard Iley	World Group Securities, Inc.
Johnathan J. Joyce	PNC Investments
Johnathan J. Joyce	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Elias Nicholas Katsis	Legend Securities, Inc.
Elias Nicholas Katsis	Tryco Securities, Inc.
Jaoshiang Luo	Columbus Advisory Group, Ltd.
Jaoshiang Luo	Clark Dodge & Co, Inc.
Rafael Santiago	Primary Capital, LLC
Rafael Santiago	COR Clearing LLC
Jennifer A. Smith
Jonathon William Sullivan	U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
Barbara Jean Waters	Morgan Stanley
Barbara Jean Waters	Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Michael David Woodard	Andrews Partners
Michael David Woodard	1792 Securities, LLC

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration 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.

In May 2016 FINRA Suspends Registered Individuals for Violations of FINRA Rules

July 6, 2016 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for May 2016, 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
Dmitry Borochin	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Chase Investment Services Corp.
Randy Lee Bostick	Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Jinesh Pravin Brahmbhatt	Success Trade Securities, Inc.
	LPL Financial Corporation
Thomas Andrew Buckley	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Robert Chan	Western International Securities, Inc.
	US Bancorp Investments, Inc.
Rodney Clyde Cochran	Mutual of Omaha Investors Services, Inc.
Kenneth Alan Comstock	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Wells Fargo Investments, LLC
Jaime Xavier Coronado	Nelsonreid, Inc.
	Wamu Investments, Inc.
Brandon Matthew Cortez	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Edward Jones
Canela Nicole Greenwood	UBS Financial Services Inc.
	Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.
Michael Dennis Hampton	LPL Financial LLC
	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Osi Trevor Isaacs	Brookstone Securities, Inc.
	Reid & Rudiger LLC
Karen Suzanne Kane	Money Concepts Capital Corp
	OneAmerica Securities, Inc.
Aric Ellis Kent	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
	Wells Fargo Investments, LLC
Michael Van Lynch	Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC
	Direct Capital Securities, Inc.
Rhonda Janeen Matthews	Prospera Financial Services, Inc.
	Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC
Geoffrey Weber Murvin	Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.
	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Thomas Wayne Ottman	Advanced Advisor Group, LLC
	Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc.
Markel Dashiell Petty	Direct Capital Securities, Inc.
Arra Poghossian	Scottrade, Inc.
	TD Ameritrade, Inc.
Travis Sherwood Shannon	Morgan Stanley
	Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc.
Gregory Alan Townes	Foresters Equity Services, Inc.
	Questar Capital Corporation
Kristin A. Tuchman	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
	Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration 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.

FINRA Suspends Registered Individuals for Violations of FINRA Rules in May 2016

July 1, 2016 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for May 2016, 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:

NAME	FORMER EMPLOYERS
Gordon W. Adamson	Farmers Financial Solutions, LLC
Stephen R. Anders	Capital One Investing, LLC
Stephen R. Anders	BB&T Investment Services, Inc.
Alex Ernesto Batlle	Forest Securities, Inc.
Alex Ernesto Batlle	Princor Financial Services Corporation
James Frederick Brennan	T.R. Winston & Company, LLC
James Frederick Brennan	Gilford Securities Incorporated
Christopher David Campbell	Waddell & Reed
Ruben Emilio Cardenas	BBVA Securities Inc.
Ruben Emilio Cardenas	BBVA Compass Investment Solutions, Inc.
Jessica Alyssa Diaz	Nationwide Investment Services Corporation
David Glenn Gott	Ausdal Financial Partners, Inc.
David Glenn Gott	Berthel, Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc.
Ronald Fred Hanson	Valmark Securities, Inc.
Ronald Fred Hanson	Securities America, Inc.
Daniel Helkowski III	Allstate Financial Services, LLC
Daniel Helkowski III	Nationwide Securities, Inc.
Li-Lin Hsu	Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Jose Alberto Huerta	Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Jose Alberto Huerta	Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
Adrian Jablonski	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Adrian Jablonski	First Midwest Securities, Inc.
Sean Francis Lanci	Rothschild Lieberman LLC
Sean Francis Lanci	J. Streicher Capital LLC
Quyen Chi Loong	Aaron Capital Inc
Quyen Chi Loong	Metlife Securities Inc.
Elizabeth Grimaneza Looper	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Elizabeth Grimaneza Looper	Chase Investment Services Corp.
Calvin Edward Moores	Independent Financial Group, LLC
Calvin Edward Moores	Centaurus Financial Inc.
Justin L. Norris	NYLife Securities LLC
Rafael Angel Ortiz	Cetera Investment Services LLC
Rafael Angel Ortiz	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Natalia Pesin	Pruco Securities, LLC
Linda A. Rapp
Virgil Queano Santos Jr.	Allstate Financial Services, LLC
John M. Sayre	PFS Investments Inc.
Brian Edward Shamash	State Farm VP Management Corp.
Keith Everett Sorrentino	Stock USA Execution Services, Inc.
Keith Everett Sorrentino	Regal Securities, Inc.
Michael John Tordone	TSC Distributors, LLC
Michael John Tordone	Lazard Asset Management Securities LLC
David Scott Whitesel	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
David Scott Whitesel	Chase Investment Services Corp.
David Lee Willis	Allstate Financial services, LLC
David Lee Willis	Prudential Securities Incorporated
Eugene Harold Wray	PFS Investments Inc.

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration 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.

FINRA Bars Registered Individuals in May 2016 for Violations of FINRA Rules

July 1, 2016 | Silver Law Group

According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for May 2016, 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
Steven Angelo Aguilar	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Randy Lamar Alford	Southeast Investments, N.C., Inc.
Randy Lamar Alford	Saxony Securities, Inc.
Jeffrey Alan Bond	David Lerner Associates, Inc.
Kenneth Martin Dlouhy	Cantone Research Inc.
Kenneth Martin Dlouhy	Aegis Capital Corp.
Michael Winston Hefner	FBL Marketing Services, LLC
Michael Winston Hefner	Equitrust Marketing Serv LLC
Kristal Lee Johnson	Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
Kristal Lee Johnson	State Farm VP Management Corp.
Roy Edward Jones	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Roy Edward Jones	Castleoak Securities, LP
Kayla Arlene Paul-Lindsey	Park Avenue Securities LLC
Kayla Arlene Paul-Lindsey	MML Investors Services LLC
Valinda Kay Turner
Kenya Julissa Zavala	J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Kenya Julissa Zavala	Chase Investment Services Corp

Silver Law Group represents investors in securities and investment fraud cases through FINRA arbitration or court. Our lawyers are admitted to practice in New York and Florida and represent investors nationwide in securities arbitration 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.

Attorney’s Fees in Securities Arbitration Update

June 14, 2016 | Silver Law Group

It was about three years ago that the Florida Legislature adopted the Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (“RUAA”), a revised code that was intended to clarify the arbitration process and promote various requirements of due process. Among many issues the revision addresses, attorneys’ fees changes were one of the most significant, especially to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) arbitrations.

Typically, the American rule of law does not automatically grant the winning side its attorneys’ fees. According to FINRA’s Basic Arbitrator Training, arbitrators can award attorneys’ fees when:

the parties’ contract includes a clause that provides for attorneys’ fees; or