A National Securities Arbitration & Investment Fraud Law Firm
Adam Belardino (Adam Gerard Belardino, CRD: #5221927) is a former registered broker and investment advisor whose last known employer was MML Investors Services, LLC (CRD#:10409) of Elmsford, New York. Continue reading ›
The Securities And Exchange Commission recently released a bulletin on their investor website warning about frauds that incorporate digital assets and cryptocurrency into their scams.
Investing in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and other so-called “digital assets” are a truly 21st Century way to invest. For someone who is tech-savvy as well as educated with investing, dipping into crypto may be a next-generation investment that offers returns on an investment. Continue reading ›
John Edgar Simmons, Jr. (CRD: #4878890) is a former registered broker and insurance advisor whose last known employer was LPL Financial LLC (CRD#:6413) of Gulf Breeze, FL. He was previously employed with Investors Capital Corp. (CRD#:30613) of Pensacola, FL, LPL Financial in McMinnville, TN, and Edward Jones (CRD#:250), also of McMinnville. He has been in the industry since 2005. Continue reading ›
Jeffrey Warren (CRD:#2707969) is a former registered broker whose last known employer was Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (CRD#:249) of Boca Raton, FL. He was previously employed with Wachovia Securities, LLC (CRD#:19616), also of Boca Raton, UBS Financial Services Inc. (CRD#:8174) of Weehawken, NJ, and Prudential Securities Incorporated (CRD#:7471) of New York, NY. Warren has been in the industry since 1996. Continue reading ›
First High-School Education Group (FHS) is being investigated by Silver Law Group regarding possible violations of the federal securities laws.
If you purchased shares of First High-School Education Group (FHS), contact Silver Law Group at (800) 975-4345 or at ssilver@silverlaw.com. Continue reading ›
Edward Turley (Edward L Turley/Ed Turley/Edward Lawrence Turley, CRD# 1872294) is a previously-registered broker and investment adviser who last worked for JP Morgan Securities in San Francisco, California. Turley was previously registered with Lehman Brothers in New York City, CS First Boston Corporation, and Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. He had worked in the industry since 1988. Continue reading ›
According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for September 2021, 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 |
| John Barrett | Emerson Equity LLC |
| Lincoln Financial Advisors Corproation | |
| Amanda Berry | MML Investors Services, LLC |
| NYLife Securities LLC | |
| Michael Bramlett | Country Capital Management Company |
| Christopher Fisher | PFS Investments Inc. |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | |
| Berhane Kassahun | AXA Advisors, LLC |
| MSI Financial Services, Inc. | |
| Christy McWilliams | Jackson National Life Distributors LLC |
| Kevin Nevin | Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC |
| Sandlapper Securities, LLC | |
| Antoine Rogers | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Alfredo Vazquez | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| David Villarreal III | U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
| Morgan Stanley | |
| Jonathan Ward | State Farm VP Management Corp. |
FINRA makes this information available, in part, to inform investors about potential red flags or problems with certain stockbrokers. If you invested with anyone in this report and have questions about your legal rights, our attorneys will talk with you at no cost to explain your legal rights and about how we can help recover your investment losses through securities arbitration or litigation.
FINRA Rule 8210 allows FINRA’s enforcement attorneys the authority to investigate matters under its regulatory purview. FINRA Rule 8210 requires a stockbroker or other registered person of the request to provide documents or information “with respect to any matter in [an] investigation, complaint, examination or proceeding.”
The subject matter of a FINRA investigation or inquiry can include almost anything relating to the brokerage industry or the financial advisor’s activities. FINRA regulatory rules allow for broad authority to investigate violations of FINRA’s rules and regulations including, Rule 2010 (a FINRA member “shall observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade”). Under Rule 2010 FINRA can seek any documents or other information that FINRA believes is relevant to its inquiry. In 2013, FINRA announced in a regulatory notice that the scope of Rule 8210 had been clarified, stating that “all aspects of the relationship between a broker-dealer and its associated persons are potentially the subject of a Rule 8210 request.”
Even after a broker is barred from the industry or otherwise faces disciplinary action, investors can still pursue stockbroker misconduct claims against their financial advisor and/or their brokerage firms. Financial Advisors who have engaged in misconduct or otherwise violated FINRA rules or regulations frequently surrender their license rather than cooperate in a FINRA investigation. In the past, FINRA has barred brokers from the industry for participating in Ponzi schemes, elder financial fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and other misconduct. While a bar from the securities industry can be a powerful piece of evidence for investors pursuing FINRA arbitration claims against their advisors and/or their brokerage firms, investors should work with experienced securities and investment fraud attorneys to help maximize their recovery.
FINRA arbitration is separate and distinct from FINRA’s regulatory obligations. In our experience, FINRA regulatory focuses on punishing the wrongdoers but rarely results in compensation for the victims. For investors who have been defrauded by a financial advisor or others, FINRA arbitration is frequently the best place to secure a recover for losses.
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.
According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for September 2021, 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 |
| Ryan Burneo | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Jamila Fields | Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC |
| Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC | |
| William Friedman | Pinnacle Investments, LLC |
| Woodstock Financial Group, Inc. | |
| Paul Furusho | APW Capital, Inc. |
| LPL Financial LLC | |
| Xinwo Li | Pruco Securities, LLC |
| Charles Lopez | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
| Toni Marshall | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Tarek Mohamed | Bankers Life Securities, Inc. |
| Vincent Pepe | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Tara Pierce | LPL Financial LLC |
| Investment Centers of America Inc. | |
| Rachel Rodriguez | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Kezia Simeon | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Tara Supron | |
| Alex Taylor | Allstate Financial Services, LLC |
| Isaac Yamoah |
According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for September 2021, 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 |
| Sam Aziz | David A. Noyes & Company |
| Coastal Equities, Inc. | |
| Gary Helbling | Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. |
| Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC | |
| Kevin Nevin | Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC |
| Sandlapper Securities, LLC | |
| James Reittinger | U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | |
| Jameson Shin | LPL Financial LLC |
| Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC | |
| Joseph Stengel | LPL Financial LLC |
| Pruco Securities, LLC | |
| Philip Zaczek | Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. |
| Morgan Stanley |
According to FINRA Disciplinary actions for August 2021, 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 |
| Omer Ali-Taha | BB&T Investment Services, Inc. |
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | |
| Katie Blando | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
| Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC |
Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog