Investment Adviser News: Barred Representative is Now a Finance Coach, Bellingham Man Gets Prison Term for Bilking Seniors

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission, ex-investment adviser Sherwin Brown is continuing to offer financial advice even though the regulator barred him from the industry and ordered him to pay $1.3 million for allegedly diverting client monies. Brown now calls himself a “money coach” and has kept his Jamerica Financial Inc. in operation, receiving compensation for his services. At a certain point, the firm, which has since been ordered inactive, had nearly $30 million in assets under management.

The regulator contends that between 6/11 and 5/14, a Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) account in Jamerica Financial’s name received over 120 deposits totaling $330,000. The deposits were payable to Brown and his company. Notes in check memo lines indicated that the money was for investment advisory services.

Brown, who was barred from the industry in 2011, operates TheOfficialMoneyCoach.com, which includes a blog on investing. The site also promotes his investment books.

Another barred financial adviser who kept on working after he was caught embezzling money from a client has now been sentenced to 51 months behind bars. Jeffrey Knutsen, a Bellingham financial and tax adviser, was convicted of bilking 26 senior investors, stealing $255,000. Knutsen, who owns Bellweather Wealth Management, has not been allowed to work in the securities industry since 2005.

However, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office, he kept setting up accounts for clients, who gave him access to their money. Knutsen allegedly told them they would have to pay him a fee for managing their accounts. He is accused of writing over 200 checks without their knowledge and using the $250,000 for his own purposes.

Unfortunately, even when someone has been barred from the securities industry for wrongdoing there are those that manage to keep working and defrauding more clients. In such instances, it is the investors who suffer.

Last week a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority hearing panel expelled the firm John Thomas Financial while barring its CEO Anastasios “Tommy” Belesis from the securities industry. The panel said that the two of them committed violations related to the sale and common stock of America West Resources Inc. (AWSRQ), including trading before the customers’ order, giving false testimony, as well violations of principals of trade and recordkeeping. Belesis and JTF were ordered to pay more than $1 million plus interest to customers.

FINRA says that the two of them made a profit after they traded ahead of 14 JTF customers that were attempting to sell their positions in AWSR. Belesis and JTW profited while the customers did not. The panel noted that while JTF did not purposely hold the customer orders its attempts to make the trades failed.

Under FINRA rules, a firm must execute the orders at the same or at a greater price than what the firm got. JTF a, Belesis, and JTF’s Chief Compliance Officer Joseph Castellano are also accused of harassing and intimidating registered representatives.

If you are an investor, it is important that you do your due diligence to make sure that the person who is advising you does not have a history of wrongdoing. Financial fraud and other negligence may lead to serious investor losses.

If you think your financial losses are because you got bad advice or because you were bilked by an investment advise, a broker, or another industry representative, you should contact our investment adviser fraud lawyers today.

Sherwin Brown, former investment adviser turned coach, charged by SEC, Investment News, January 9, 2015

FINRA Hearing Panel Expels John Thomas Financial and Bars CEO Tommy Belesis for Trading Ahead of Customer Orders, Providing False Testimony and Other Violations; Ordered To Pay $1,047,288 to Customers, FINRA, January 9, 2015

Financial adviser sentenced for stealing from elderly, Seattle Times/AP, January 5, 2015

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