Texas-Based Brokerage Firm Accused of Overconcentration & Supervisory Failures NEXT Financial Group has arrived at a $750K settlement with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to resolve claims that the Texas-based broker-dealer overconcentrated customer accounts in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and did not have the kind of supervisory system that…
Galvin’s Office Files Civil Lawsuit Alleging Overconcentration, Unsuitable Investments William Galvin, the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, has filed civil charges against former NEXT Financial Group broker, Charles Chester Kulch. The state is accusing him of selling real estate investment trusts (REITs) and variable annuities (VA) to customers for…
Doraine Refused To Cooperate In FINRA’s Investigation The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has barred former Next Financial broker, Charles Doraine after he refused to give testimony in the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) probe into allegations that he unsuitably recommended Puerto Rico bonds to customers. Already, Doraine has been the subject…
NEXT Financial Group Sold Unsuitable REITs To Investors, Including Older Seniors If you were an investor who suffered losses in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) that were recommended and sold to you by a NEXT Financial Group broker, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) wants to talk to…
FINRA says NEXT Financial Group Inc. has agreed to a one million dollar fine for its alleged failure to properly supervise a number of client accounts and over 100 office of supervisory jurisdiction (OSJ) branch managers. The managers are in charge of overseeing sales and trading activities for branches and…
The Texas Supreme Court says that former NEXT Financial Group Inc. stockbroker Michael Clements’s claim that the brokerage firm fired him for refusing to cover up churning activity must be arbitrated. Clements was hired as a NEXT Financial regional supervisor in September 2006. Nearly a year later, the brokerage firm…
Securities and Exchange Commission Administrative Law Judge James T. Kelly is ordering Next Financial Group Inc. to cease and desist from recruiting practices that violate privacy laws. He also has slapped the company with a $125,000 penalty. Recruiting practices that need to stop included those involving use of clients’ private…