Broker-Dealers

Coastal Equities To Pay $280K To Elderly and Retiree Clients Over Allegedly Unsuitable Trades

Published on: December 7, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Coastal Equities Has Been The Subject of $3M in Investor Arbitration Claims

Coastal Equities, a mid-sized broker-dealer, recently arrived at a settlement with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in which it agreed to give $280K in restitution to several customers. The firm is accused of failing to reasonably supervise one of its registered representatives, who recommended trades that were allegedly excessive and unsuitable. Those who were harmed were retirees and senior investors.

It was just last year that Coastal Equities said in its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that investors had submitted $3M in arbitration claims against the firm.

OCC Orders JPMorgan Chase Bank to Pay $250M For Inadequate Risk Management Practices

Published on: December 3, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Accuses Bank of Inadequate Internal Controls

JPMorgan Chase Bank has been ordered to pay a $250M penalty. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) contends that the bank engaged in “unsafe and unsound practices” related to its internal controls and an internal audit of fiduciary duties.

With fiduciary assets of $29.1 trillion, JPMorgan has one of the biggest and complex fiduciary businesses. It offers many types of investment strategies via different investment vehicles to its clients. The Bank is not denying or admitting to the agency’s findings.

Fired Morgan Stanley Brokers May Have Grounds for Wrongful Termination Claims

Published on: December 1, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Morgan Stanley Fires Financial Advisors After Inherited Account Credits Investigation

Morgan Stanley (MS) announced recently that it has terminated a number of financial advisors after a months-long investigation into payments being made to retired Morgan Stanley financial advisors under Morgan Stanley’s own Legacy Account Payments Program.

Morgan Stanley’s “sunset plan” allows brokers who are retiring from the firm to split fees and commissions with brokers who inherit the retiring broker’s accounts.

First Western Capital Management Allegedly Placed Over $666M of Customers’ Money into Investments Reserved for Qualified Institutional Buyers

Published on: July 22, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Colorado Investment Firm Fined $200K For Investing Unqualified Buyers Into Unsuitable Investments

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered First Western Capital Management Co. to pay a $200K fine over allegations that, over a 7-year period, it invested over $666M of clients’ funds into securities that they didn’t qualify for. As a result, 81 clients were placed in securities that were reserved for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), which are investors that have at least $100M in assets.

The firm is a Denver-based investment adviser. Our Colorado investment fraud lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas are offering free case consultations to customers that were harmed by these unsuitable investment recommendations and sales that the SEC says were initiated by at least nine of First Western’s investment adviser representatives. Contact us today at (720) 439-2827.

Ex-NEXT Financial Broker Charles Kulch Accused of Overconcentrating Over 100 Massachusetts’ Investors in Risky REITs

Published on: July 20, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

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 whom they were unsuitable and overconcentrating their portfolios in these high risk, illiquid investments.

Northwestern Mutual Investment Services Fined $350K for Inadequate Supervision of Ex-Broker Sampson Pearson

Published on: July 16, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Former Financial Representative Is Facing Criminal Trial for Annuity Fraud

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined Northwestern Mutual Investment Services $350K for failing to properly supervise former stockbroker, Sampson Pearson, which enabled him to defraud customers of $570K. Northwestern Mutual Investment Services is the brokerage arm of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.

Pearson, who was barred by the self-regulatory organization (SRO) in 2017, is charged in federal court with aggravated identity theft, mail fraud, and filing false tax returns. According to his BrokerCheck record, he is named in 13 disclosures, including 11 customer disputes.

SagePoint Financial Ordered to Pay Over $1.6M for Early Unit Investment Trust Rollovers That Cost Investors

Published on: June 22, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Says SagePoint Financial Brokers Unsuitably Recommended Early UIT Rollovers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is ordering SagePoint Financial to pay over $1.6M in fines and restitution after it executed over $895 million in unit investment trust (UIT) transactions that resulted in more than $17.2 million in sales charges.

Of these UIT transactions, over $203.7 million of the proceeds were from sales that occurred over 100 days before a UIT’s maturity date. FINRA found that these unsuitable early rollovers caused customers to pay over $1.3 million in sales charges that they wouldn’t have otherwise if only they’d held onto their UITs until they matured.

SunTrust Investment Services to Pay $634K For Alleged Inadequate Supervision Of Unsuitable ETF Sales Practices

Published on: June 5, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Accuses SunTrust Investment Services of Failing to Properly Supervise Brokers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has ordered SunTrust to pay $634K to settle charges accusing the broker-dealer of not properly supervising 17 of its brokers when they recommended that customers hold non-traditional exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for long periods–a practice that can lead to losses especially when there is market volatility.

Of this settlement, $50K is a fine and $584,466 is restitution. SunTrust Investment Services, which is owned by Trust Bank, agreed to the sanctions but without denying or admitting to the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) findings.

Morgan Stanley Sued for Unsuitable Recommendations Over Harvest Volatility Strategy, MLPs and Other Complex Investments Made To A Texas Investor

Published on: May 18, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Brokerage Firm Made Unsuitable Investment Recommendations to An Inexperienced Investor

Our brokerage firm fraud lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) have filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration against Morgan Stanley on behalf of an elderly Dallas, Texas investor.

The investor in question sustained over $500K in losses due to the unsuitable recommendations of structured products, Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs), other oil and gas equities, and investments governed by Harvest Volatility Management’s Collateral Yield Enhancement Strategy (CYES).

As United States Oil Fund Plunges 30%, Retail ETF Investors Should Worry About Losses

Published on: April 24, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

ETF Investors Of United States Oil Fund May Not Have Known Full Extent Of Risks

Our investment fraud lawyers are offering free case consultations to investors who’ve lost money in the United States Oil Fund (USO) after it dropped 30%. The exchange-traded security continues to make changes to its structure in an attempt to stave off more losses. Part of this now involves giving itself the leeway to get into long-term contracts. The USO exchange-traded fund (ETF), which keeps track of oil prices, is popular among retail investors.

Unfortunately, many of these investors think they are betting on oil prices’ long-term rise and do not fully comprehend how the futures market operates or that these types of funds hold primarily short-dated oil futures contracts and should never be held long-term.