Broker Fraud

Ex-Morgan Stanley Broker Elias Hafen Sentenced To Prison For Investment Fraud

Published on: February 13, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-Morgan Stanley Broker Sentenced To 30 Months

Please contact Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) if Elias Herbert Hafen, a former Morgan Stanley (MS) and Wells Fargo (WFC) broker, was your financial representative when you suffered substantial investment losses that you think may be due to fraud. Hafen is sentenced to 30 months in prison for defrauding former clients of over $1.6M.

The prison term comes after Hafen pleaded guilty to investment advisor fraud. Prosecutors contend that Hafen sought to defraud 11 retail customers, between 2011 until 2018, by making them think he had access to a high-yield fund that would bring them guaranteed investment returns.

Rogue Broker Named in Over 50 Complaints Found Guilty of Mail & Wire Fraud

Published on: February 10, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Rogue Broker Convicted & Faces Decades In Prison

A jury has convicted Anthony Diaz, a barred rogue stockbroker who was fired by several brokerage firms and has been the subject of more than four dozen customer complaints, of 11 counts of wire fraud and mail fraud. Each criminal court comes with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) have been speaking to former customers of Diaz who sustained investment losses while working with him. If you are one of these investors, contact our broker fraud attorneys today. You may have grounds for a civil claim against the brokerage firm where he was working at the time.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Suspended First Western Securities Broker Kerry Dean Wills

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

Stockbroker Accused Of Improperly Borrowing From Older Customer

If you suffered investment losses while First Western Securities broker, Kerry Dean Wills was your financial representative, contact Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm).

Kerry Dean Wills, who is also a registered investment advisor, was recently suspended for six months by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and ordered to pay a $10K fine over allegations of elder investment fraud.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Barred Mutual of Omaha Broker Edward Matthes

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

Edward Matthes, Ex-Stockbroker Accused of Elder Investor Fraud

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is accusing former broker, Edward Matthes of defrauding older investors of $2.4M. Matthes was a registered stockbroker and an investment advisor. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions Securities Division have both permanently barred him.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened a probe into his alleged actions last year. Matthes was a registered Mutual of Omaha broker from 2012 – 2019 which was when the firm fired him. He worked in the industry for 20 years.

Merrill Lynch Ordered to Pay $1.7 Million in Puerto Rico Bond Fraud Case Involving Broker Alex Gierbolini

Published on: January 27, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Merrill Lynch Fined For Involvement In Puerto Rico Bond Fraud Case

In a recent award, a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has decided that Merrill Lynch must pay a former professional baseball player and his wife $1.7 million in compensatory damages, plus $88,758 in costs, for losses they sustained from investing in Puerto Rico bonds and closed-end bond funds.

The retired MLB player is Angel Pagan and his wife is Windy Pagan, a former Ms. Puerto Rico. Angel was an outfielder for the NY Mets, the Chicago Cubs, and the San Francisco Giants before retiring to live on the island.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigates Ex-First Allied Securities Broker Shlomo Strugano

Published on: January 23, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Former First Allied Securities Rep. Accused of Inappropriate REIT Recommendations

Our investor lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are looking into claims by clients of former First Allied Securities stockbroker Shlomo Strugano. Strugano was barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory (FINRA) earlier this month.

Strugano, also known as Shlomy Strugano, is based in California. He has been the subject of at least four customer disputes, two of which are still pending. The ex-stockbroker is accused, among other things, of making inappropriate recommendations involving real estate investment trusts (REITS) to customers.

SSEK Investigates Broker Fraud Claims Involving SagePoint Financial Broker Timothy Vanlohuizen

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

SagePoint Financial Broker Named In Customer Disputes

Our investor fraud lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are looking into claims involving SagePoint Financial broker, Timothy Vanlohuizen. With 37 years in the industry, Vanlohuizen, who is based in Idaho, has been named in six customer disputes.

Allegations Currently Made Against Timothy Vanlohuizen

SSEK Investigates Woodbury Financial Broker Daryl Serizawa Over GPB Capital Private Placements

Published on: January 21, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Woodbury Financial Services Representative Accused Of GPB Private Placements Sales

If you are an investor who was sold GPB Capital private placements by Woodbury Financial Services broker Daryl Serizawa, our broker fraud lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) want to talk to you.

Serizawa is one of the hundreds of financial representatives who sold GPB funds to customers. These brokers and their firms earned more than $160M in commissions. Now, GPB Capital Holdings, an alternative asset firm that invests in auto dealers and waste management, is accused of operating a $1.8B Ponzi scam.

SSEK Investigates Investment Fraud Claims Involving Rogue Broker Anthony Diaz

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

Barred Broker Named In Almost 50 Customer Complaints

Anthony Diaz, a former Pennsylvania stockbroker and investment advisor who has been the subject of dozens of customer complaints, is finally on trial for fraud. Jury selection is slated to start this week.

Our investor lawyers at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm) are speaking with former investors who worked with Diaz at one of the 11 brokerage firms where he was registered including Edward Jones, Raymond James and First Allied Securities to help determine if they have grounds for a broker fraud claim.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Investigate Claims Involving Barred National Planning Broker William Glaser

Published on: January 17, 2020 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

National Planning Ordered to pay $2.6M to Older Investor

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) panel is ordering National Planning Corp. to pay a customer, who is in her eighties, $2.6M after her former stockbroker, William August Glaser, sold her unsuitable investments. The investments including fraudulent promissory notes and non-traded REITs (real estate investment trusts). $1M of the award is for punitive damages.

William Glaser, who was fired by National Planning and barred by FINRA in 2017, is currently in prison for wire fraud.