Featured Investigation

Unauthorized Trading Lawyers

Published on: February 13, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Are You An Investor Who Sustained Portfolio Losses While Working With Ex-Feltl & Co. Broker Justin Pagel? Our Unauthorized Trading Lawyers May Be Able To Help

If you sustained investment losses while ex-stockbroker Justin William Pagel, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Unauthorized Trading Lawyers (investorlawyers.com) would like to talk to you. Pagel, who was a Feltl & Co. broker from August 2011 to May 2024, was recently suspended by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for 10 months following allegations that he allegedly made unsuitable recommendations to certain customers and violated their best interests. This purportedly included investing part of their assets in speculative, high-risk stocks and engaging in short-term trading.

Pagel also is accused of exercising discretion when making 360 trades in 47 customer accounts without getting these clients’ written authorization or his broker-dealer’s authorization to regard these accounts as discretionary. He also purportedly mismarked 587 solicited trades as unsolicited in more than 50 customer accounts.

Oregon Overconcentration Law Firm

Published on: February 12, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Portland, Oregon Overconcentration Law Firm. Our Broker-Dealer Attorneys Represent Oregon Investors Who Suffered Losses Because of a Failure To Diversify

From our Portland, OR securities law offices, the Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Oregon Overconcentration Law Firm (investorlawyers.com) represent investors in Oregon who sustained portfolio losses because their stockbroker excessively concentrated their accounts. This is also known as overconcentration and it can lead to serious losses.

What Is Overconcentration As It Relates To Broker Misconduct?

Reg D Offering Loss Attorneys

Published on: February 3, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Did You Suffer Investor Losses in HJ Sims Private Placements? Our Reg D Offering Loss Attorneys Are Here To Help

If you are an investor who sustained serious losses in a Herbert J. Sims private placement, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Reg D Offering Loss Attorneys (investorlawers.com) can help you determine whether you have grounds for an investment loss recovery claim against this broker-dealer. These are Regulation D offerings, which can be high-risk, complex, and illiquid. There are concerns that this broker-dealer allegedly unsuitably—perhaps even fraudulently—sold $2B of these investments to customers.

In December 2024, the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities Regulation announced that it was looking at penalizing HJ Sims $480,000 for alleged failures involving due diligence, compliance, and recordkeeping related to its sale of these private placement offerings to residents in the state. In a proposed cease and desist order, the brokerage firm would also be barred from selling more securities there.

Broker Attorneys

Published on: January 29, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Did Your Arete Financial Advisor Sell You Shares in the Zona Energy Oil and Gas Scam? Our Broker Attorneys Are Here To Help You Explore Your Legal Options

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Broker Attorneys (investorlawyers.com) is investigating allegations that Arete Wealth Management, Arete Wealth Advisors, and ex-Arete registered representatives Jeffrey Scott Larson, Randall (Randy) Scott Larson, and Joey Dale Miller committed broker fraud when soliciting dozens of clients to buy over $8M in shares of Zona Energy, Inc.

Arete reportedly never approved Zona securities for offer or sale. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is suing the Arete entities, their three former brokers, and Arete CCO UnBo “Bob” Chung over their purported involvement in the Zona Energy oil and gas investment scam.

SSEK Unsuitability Attorney

Published on: January 29, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

More Investors Sue For Losses Sustained While Working With Ex-Fortune Financial Services Broker Richard Wesselt. More Than Three Dozen Investment Loss Recovery Claims Filed By Former Customers

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Unsuitability Attorney teams (investorlawyers.com) is continuing to investigate allegations that ex-Fortune Financial Services stockbroker Richard Wesselt made unsuitable investment recommendations to customers, which caused them to sustain losses. According to Wesselt’s CRD he has 43 disclosures, and most of these are investment loss recovery claims.

In the still pending unsuitability cases, former customers are collectively seeking almost $5M in damages. Most of the other investor claims resulted in settlements, including one for $1.5M and many for five- or six-figures. Other allegations made against Wesselt include making misrepresentations and omissions about the products he purportedly unsuitably recommended—including overselling them—churning, having clients take loans from policies, purportedly forging their signatures on loan documents, and more.

Colorado Alternative Investment Fraud Attorneys

Published on: January 29, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Western Colorado Alternative Investment Loss Recovery Attorneys. Our Ridgway, CO Investor Attorneys Offer Seasoned Securities Representation and Personalized Attention

For over 30 years, our Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (investorlawyers.com) have been representing Western Colorado investors who have sustained serious losses in alternative investments.

We understand how complex these types of investment loss recovery claims can be, and we have the skills, experience, and resources to go up against even the largest Wall Street firms when it comes to pursuing damages for broker fraud or negligence. This is not the type of legal case you want to make without a trusted securities law firm by your side.

Stockbroker Misconduct Attorneys

Published on: January 29, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Are You An Investor Who Is The Victim of Broker Negligence? Our Skilled Stockbroker Misconduct Attorneys Work With Investors In Pursuing Damages

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (investorlawyers.com) represent those who have suffered losses because their broker was negligent and did not uphold the professional standards they were required to fulfill. As a result, serious portfolio losses occurred. If you suspect you may be the victim of stockbroker negligence, contact us today so that we can help you determine whether you have grounds for a securities claim.

What Is Broker Negligence?

Stockbroker Misconduct Law Firm

Published on: January 29, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Stockbroker Misconduct Law Firm Are Investigating Ausdal Financial Broker David Michael Smith

Vero Beach, FL Financial Advisor Accused of Stockbroker Misconduct

If you suffered investment losses while working with Ausdal Financial broker David Michael Smith, our seasoned investor lawyers want to talk to you. Smith, who is based out of Florida and is also an Intervest International investment adviser, has five disclosures on record. All of them are customer disputes that were filed in the last two years.

Trusted Bond Recovery Lawyers

Published on: January 28, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Trusted Bond Recovery Lawyers Continue To Investigate Brokers Over GK Investment Holdings 7% Bond Losses

Our Trusted Bond Recovery Lawyers Are Here To Help Investors Explore Their Legal Options

For the past two years, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas Trusted Bond Recovery Lawyers (investorlawyers.com) have been investigating the broker-dealers that may have unsuitably marketed GK 7% bonds from GK Investment Holdings (GKIH). These are bonds that are supposed to pay a 7% interest.

New Orleans Securities Law Office

Published on: January 27, 2025 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Louisiana Investor Files Six-Figure GWG Lawsuit Against Centaurus Financial

The Claimant Alleges Unsuitability, Misrepresentations and Omissions

Our New Orleans GWG L Bond fraud lawyers are representing a Metairie, LA investor in her investment loss recovery claim against Centaurus Financial. Our client, who is a divorced single mom, contends that her Centaurus broker Seyed Ahmad Hashemian unsuitably recommended the risky, illiquid GWG bonds even though she is an inexperienced investor who made it clear from the start that she wanted to avoid undue risks.