Financial Firms

Trusts of Late Investor Awarded $1.875M in UBS YES Case

Published on: March 8, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Arbitration Ruling Grants Largest UBS YES Award to Date

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has awarded a deceased investor’s family trusts $1.857M in their securities case against UBS Financial. The broker-dealer had involved the late Irving Siegel’s QTIP Trust and generation-skipping transfer trust in its UBS Yield Enhancement Strategy. This is the largest award to claimants over UBS YES losses to date.

Siegel passed away in 2013. He left the trusts for his family. The trusts accused the broker-dealer of misrepresentation, negligence, and fraud in their investor claim. A FINRA arbitration panel in Boca Raton, Florida, awarded Siegel’s QTIP trust $1.171M and his generation-skipping trust $517K. The rest of the award was for prejudgment interest and other fees.

Appointment of Class Representatives in Northstar (Bermuda) and Omnia Liquidations Doesn’t Help Investors

Published on: March 7, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Joint Provisional Liquidators & Deloitte Updates Credit Holders and Policyholders

On February 23, 2022, Rachelle Frisby, the Deloitte Financial Advisory head in Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands, sent a letter to creditors and policyholders updating them about the liquidation proceedings involving Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) and Omnia, Ltd. (formerly Old Mutual (Bermuda)). Northstar (Bermuda) filed for bankruptcy in 2020. Omnia submitted its filing in 2019.

Both entities, which Global Bankers previously acquired, have come under scrutiny in the wake of owner Greg Linberg’s conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bribery, as well as their subsequent liquidation proceedings. Meanwhile, investors of both entities have struggled to recover their investment losses.

Ex-Worden Capital Broker William Athas Accused of Excessive Trading That Cost Customers $1.1M

Published on: March 4, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-NY Worden Capital Broker Barred After Allegedly Charging $1.6M in Commissions

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has barred ex-Worden Capital Management and former SW Financial registered representative, William Nicholas Athas. This bar comes in the wake of allegations that he engaged in excessive trading in customer accounts.

According to the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) complaint, Athas controlled the trading in these accounts, deciding the frequency and volume of trades. He also allegedly made the calls regarding which securities to purchase and sell, as well as the quantity and timing of each transaction. William Athas’ customers usually would go by his recommendations.

Massachusetts Charges Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments Over Investors’ $2.3M in ETF Losses

Published on: March 3, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Brokers Allegedly Involved Were Also Harvest Group Wealth Management Investment Advisers

Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin has filed a complaint against Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments (PKS Investments), accusing the broker-dealer of failing to supervise its financial advisors. These advisors who were dually registered through another financial firm allegedly sold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that were unsuitable for customers.

This other firm was Waltham-based investment advisor Harvest Group Wealth Management. As a result, the state securities regulator contends that investors suffered $2.3M in losses.

Investor Files Claim Against FSC Securities Over FS Energy and Power Fund & Northstar Healthcare REIT Losses

Published on: March 2, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

California Retiree Was Unsuitably Recommended Illiquid, Risky Investments

An elderly Los Angeles investor has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against FSC Securities Corporation over investment losses suffered. He was unsuitably recommended certain high-risk investments, including Northstar Healthcare Income REIT (also known as Northstar Healthcare REIT) and FS Energy and Power Fund (FSEP). Now, this claimant is seeking up to six figures in damages.

Our REIT lawyers are representing this investor in his FINRA arbitration claim. If you suffered losses and suspect that your FSC Securities broker may have been negligent, please get in touch with SSEK Law Firm today. We can help you explore your legal options.

Emerson Equity Broker Tony Barouti May Have Sold GWG L Bonds to Customers

Published on: February 18, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Firm Owes Millions to Investors of GWG High-Yield L Bonds

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) is looking into claims of losses by customers who purchased GWG L Bonds at the recommendation of Emerson Equity broker Tony Barouti.

Unfortunately, it appears that Barouti, who is based out of Los Angeles, may have unsuitably sold L Bonds to several investors, including retirees and older retail customers.

GWG Holdings Defaults On $13.6M Owed To L Bond Investors

Published on: February 17, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Texas-Based Alternative Asset Firm Sends Letter About Failed Payments on Valentine’s Day

On February 14, 2022, GWG Holdings (GWGH) sent a letter to shareholders letting them know that it defaulted on the $3.25M in principal payments plus $10.35M in interest payments owed to L Bond investors.

The Texas-based alternative asset firm had a 30-day grace period to issue the payments beginning on January 15, 2022. GWG Holdings also stated that redemption requests would continue to be deferred. Now, L Bond investors are left with high-yield junk bonds that are not paying them the income promised. These are alternative investments that cannot be redeemed or sold.

Another Bankoh Broker Yoko Farias Customer Files Six-Figure Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Claim

Published on: February 16, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Japanese Investor is Requesting Up to $500K in Damages

Another investor in Japan has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Bankoh Investment Services over her Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) losses.

This time, the claimant is a small business owner who lives in Tokyo but who had accounts in the U.S. with Bankoh and Bank of Hawaii. She is seeking up to $500K in damages. Her Bankoh broker Yoko Farias is also a respondent in the case.

Number of Customer Disputes Involving Ex-Ameriprise Broker James Dunn Skyrockets

Published on: February 14, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

16 FINRA Arbitration Claims Have Been Brought Against Broker James Dunn

In December 2021, Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) published a blog post announcing that we are investigating claims of investor losses involving ex-Ameriprise Financial Services broker James William Dunn.

At the time, according to Dunn’s BrokerCheck record, he had been named in a handful of customer disputes seeking to recover damages for losses. That number has more than tripled to 16 investor cases.

Ex-Morgan Stanley Broker Darryl Cohen, Accused of Defrauding Pro Athletes, To Be Barred by FINRA

Published on: February 10, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Fired California Financial Advisor Allegedly Bilked Pro Athletes of Millions

Darryl Matthew Cohen, a former top-producing Morgan Stanley Smith Barney registered representative of Southern California, faces a FINRA bar beginning February 16, 2022. This bar will come into effect unless he cooperates in the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) probe into allegations that he improperly used customers’ money. A number of the clients who have stepped forward to complain are current and ex-professional athletes.

Morgan Stanley fired Darryl Cohen in March 2021 over allegedly engaging in undisclosed outside business activities and using an unapproved platform to communicate with clients inappropriately. He has nine customer disputes listed on BrokerCheck, with four of them still pending in which the damages sought total millions of dollars.