Financial Firms

Retiree Files $500K Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Fraud Claim Against Truist Investment Services

Published on: March 4, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Latin American Investor Alleges Elder Financial Fraud And Abuse

In a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Truist Investment Services, Inc. (aka SunTrust Investment Services, Inc.), a retiree in Latin America is seeking up to $500K in damages. The claimant contends that her broker unsuitably recommended that she invest that amount in Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) Ltd. The company filed for bankruptcy protection last year.

Truist is SunTrust Bank’s broker-dealer unit. The firm is registered with FINRA. Both entities’ agents heavily promoted Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda)’s fixed- and variable-rate annuity and investment products, which paid commissions, bonuses and other incentives that were greater than what the more typical SunTrust bank products offered.

Ex-David Lerner Associates Broker Charles Bonilla Suspended For Alleged Unsuitable Energy Investment Recommendations

Published on: February 25, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Former David Lerner Associate Broker May Have Sold Spirit of America Energy Fund Among Others to Customers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has suspended Florida-based broker, Charles Bonilla, for six months. The action comes over allegations that he unsuitably recommended two energy investments to customers while he was a David Lerner Associates stockbroker without having enough knowledge about them.

Bonilla agreed to the FINRA suspension. He will pay both a $5K penalty and more than $22,400 in disgorgement plus interest. However, he is not denying or admitting to the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO’s) findings.

Former Janney Montgomery Scott Broker Apostolos Pitsironis Arrested For Defrauding Investors

Published on: February 23, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-New York Stockbroker Named In Multiple Customer Disputes

Apostolos Nicolas Pitsironis, a former-Janney Montgomery Scott registered representative who was barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in 2019 for allegedly defrauding investors, was arrested on February 10 in Dix Hills, New York in a parallel criminal fraud case. Prosecutors contend that he used ex-customers’ funds to pay his expenses, including gambling debts and credit card charges.

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Pitsironis stole $411K out of one couple’s account. If convicted of wire fraud, Pitsironis could spend up to 20 years behind bars.

Investor Blames David Lerner Associates Broker Glenn Werner For Investment Losses

Published on: February 22, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Arbitration Claim Seeks $250K in Damages, Possibly Involving Energy 11 LP

An investor has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim naming David Lerner Associate, Glenn Howard Werner. Seeking $250K in damages, the claimant contends that misrepresentations and omissions, unsuitable investment recommendations, and a breach of fiduciary duty occurred.

While not specified in Werner’s BrokerCheck, some sources report that mutual funds and energy investments, including Energy 11, LP may have been involved.

JP Morgan Securities & Two Former Brokers Ordered to Pay $19M, Found Liable for Elder Financial Abuse

Published on: February 17, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Unauthorized Trading and Abuse of Fiduciary Duty By Older Investor’s Grandsons

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has ruled that JP Morgan Securities (JPM) and its ex-brokers, Avi Elliot Schottenstein and Evan A. Schottenstein, must pay a senior investor $19M in her investment fraud claim over losses sustained from the unauthorized trading of complex products in her brokerage account.

The claimant is Beverley Schottenstein of Bal Harbour, Florida, of the family that owns holding company Schottenstein Stores Corp. The two former JP Morgan registered representatives are her grandsons.

Triad Advisors To Pay $194K For Supervisory Failures Involving Short-Term Trading of Mutual Fund Class A Shares

Published on: February 16, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Settlement in FINRA Case Involves Repaying Nearly $44K to Affected Customers

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has ordered Triad Advisors to pay a $150K fine for not adequately supervising both short-term trades involving Class A shares of mutual funds and variable annuity exchanges. The self-regulatory organization (SRO) also accused the Atlanta-headquartered broker-dealer of not making timely disclosures involving customer complaints and arbitration.

Triad Advisors, which is an Advisor Group network brokerage firm, consented to repay clients that were affected nearly $44k as part of its settlement for this case. It is not, however, denying or admitting to FINRA’s findings.

NY Retiree Says David Lerner Associates Broker Mike Norton Sold Her Unsuitable Energy 11 Investment

Published on: February 15, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Arbitration Claim Seeks Up to $100K in Damages for Investor’s Losses

A New York widow is pursuing damages from David Lerner Associates after she suffered losses from investments she purchased at broker Michael Joseph Norton’s recommendation, including the firm’s proprietary Energy 11, LP private placement. Norton, a Syosset, NY stockbroker, has been named in several customer disputes.

Our New York securities fraud attorneys at Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) are representing this senior investor in her Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against the brokerage firm. She is seeking up to $100K damages along with interest, costs, and legal fees.

Woodbury Financial Services Broker Robert Ginsberg Accused of Unsuitable Investment Recommendations

Published on: February 10, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Wallingford, Connecticut Investment Advisor Named in Four Pending FINRA Arbitration Cases

If you suffered investment losses while working with Woodbury Financial Services broker, Robert Scott Ginsberg, please contact Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com). The Woodbury Financial investment advisor, who is based in Wallingford, Connecticut, is named in four pending customer disputes.

He has been in the securities industry for 12 years. Prior to working for Woodbury Financial Services in 2016, where he is also a registered investment advisor, Ginsberg was a registered representative for Investors Capital Corp. and Investors Capital Advisory.

Ex-MML Investors Services Broker Gary Hammond Accused of Making $1.6M In Unauthorized Transactions

Published on: February 2, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

FINRA Bars Former Charlotte, North Carolina Financial Advisor

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration has permanently barred Gary Wayne Hammond, an ex-North Carolina broker, following allegations that he took part in more than $1.6M in private securities transactions without having given written notice to his then-firm. The transactions appear to involve limited liability companies run by Hammond’s half-brother, who is accused of operating Ponzi scams.

Hammond worked in the industry for 21 years, most recently as a Horner, Townsend, and Kent broker, where he worked for four months in 2017 and right before that with MML Investors Services, where he was a registered representative for two months.

David Lerner Associates Broker Rafael Klein May Have Unsuitably Recommended Energy 11 To Investors

Published on: January 21, 2021 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Pending Customer Disputes Involving David Lerner Associates Broker Rafael Klein Seek $300K in Damages

Rafael Scott Klein, a David Lerner Associates broker and Spirit of America Management Corp. investment advisor, may have unsuitably sold investments in Energy 11, LP to customers. Energy 11 is a non-traded limited partnership set up to acquire and develop natural gas and oil properties in the United States. It was marketed and sold through David Lerner Associates but is no longer available to new investors.

According to BrokerCheck, Rafael Klein, who has been a David Lerner Associates registered representative for 15 years, is currently the subject of two pending customer disputes.