Financial Firms

Elderly Japanese Investors Pursue Northstar (Bermuda) Claim Against Bankoh and Yoko Farias of Pacific Century Investment Services in Honolulu

Published on: May 24, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Japanese Couple Files FINRA Arbitration Case for Up to $500K in Damages

Two older investors from Japan have filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Bankoh Investment Services and its broker Yoko K. Farias in Honolulu, Hawaii, over Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) losses. This offshore entity is now in liquidation proceedings.

Yoko Farias is also with the firm Pacific Century Investment Services. She has been named by other investors who worked with Bankoh as their registered representative of record that unsuitably recommended and sold Northstar (Bermuda) products to them.

Centaurus Financial Allegedly Unsuitably Recommended GWG Holdings L Bonds, Claims Another Texas Retiree

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

Independent Broker-Dealer Had Partnered With Emerson Equity to Sell Risky Junk Bonds

Our experienced GWG Holdings L Bonds attorneys represent another investor in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration against Centaurus Financial. The claimant is a Houston retiree who entrusted his assets to the firm. Now, he is seeking up to six figures in damages.

Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) represent investors who a broker-dealer may have unsuitably sold GWG Holding L Bonds. Now that GWG Holdings, Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, L Bondholders are scrambling to recoup their losses from these high-yield bonds that may not be worth much, if anything at all, at this point.

SSEK Law Firm Investigates Financial Gravity Family Office Services Adviser Mark Williams in Carmel, CA Over Possible GWG L Bond Sales

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

Ex-Centaurus Financial Broker May Have Unsuitably Sold Risky Junk Bonds to Elderly Investors

Our GWG Holdings L Bond lawyers are looking into claims of L Bond losses by former customers of Mark John Williams, an ex-Centaurus Financial broker. Williams is currently a Kingswood Capital Partners stockbroker and Financial Gravity Family Office Services investment advisor out of Carmel By The Sea, California.

Several of his former customers, including elderly investors and retirees, have complained that he allegedly recommended and sold them GWG L Bonds. These high-yield bonds were too risky, illiquid, and speculative for these investors from the beginning. These contentions appear to be from when he was registered with Centaurus Financial and after with Forta Financial Group.

Claimant Says Cetera Investment Services Unsuitably Recommended NorthStar Healthcare Income, Healthcare Trust, and Griffin Realty Trust

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

Cetera Investment Services Broker Chang Vung Named in Six-Figure Non-Traded REIT Claim

A self-employed New York investor has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against Cetera Investment Services and its broker Chang Jen Vung. The claimant sustained losses in non-traded real estate investment trusts.

The claimant is pursuing up to $500K in damages and contends that Vung used their shared cultural affinity when recommending that he concentrate his portfolio on high commission, illiquid products. These products included Healthcare Trust Inc., Griffin Realty Trust, and NorthStar Healthcare Income REIT.

Texas Retirees Pursues 6-Figure GWG L Bond Claim Against Centaurus Financial

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

Elderly Couple is Seeking Up to $500K Plus Interest and Costs Against Centaurus Financial

Two older investors, both retired and on disability, have filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against brokerage firm Centaurus Financial over losses they sustained from purchasing GWG L Bonds.

GWG Holdings, Inc., a Dallas-based alternative asset firm, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2022. Now, this Texas couple is among the many thousands who have been left holding these high-risk, illiquid junk bonds that may not be worth much at all at this point.

Emerson Equity Broker Tony Barouti Facing $1.37M in GWG L Bond Claims

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

Los Angeles-Based Financial Advisor Allegedly Targeted Customers of Iranian Heritage

In an earlier GWG L Bond blog post, our securities attorneys reported we were looking into whether customers of Emerson Equity broker Tony Barouti had suffered losses in these high-yield bonds. In March 2022, investors filed two investor claims seeking $1.37M in damages.

Brokerage firm Emerson Equity is the managing broker-dealer for the GWG issuer of $1.6B of L bonds, backed by life settlements. On April 20, 2022, GWG Holdings, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The move came just two months after the Texas-based alternative asset firm defaulted on $13.6M in bond payments and interest it owed L Bond investors.

FINRA Fines Berthel Fisher $100K Over Options Trades

Published on: May 11, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Berthel Fisher & Co Accused of Supervisory and Compliance Issues Involving a Customer

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that Berthel Fisher & Co. had been ordered to pay a $100K fine. This fine concerns shortcomings related to compliance involving options trades in a customer’s account. The firm is not denying or admitting to the self-regulatory organization’s (SRO) findings.

According to FINRA, in August 2015, while looking over a customer’s request for approval to trade options in his account, Berthel Fisher & Co neglected to conduct due diligence. The broker-dealer failed to ensure that this type of transaction was suitable based on the client’s investment experience.

Former Customers of Calton & Associates Broker Paul Murphy Request Over $589K in Damages

Published on: May 11, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Calton & Associates Financial Advisor Accused of Unsuitability and Misrepresentations

Paul William Murphy, currently a Calton & Associates registered representative, is named in two pending customer disputes where the claimants are seeking over $589K. These latest allegations appear to stem from when Murphy was a Newport Coast Asset Management and a Newport Coast Securities broker. Newport Coast was expelled by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in 2018.

Our Florida broker misconduct lawyers investigate claims of losses by investors who have worked with Paul Murphy as their financial advisor. In Florida, call Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas (SSEK Law Firm at investorlawyers.com) at (813) 560-2992. You can also reach us nationwide at (800) 259-9010 today.

Barred Ex-Wells Fargo Broker Jeremy Fortner is Named in Nine Customer Disputes

Published on: May 6, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Ex-Wells Fargo Broker Jeremy Fortner Allegedly Borrowed Money From Clients

Our broker misconduct lawyers investigate claims of losses involving former customers of ex-Wells Fargo Advisors registered representative Jeremy Fortner. The broker-dealer fired him in August 2021 in the wake of allegations that he inappropriately borrowed funds.

In November 2021, with a starting date of March 3, 2022, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) permanently barred Fortner after he did not respond to requests for information into its investigation. Jeremy Fortner was a registered broker and investment adviser for 16 years.

At Least 27,000 L Bond Investors Left At a Loss Following GWG Holdings’ Bankruptcy Filing

Published on: April 26, 2022 | by Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP

Despite Misgivings, Court Approves $10M Financing for Troubled GWG Holdings

One day after GWG Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Judge Marvin Isgur of the US Bankruptcy Court in Houston approved $10M in financing for the asset manager despite his concerns regarding the mechanics of the loan. The emergency loan will come from National Founders LP.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), in court papers, GWG said it needed the money to avoid “imminent liquidation.” The Texas-based alternative asset firm owes about $1.6B in L Bonds. Despite being illiquid and high-risk, these high-yield bonds were mainly marketed to individual investors by around 145 regional brokerage firms, including managing broker-dealer Emerson Equity. They earned high commissions of around 8% from the transactions.