The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Department of Enforcement has filed a disciplinary proceeding complaint against broker Megurditch Patatian (aka Mike Patatian) alleging that, while associated with Western International Securities, Inc., Mr. Patatian engaged in conduct in violation of FINRA rules, including: making 81 unsuitable recommendations to purchase over $7.8 million…
**Update: 4/19/21** In March 2021 another customer filed a securities arbitration complaint against Daniel Todd Lerner and David Lerner Associates, Inc. The customer has alleged over $515,000 in damages as a result of unsuitable investment recommendations related to Energy 11 and an unspecific mutual fund (possibly, SOAEX). The complaint alleged…
Morgan Stanley’s Global Sports and Entertainment Group is a division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management that targets professional athletes and entertainers. The group consists of approximately 168 financial advisors across the country that hold the designation “Global Sports and Entertainment Directors.” Morgan Stanley promotes that these advisors are uniquely qualified…
Daniel Louis Silverstein is a stockbroker with Arive Capital Markets LLC (“Arive Capital Markets”) in North Miami Beach, Florida. Mr. Silverstein has a history of associations with disreputable broker-dealers, financial liens, and at least one customer complaint. Mr. Silverstein has 16 years of experience in the securities industry and has…
This post is the first in a series of investigative blog posts that spotlight modern-day boiler rooms that operate under the guise of a reputable brokerage firm. Many of the broker-dealers featured in this series still use boiler room tactics such as cold-calling customers and high pressure or aggressive sales…
Lon Charles Faccini Jr. is a stockbroker with Arive Capital Markets LLC (“Arive Capital Markets”) in Brooklyn, NY, with a history of customer complaints and associations with disreputable broker-dealers. Mr. Faccini has been the subject of seven customer complaints, which include two pending disputes. The pending disputes are securities arbitration…
The State of New Jersey Bureau of Securities has suspended the registration of stockbroker Roy Joseph Failla for 45-days and fined him $15,000. The New Jersey regulator alleged that between October 27, 2014, through September 25, 2019, while employed by First Standard Financial Company in New York, NY, Roy Failla…
**Update: November 11, 2021** On November 8, 2021, Aegis Capital Corp agreed to pay nearly $2.7 million in sanctions for supervisory failures related to excessive and unsuitable trading by its brokers from July 2014 through December 2018. Click on the following link to read more: Aegis Capital Corp. Ordered to…
Summary: FINRA has barred financial advisor Charles Kenahan from the securities industry after he refused to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation. In 2019, Bank of America Merrill Lynch agreed to pay $40 million to settle with Robert Levine, co-founder of Cabletron Systems, over churning allegations. In December 2020, the State of…
On January 20, 2021, a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Hearing Officer barred Bryan G. Mazliach from the securities industry for: Recommending and effecting an unsuitable investment strategy to five customers involving in-and-out, short-term, and excessive trading. Executing unauthorized trades in the accounts of eight customers. Failing to provide documents and…