FINRA has barred former LPL Financial LLC broker John Edgar Simmons, Jr. from the securities industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation.
Mr. Simmons, Jr. was most recently registered as a broker with LPL Financial LLC in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
If you have lost money with John Edgar Simmons, Jr., or LPL Financial LLC, contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker William Dixon. from the securities industry. Mr. Dixon was expelled from the brokerage industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation. FINRA’s investigation originated after Securities America, Inc. discharged Mr. Dixon and alleged that he signed his deceased client’s signature and initials on multiple annuity surrender forms.
Mr. Dixon was registered with Securities America, Inc. in Urbana, Ohio, from September 2016 until October 2019.
If you have suffered financial losses investing with William Dixon or Securities America, Inc., contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker Eric Vici. from the securities industry. Mr. Vici was expelled from the brokerage industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation that originated from a complaint made to FINRA by the executor of a customer’s estate about his handling of the customer’s funds.
Mr. Vici was registered with PFS Investments, Inc. in Melbourne, Florida, from November 2012 until October 2019. He has also been affiliated with Primerica Financial Services, an affiliate of PFS Investments.
If you have suffered financial losses investing with Eric John Vici, PFS Investments, Inc., or Primerica Financial Services, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Department of Enforcement has filed a disciplinary proceeding complaint against former broker Adam Belardino. The complaint alleges that Mr. Belardino failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation, which was initiated in Aril 2019 after Mr. Belardino’ s employment was terminated by MML Investors Services, LLC and disclosed (through a Form U5) that it discharged Mr. Belardino “in connection with [an] investigation into a customer complaint. The Form U5 (Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration) also disclosed a complaint from customers alleging that beginning in November of 2018, Mr. Belardino “misrepresented [the customers’] account values, engaged in excessive levels of trading, and failed to comply with requests to have their accounts liquidated and the proceeds distributed. Additional customer complaints were subsequently disclosed, including a customer alleging that “the REITs that were sold to him [by Mr. Balardino] beginning in or around 2014 were unsuitable for his conservative portfolio.”
At the time of the alleged conduct, Mr. Balardino was associated with MML Investors Services, LLC (“MML Investor Services”) in Elmsford, New York. Prior to being a broker at MML Investor Services, Mr. Belardino was associated with MSI Financial Services, Inc. (“MSI Financial Services”), also in Elmsford, New York.
If you or a loved one were a customer of broker Adam Belardino, MML Investor Services, LLC, or MSI Financial Services, Inc., contact securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your legal rights.
This post is part of 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 tactics. Other brokerage firms have a propensity for broker misconduct, such as excessive trading, churning, unauthorized trades, and misrepresentation. Iorio Altamirano LLP is a securities arbitration law firm based in New York City. We represent investors nationwide who have suffered investment losses due to wrongful conduct by financial advisors and brokerage firms. We are investor advocates.
Other Investigative Blog Posts:
You worked hard, opened a brokerage or retirement account, and invested your savings with a financial advisor or stockbroker, only to suffer financial losses due to bad investment advice, misleading sales pitches, or brokers that were driven by commissions. Now what?
Can I Sue My Financial Advisor Over Losses?
Yes, you can sue your financial advisor or broker to recover investment losses if the broker did not have your best interest in mind when they made an investment recommendation or offered investment advice. You can also sue your financial advisor or broker if the financial advisor misrepresented or omitted material facts that an investor should have known about the security or investment strategy.
A FINRA customer complaint involving Dempsey Lord Smith broker Raymond Sun alleges elder financial abuse as defined by the Welfare and Institutions Code under California law. The claim seeks $1.2 million in damages, including $900,000 in punitive damages. The claim, which was filed on August 28, 2020, is related to Sun’s previous association with Sandlapper Securities, LLC.
FINRA expelled Sandlapper Securities, LLC from the securities industry in June 2020.
Iorio Altamirano LLP is currently investigating claims on behalf of defrauded investors who were victims of the GPB funds scheme. GPB Capital sold unregistered and high commission limited partnership interests in eight alternative-asset investment funds. The GPB funds were marketed to independent broker-dealers and investment advisers who would, in turn, sell the GPB funds to their retail investors. According to publicly available records filed with the SEC, both Sandlapper Securities, LLC, and Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC likely received sales compensation for selling the GPB funds to retail investors.
FINRA has suspended International Assets Advisory, LLC broker Ronald Patrick Cameron from the securities industry for five weeks for engaging in an outside business activity without providing prior written notice to his firm. The suspension is scheduled to start on May 17, 2021, and end on June 20, 2021. Cameron was also fined $5,000.
If you have lost money with Ronald Patrick Cameron, or International Assets Advisory, LLC, contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.
FINRA Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”)
FINRA has suspended former RBC Capital Markets broker Scott Fergang from the securities industry for 15 business days for exercising discretion without written authorization in approximately four customer accounts. The suspension is scheduled to start on May 17, 2021, and end on June 7, 2021. Fergang was also fined $5,000.
If you have lost money with Scott Fergang, or RBC Capital Markets, contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.
Iorio Altamirano LLP represents investors in disputes with their financial advisors or brokerage firms, such as RBC Capital Markets.
FINRA has suspended Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. broker Paul Spero from the securities industry for 15 business days for exercising discretion without written authorization in approximately 70 customer accounts. The suspension is scheduled to start on May 17, 2021, and end on June 7, 2021.
Spero was also fined $5,000.
If you have lost money with Paul Spero, or Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.
Securities Arbitration Lawyer Blog