Broker Misconduct

Rodgers, Arkansas Financial Advisor Rhett Bedwell BARRED by FINRA

Published on: March 3, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker Rhett Douglas Bedwell from the securities industry. Mr. Bedwell was expelled from the brokerage industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation in whether Mr. Bedwell moved a client’s IRA to a different administrator and used forged documentation to invest the client’s money into a Ponzi Scheme.

Mr. Bedwell was a financial advisor with LPL Financial LLC (“LPL Financial”) in Rodgers, Arkansas, from November 2017 until his employment ended in August 2019. On September 9, 2020, LPL Financial disclosed that Mr. Bedwell had been identified in a pending customer arbitration alleging that in 2019, he moved a client’s IRA to a different administrator and used forged documentation to invest the client’s money into a Ponzi Scheme.

Before his employment with LPL Financial, Mr. Bedwell was a financial advisor at Arvest Wealth Management in Bentonville, Arkansas, from July 2015 until November 2017.

Broker Megurditch Mike Patatian, Formerly of Western International Securities, Inc. Facing Disciplinary Charges by FINRA for Recommending Unsuitable Illiquid REITs to 59 Customers, Including 21 Elderly Customers – Westlake Village, California

Published on: March 1, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

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 in non-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to 59 customers, including 21 senior investors;
recommending illiquid non-traded REIT to six customers that also needed liquidity;

Great Nation Investment Corporation President and CEO, Bryon Pat Treat, BARRED by FINRA – Amarillo, Texas

Published on: March 1, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has barred Great Nation Investment Corporation President, and CEO Bryon Pat Treat from the securities industry. Mr. Treat has been barred from associating with any FINRA member firm in any capacity because he refused to provide information and documents connected with FINRA’s investigation into whether he reasonably supervised the sale of illiquid “church bonds.”

Earlier this year, FINRA also barred financial advisor David A. Jenson from the securities industry for failing to cooperate with an investigation into whether Mr. Jenson recommended customers invest in an unsuitable concentration of church bonds. To read more about Mr. Jenson’s expulsion, please click here.

Great Nation Investment Corporation is an SEC-registered brokerage firm headquartered in Amarillo, Texas. The firm’s primary business activity is the offer and sale of church bonds.

Former LPL Financial Broker Bradley Allen Goodbred BARRED by FINRA – Roselle, IL

Published on: March 1, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has barred former LPL stockbroker Bradley Allen Goodbred from the securities industry for refusing to respond to an information request issued pursuant to FINRA Rule 8210.

On February 1, 2021, LPL terminated Goodbred’s registration by filing a Form U5, stating that Goodbred had been terminated because he failed to disclose and obtain the firms’ approval to act as power of attorney for a customer, in violation of firm policy. LPL stated that as a power of attorney, Mr. Goodbred requested and facilitated distributions of funds from his customer’s outside advisory accounts and deposited the funds into the customer’s bank account. He then had the customer provide him with personal checks totaling $430,000. The checks were made payable to a real estate company representative owned and operated as an outside business activity. Goodbred and FINRA entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) on February 16, 2021.

FINRA indicated that the matter originated from a tip received by FINRA staff on January 13, 2021.

Broker Ricky Alan Mantei Suspended by FINRA For Violating Firm Prearranged Trading Prohibitions – Lexington, SC

Published on: March 1, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has suspended Ricky Alan Mantei from the securities industry for 30 business days. According to an Office of Hearing Officers (“OHO”) decision from February 18, 2021, Mantei violated his firm’s prearranged trading prohibition and circumvented its cross-trade procedures by directing prearranged trading with intermediaries in order to facilitate and disguise cross trades. Mantei was fined a total of $15,000 for violating FINRA Rule 2010 and MSRB Rule G-17.

If the OHO decision becomes FINRA’s final disciplinary action, Mantei’s 30-day suspension will run from April 19, 2021, to June 1, 2021.

If you have invested with Ricky Alan Mantei, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Broker Spotlight: Daniel T. Lerner of David Lerner Associates, Inc. Facing Three Pending Securities Arbitration Complaints – White Plains, New York

Published on: February 28, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

**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 unsuitability, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, and unauthorized trading.

Moab, Utah Financial Advisor Scott Hansen, Formerly of LPL Financial LLC, Suspended by FINRA

Published on: February 26, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor Scott Richard Hansen for three months from the securities industry over allegations that Mr. Hansen, who is not a lawyer and did not attend law school, prepared a will and trust agreement for an elderly client who was in hospice care. FINRA also fined Mr. Hansen $7,500.

At the time of the alleged conduct, Mr. Hansen was a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Moab, Utah. LPL Financial terminated his employment in March 2020 for his conduct.

If you have lost money with broker Scott Hansen or LPL Financial, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

Former Woodrock Securities, L.P. and Campfire Capital Broker, Sean McDevitt, Suspended by FINRA

Published on: February 26, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended broker Sean Daniel McDevitt for six months from the securities industry over allegations that Mr. McDevitt, while associated with Woodrock Securities, L.P. in Houston, Texas, participated in four private securities transactions totaling $600,000 without notice to or approval from his firm. FINRA also fined Mr. McDevitt $10,000.

Mr. McDevitt was a financial advisor with Woodrock Securities, L.P. in Houston, Texas, from November 2015 until December 2016. He was then registered with Campfire Capital in Chappaqua, New York, from July 2017 until January 2021.

If you have lost money with broker Sean McDevitt, Woodrock Securities, L.P., or Campfire Capital, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Financial Advisors in Morgan Stanley’s Global Sports and Entertainment Group Have Been the Subject of Six Customer Disputes Over the Past Year

Published on: February 25, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

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 to address the needs of actors, directors, writers, producers, musicians, songwriters, professional athletes, coaches, and sport team owners. Over the past year, these brokers have received six customer complaints, according to public records.

If you or a client were a customer of Morgan Stanley’s Global Sports and Entertainment Group and either sustained financial losses or suspect that Morgan Stanley did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments or transactions, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Financial Advisor Darryl Cohen (CRD No. 2786613) – Westlake Village, CA

Former NBA Players Chandler Parsons and Courtney Lee Reportedly File a $5 Million Securities Arbitration Claim Against Morgan Stanley and Broker Darryl Cohen

Published on: February 24, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Professional basketball players Chandler Parsons and Courtney Lee, who have both played in the National Basketball Association, have reportedly filed a $5 million securities arbitration complaint against Morgan Stanley. According to broker Darryl Cohen’s CRD report, the complaint alleges that Morgan Stanley made payments from the players’ accounts without prior approval. The complaint also alleges that Mr. Cohen recommended the use of a “liquidity access line” for real estate and life insurance policies for which they “now claim they hold no interest.”

Parsons and Lee were not the first professional athlete to file a claim against Morgan Stanley arising out of broker Darryl Cohen’s conduct. Former Major League Baseball outfielder Nyjer Morgan filed a securities arbitration complaint against Morgan Stanley in May 2020. The complaint alleged that Mr. Cohen unsuitably recommended using a liquidity access line” to loan funds to outside business entities.

If you have lost money with broker Darryl Cohen or Morgan Stanley, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.