Morgan Stanley

Former Morgan Stanley Broker in Miami, Candido Viyella, BARRED by FINRA

Published on: May 17, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker Candido Viyella. from the securities industry. Mr. Viyella was expelled from the brokerage industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation. FINRA’s investigation originated after Morgan Stanley discharged Mr. Viyella and disclosed concerns regarding his participation, involvement, and a beneficial ownership interest in an outside investment.

Reportedly, Mr. Viyella recommended that his clients invest in the Conrad Hotel, a luxury hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in which he had a personal stake. Mr. Viyella reportedly knew the hotel was facing financial difficulties, yet recommended that his clients invest in the hotel, causing them to suffer financial losses.

Mr. Viyella was registered with Morgan Stanley in Miami, Florida, from June 2009 until December 2020. He has also been associated with the following entities: Terrena Enterprises, LLC, VSHC Management, LLC, VSHC Family Limited Partnership LP, and Earthview Capital, LLC.

Former Morgan Stanley Broker, Constantinos Maniatis, Suspended by FINRA – Dallas, Texas

Published on: April 29, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor Constantinos Maniatis from the securities industry for 30 days. Mr. Maniatis consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that he engaged in discretionary trading without written authorization in seven customer accounts between May 4, 2018, and February 27, 2019. FINRA also fined Mr. Maniatis $5,000.

The alleged conduct occurred while Morgan Stanley employed Mr. Maniatis in Dallas, Texas. Morgan Stanley discharged Mr. Maniatis in May 2019, alleging misconduct related to a non-discretionary account and diverting of revenue from “assigned rep code.”

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Constantinos Maniatis, or suspect that Mr. Maniatis did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments or making account transactions, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your brokerage 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.

Charleston, SC Financial Advisor Paul Halvorson, Formerly of Morgan Stanley, BARRED by FINRA

Published on: February 17, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker Paul John Halvorson from the securities industry. FINRA expelled Mr. Halvorson from the brokerage industry because he refused to provide information and documents connected with FINRA’s investigation into the circumstances given rise to his termination from Morgan Stanley in November 2020.

Mr. Halvorson was a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Charleston, South Carolina, from June 2009 until his employment was terminated in November 2020. In connection with the discharge, Morgan Stanley alleged that Mr. Halvorson submitted transactions under production numbers that were inconsistent with an agreement that he had with another broker, resulting in a shortfall of revenue credited to the other broker.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Paul Halvorson or suspect that Mr. Halvorson did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments or account transactions, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

Investor Alert: Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigates Morgan Stanley Over 529 Savings Plans

Published on: January 12, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating claims on behalf of Morgan Stanley customers after the firm agreed to pay restitution of more than $1.7 million over supervisory failures related to its 529 plan share-class recommendations. If you have lost money with Morgan Stanley or were advised by a Morgan Stanley representative to purchase particular share classes of 529 savings plans, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Morgan Stanley and FINRA entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) on December 30, 2020, over findings that between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2018, the firm failed to establish and maintain a system reasonably designed to supervise representatives’ recommendations to customers to purchase certain share classes of 529 savings plans, in violation of MSRB Rule G-27. Specifically, the FINRA AWC stated that Morgan Stanley’s supervisory system was not reasonably designed to supervise 529 share-class recommendations executed 1) in certain legacy Smith Barney accounts or 2) through transactions made directly with plans.

Morgan Stanley is headquartered in Purchase, New York, and has been a FINRA member firm since May 2009. As of December 2020, Morgan Stanley had approximately 720 branches and over 23,500 registered persons.

Former Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor John Griner Suspended by FINRA – Athens, Georgia

Published on: January 11, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor John Frederick Griner from the securities industry for 15-business days and fined him $15,000. Mr. Griner’s sanctions arise from his improper use of discretion without written authorization.

John Griner was registered with Morgan Stanley in Athens, Georgia from March 2011, until his employment was terminated in October 2019. Morgan Stanley allowed Mr. Griner to voluntarily resign after allegations arose concerning whether certain options trades were properly confirmed with the client before they were placed.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with John Griner or suspect that Ms. Griner did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

INVESTIGATION: Former Morgan Stanley and Westpark Capital, Inc. Financial Advisor Stephen Sloane (CRD# 1257601) Investigated by FINRA for Unsuitable Trades in 14 Customer Accounts– New York, NY

Published on: October 22, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has filed an enforcement complaint against Stephen Sloane, alleging that from January 2014 to January 2018, he recommended an unsuitable investment strategy to at least 14 customers. The complaint alleges that Sloane did not have a reasonable basis for recommending that his customers engage in active, short-term trading of U.S. Treasuries with 10- and 30-year maturities. FINRA alleged that Sloane did not conduct reasonable diligence to understand the effect of the strategy’s costs on the customers’ potential returns. FINRA has also alleged that Sloane charged five customers excessive markups in violation of FINRA Rule 2121 and 2010.

Stephen Sloane was a financial advisor and registered representative at the following firms:

Westpark Capital, Inc., New York, NY (March 2016 – August 2020); and

Morgan Stanley Fined, Censured, And Ordered to Pay Nearly $775,000 in Restitution to Customers Over Former Broker Kevin Gunnip (CRD# 2701801)

Published on: October 21, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

On August 12, 2020, Morgan Stanley and FINRA entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) over allegations that it failed to reasonably supervise its former broker Kevin Gunnip. As part of the AWC, Morgan Stanley agreed to pay a $175,000 fine and was censured by FINRA. It also agreed to pay eight clients $774,574 in restitution. Two other customers have already settled separately with Morgan Stanley.

The Morgan Stanley AWC allegations involve Kevin Gunnip’s and its own conduct between 2012 and 2017:

Gunnip recommended short-term trades in ten customer accounts;