Puerto Rico Bonds

How to Recover Puerto Rico Bond Losses From David Lerner Associates, Inc.

Published on: March 3, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Numerous stockbrokers at David Lerner Associates Inc. (“David Lerner Associates”) recommended risky and speculative Puerto Rico municipal bonds to customers.

An investor may be able to recover financial losses if the recommendation was not suitable for the customer or if David Lerner misrepresented or omitted material facts about the bonds in connection with making the recommendation.

Iorio Altamirano LLP, a securities arbitration law firm based in New York, has recently filed an arbitration claim against David Lerner Associates, alleging that President and CEO Martin Walcoe and David Lerner unsuitably recommended that the customer purchase and hold Puerto Rico municipal bonds. The claim also alleges that Mr. Walcoe made material misrepresentations and omitted material facts concerning the risk and safety of the bonds. The recommendations occurred at a time when credit rating agencies were downgrading Puerto Rico municipal bonds and indicated that further credit downgrades were imminent. At the time of the recommendations, Mr. Walcoe was an investment counselor and branch manager.

Jose Ramon Martinez, with Popular Securities, LLC, facing six pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: January 11, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Popular Securities broker Jose Ramon Martinez has six pending customer complaints on his CRD, including a customer complaint filed in late October 2020 claiming $500,000 in losses. The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico securities were unsuitable given the clients’ risk tolerance and Puerto Rico’s well-known deteriorating financial condition.

Mr. Martinez (CRD#: 1402991) has been in the securities industry for 33 years. He has been registered with Popular Securities in San Juan, Puerto Rico, since 2008.

Mr. Martinez has been the subject of twenty-one customer complaints, most of which allege violations similar to those outlined in the pending case filed in 2020: unsuitable recommendations, overconcentration, and misrepresentation related to Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds.

Hortensia Llavat, formerly with Santander Securities, facing twenty-three pending customer disputes over unsuitable Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 22, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

Former Santander Securities broker Hortensia Llavat has twenty-three pending customer complaints on her CRD, including three customer complaints filed in 2020 claiming over $250,000 in losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Ms. Llavat and Santander misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Ms. Llavat (CRD#: 1010318) has been in the securities industry for 39 years. She was registered with Santander Securities between 2000 and 2018. She has been registered with Stonecrest Capital Markets, Inc. since March 2018.

Hector Gonzalez, with Merrill Lynch, facing six pending customer disputes over unsuitable investment recommendations – Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

Published on: December 22, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

Merrill Lynch broker Hector J. Gonzalez has six pending customer complaints on his CRD, including one customer complaint filed in 2020 claiming $3 million in losses. The claims allege unsuitable investment recommendations and misrepresentations.

Mr. Gonzalez (CRD#: 5330726) has been in the securities industry for 13 years. He has been registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated since 2010. He was previously registered with UBS Financial Services Incorporated of Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico between September 2007 and June 2010.

Mr. Gonzalez has been the subject of eight customer complaints, most of which allege the same types of violations outlined in the pending cases.

Dario Suarez, with UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico, facing twenty-three pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 11, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

UBS broker Dario Suarez has twenty-three pending customer complaints on his CRD, including three customer complaints filed in 2020, totaling over $1.3 million in claimed losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Mr. Suarez and UBS misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Iorio Altamirano LLP es un bufete de abogados de arbitraje de valores con experiencia representando a inversionistas en todo el país ante el foro de pleitos de arbitraje de FINRA. Iorio Altamirano LLP tiene experiencia en pleitos de arbitraje sobre bonos municipales de Puerto Rico y fondos de bonos de Puerto Rico. Puede conocer más sobre nuestro bufete aquí.

Robert Lapetina, formerly with UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico, facing seventeen pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 11, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

Former UBS broker Robert Lapetina has seventeen pending customer complaints on his CRD, including three customer complaints filed in 2020, totaling over $1.3 million in claimed losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Mr. Lapetina and UBS misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Iorio Altamirano LLP es un bufete de abogados de arbitraje de valores con experiencia representando a inversionistas en todo el país ante el foro de pleitos de arbitraje de FINRA. Iorio Altamirano LLP tiene experiencia en pleitos de arbitraje sobre bonos municipales de Puerto Rico y fondos de bonos de Puerto Rico. Puede conocer más sobre nuestro bufete aquí.

Miguel Pascual, formerly with UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico, facing five pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 11, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

Former UBS broker Miguel Pascual has five pending customer complaints on his CRD, including two customer complaints filed in 2020, totaling over $3 million in claimed losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Mr. Pascual and UBS misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Iorio Altamirano LLP es un bufete de abogados de arbitraje de valores con experiencia representando a inversionistas en todo el país ante el foro de pleitos de arbitraje de FINRA. Iorio Altamirano LLP tiene experiencia en pleitos de arbitraje sobre bonos municipales de Puerto Rico y fondos de bonos de Puerto Rico. Puede conocer más sobre nuestro bufete aquí.

Angel Canabal, with UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico, facing seventeen pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 11, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

UBS broker Angel Canabal has seventeen pending customer complaints on his CRD, including three customer complaints filed in 2020, totaling over $1 million in claimed losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Mr. Canabal and UBS misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Iorio Altamirano LLP es un bufete de abogados de arbitraje de valores con experiencia representando a inversionistas en todo el país ante el foro de pleitos de arbitraje de FINRA. Iorio Altamirano LLP tiene experiencia en pleitos de arbitraje sobre bonos municipales de Puerto Rico y fondos de bonos de Puerto Rico. Puede conocer más sobre nuestro bufete aquí.

Jose David Mendez, with UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico, facing fifteen pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 11, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

UBS broker Jose David Mendez has fifteen pending customer complaints on his CRD, including three customer complaints filed in 2020, totaling over $4 million in claimed losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Mr. Mendez and UBS misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Iorio Altamirano LLP es un bufete de abogados de arbitraje de valores con experiencia representando a inversionistas en todo el país ante el foro de pleitos de arbitraje de FINRA. Iorio Altamirano LLP tiene experiencia en pleitos de arbitraje sobre bonos municipales de Puerto Rico y fondos de bonos de Puerto Rico. Puede conocer más sobre nuestro bufete aquí.

Vicente Castillo, with UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico, facing ten pending customer disputes over Puerto Rico investments

Published on: December 9, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

Mr. Castillo has ten pending customer complaints on his CRD, including two customer complaints filed in 2020, totaling $17.6 million in claimed losses.

The claims allege that recommendations to invest in Puerto Rico municipal bonds and closed-end funds were unsuitable and led to overconcentration of the accounts in these securities. Further, the claims allege that Mr. Castillo and UBS misrepresented the safety of the investments.

Iorio Altamirano LLP es un bufete de abogados de arbitraje de valores con experiencia representando a inversionistas en todo el país ante el foro de pleitos de arbitraje de FINRA. Iorio Altamirano LLP tiene experiencia en pleitos de arbitraje sobre bonos municipales de Puerto Rico y fondos de bonos de Puerto Rico. Puede conocer más sobre nuestro bufete aquí.