Securities Arbitration Lawyer Blog

At Least Twenty-Four Customers Have Filed Securities Arbitration Complaints Against Robinhood Financial, LLC

Published on: February 17, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Here is how you can file a claim to recover losses suffered from trading restrictions placed on GameStop, AMC, Blackberry, Nokia, and other stocks.

On February 12, 2021, in a letter addressed to Senator Elizabeth Warren, Robinhood Financial, LLC confirmed twenty-four (24) pending securities arbitrations.

Robinhood’s letter was written in response to an inquiry sent by Senator Warren on February 2, 2021, as to why Robinhood “abruptly changed the rules” for retail investors by restricting the purchase of certain securities.

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.

Former Transamerica Financial Advisors Wenru Liang and Jenny Xinfang Feng Suspended by FINRA – Columbia, MD

Published on: February 16, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has suspended financial advisors Wenru Liang (“Liang”) and Jenny Xinfang Feng (“Feng”) from the securities industry for a six-month period. Neither is currently associated with any FINRA member.

FINRA found that Liang and Feng engaged in unethical conduct between April 2017 and August 2020 by designating themselves as beneficiaries on an elderly customer’s variable annuity policy. The customer was not related to Liang or Feng. FINRA also found that they had misrepresented their relationship with the customer to the annuity company and attempted to conceal their conduct from their firm, Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. (“Transamerica”).

In addition to their six-month suspension, Liang and Feng were also fined $7,500 each.

Broker Spotlight: Michael Hernandez of Arive Capital Markets – Brooklyn, New York

Published on: February 15, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Michael Joseph Hernandez is a stockbroker with Arive Capital Markets LLC (“Arive Capital Markets”) in Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Hernandez has a history of associations with disreputable broker-dealers and at least one customer complaint, employment termination, and regulatory sanction.

If you have lost money with broker Michael Hernandez or Arive Capital Markets, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Arive Capital Markets

Arive Capital Markets Broker, Mirsad Muharemovic, Accused of Churning, Excessive Trading, and High-Pressure Sales Tactics

Published on: February 15, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Mirsad Muharemovic 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. Muharemovic has 22 years of experience in the securities industry. He has been associated with nine different broker-dealers, including a past association with a firm expelled by FINRA.

Mr. Muharemovic has been the subject of three customer complaints, including one dispute that is still pending and another one resulting in an arbitration award for the complaining customer.

Broker Spotlight: Daniel Silverstein of Arive Capital Markets – Miami, Florida

Published on: February 12, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

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 been associated with eight different broker-dealers. He averages just two years at each stop. In September 2018, he was hired by Arive Capital Markets.

If you have lost money with broker Daniel Silverstein or Arive Capital Markets, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

J.H. Darbie & Co., Inc. Fined $25,000 by FINRA Over Best Execution Rule Violations

Published on: February 12, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating claims on behalf of J.H. Darbie & Co., Inc. customers after the firm was censured and fined $25,000 by FINRA for best execution rule violations. Specifically, FINRA found that the firm’s publicly available reports on its order routing practices for non-directed orders contained inaccurate and incomplete information. FINRA also found that the firm had submitted inaccurate and incomplete Order Audit Trail System (OATS) data. FINRA’s Order Audit Trail System (OATS) is an integrated audit trail of order, quote, and trade information for all NMS stocks and OTC equity.

If you have lost money with J.H. Darbie & Co., Inc., contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

J.H. Darbie & Co., Inc. is headquartered in New York, New York, and has been a FINRA member since February 1998. The firm provides retail brokerage services and employs 36 registered representatives.

Investor Alert: Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigates Triad Advisors LLC Over Supervisory Violations Related to Mutual Funds Trading and Variable Annuity Exchanges

Published on: February 10, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating claims on behalf of Triad Advisors LLC customers after the firm was censured and fined $150,000 by FINRA. The sanctions involve supervisory failures related to i) switches and short-term trading of A-share mutual funds in customer accounts and ii) variable annuity exchanges.

Triad Advisors LLC was also ordered to pay restitution of $43,998 plus interest to customers identified by FINRA.

If you have lost money with Triad Advisors LLC, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Investigative Report: Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigation into Arive Capital Markets Reveals Troubling Pasts for Owners, Executives, and Brokers

Published on: February 8, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

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 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.

SUMMARY:

In 2017, in collaboration with Columbia Law School, Reuters analyzed FINRA data and identified 48 firms whose brokers have been flagged for serious incidents. In 2021, our firm set out to update that analysis.

Former David Lerner Associates Financial Advisor, Charles Bonilla, Suspended by FINRA for Unsuitable Energy-Sector Securities – Boca Raton, FL

Published on: February 8, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor Charles Bonilla from the securities industry for five months, fined him $5,000, and ordered him to disgorge $22,417 in commissions.

FINRA suspended Mr. Bonilla for recommending energy-sector securities to customers without having a reasonable basis to believe those investments were suitable. Mr. Bonilla was a broker with David Lerner Associates, Inc. in Boca Raton, FL when the alleged conduct occurred.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Mr. Bonilla or suspect that Mr. Bonilla did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments, including energy-sector mutual funds or limited partnerships, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

Securities Arbitration Lawyers Blog