failure to supervise

Investor Alert: Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigates Merrill Lynch Over Unit Investment Trust (UIT) Early Rollover Practices

Published on: June 28, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating claims on behalf of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) customers who invested in Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). If you have lost money with Merrill Lynch, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your legal rights.

On June 25, 2021, Merrill Lynch and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2017053437701 (“AWC”) over allegations that between January 2011 and December 2015, Merrill Lynch violated NASD and FINRA rules for failing to maintain an adequate supervisory system and written procedures to monitor Unit Investment Trusts transactions.

As part of the AWC, Merrill Lynch was censured and agreed to a fine of $3.75 million. Merrill Lynch also agreed to pay over $8.43 million in restitution to customers.

Farmers Financial Solutions, LLC Sanctioned by FINRA

Published on: June 22, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and Farmers Financial Solutions, LLC (“Farmers Financial”) entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2017052173001 on June 21, 2021, after FINRA alleged supervisory failures related to variable universal life insurance contracts (“VUL”) and mutual fund businesses. The firm was censured and fined $1,000.

If you have suffered financial harm as a result of investing in variable universal life insurance contracts or mutual funds with Farmers Financial Solutions, LLC, contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential consultation.

Farmers Financial Solutions, LLC

Alabama Financial Advisor, Kevin McCallum, Formerly of LPL Financial, Suspended for One Year for Making Unsuitable Investment Recommendations

Published on: June 22, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor Kevin McCallum from the securities industry for one year. Mr. McCallum consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that from May 2017 through June 2019, while associated with LPL Financial LLC in Birmingham, Alabama, he made unsuitable recommendations to 12 customers, resulting in their overconcentration in a high-risk, publicly-traded business development company (BDC), believed to be Medley Capital Corporation.

Additionally, FINRA alleged that during the same period, Mr. McCallum sent emails to customers about the BDC that contained unwarranted and exaggerated claims, opinions, and forecasts, did not provide fair and balanced treatment of the risks and benefits of the investment, and contained promissory statements in violation of FINRA rules.

In addition to the suspension, Mr. McCallum was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine, disgorge $14,231 of commissions, and pay over $1.2 million in restitution to customers. However, it is unclear whether he will be able to satisfy the restation order and repay customers.

FINRA Files Enforcement Action Against Financial Broker Michael Giovannelli, Formerly of Spartan Capital Securities, for Unauthorized Trades in an Elderly Customer’s Account

Published on: June 18, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

**Update: April 30, 2022** On November 19, 2021, the FINRA Office of Hearing Officers entered a default decision barring Mr. Giovannelli from associating with any FINRA member firm in any capacity for providing falsified documents and false testimony to FINRA staff and engaging in unauthorized trading in a customer account. For the unauthorized trading, Mr. Giovannelli was also ordered to pay $1,494 in restitution, plus interest, to the customer. In light of the bars, the hearing officers did not impose any additional sanctions for Mr. Giovannelli’s discretionary trading without written authorization in four additional customer accounts.

Original Post:

FINRA Files Enforcement Action Against Financial Broker Michael Giovannelli, Formerly of Spartan Capital Securities, for Unauthorized Trades in an Elderly Customer’s Account

FINRA Files Enforcement Action Against Marc Reda of Spartan Capital Securities

Published on: June 16, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Department of Enforcement has filed a disciplinary proceeding complaint against financial advisor Marc Reda. The complaint alleges that from January 2017 to December 2019, while associated with Spartan Capital Securities, LLC, Mr. Reda recommended to all of his customers an investment strategy – actively trading in anticipation of corporate announcements – that was unsuitable because he failed to consider that the substantial commissions and costs associated with his investment strategy made it unlikely that his customers could profit from it.

The recommended strategy and its high total costs allegedly harmed his customers. The complaint alleges that across 66 customer accounts in which Mr. Reda executed ten or more trades connected with his unsuitable investment strategy, Mr. Reda charged $952,764 in commissions and fees, while the customers lost $934,482.

If you or a loved one were a customer of broker Marc Augustus Reda or Spartan Capital Securities, LLC, contact securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your legal rights.

Virginia Broker, Peter Suyama Suspended by FINRA

Published on: June 14, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended stockbroker Peter Suyama from the securities industry for 20 days. Mr. Suyama consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that in April 2019, while associated with LPL Financial LLC in McClean, Virginia, Mr. Suyama violated FINRA Rules 3280 and 2010 by participating in a private securities transaction involving the purchase of $50,000 in preferred shares of a biotechnology company without proving notice to or obtaining the firm’s approval for the transactions. Mr. Suyama is currently associated with MML Investors Services, LLC in Glen Allen, Virginia. Mr. Suyama was also associated with Ameriprise Financial Services from 2006 to 2017.

FINRA Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2019064900501

Peter Bruce Suyama and FINRA entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) on June 10, 2021, after FINRA made the following allegations:

Former Worden Capital Management Broker, Salvatore Pizzimenti, Barred by FINRA – New York, New York

Published on: June 14, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker Salvatore Pizzimenti from the securities industry. Mr. Pizzimenti was expelled from the brokerage industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation related to improper trading in customer accounts while associated with Worden Capital Management LLC in New York.

According to a 2017 investigation by Reuters, Worden Capital Management hired more brokers with a history of significant disclosures than all but twenty-three other firms in the country. In 2021, Iorio Altamirano LLP set out to update that analysis.

The investigation revealed that fifty-four percent (54%) of Worden Capital Management’s brokers and supervisors have significant “red flag” public disclosures. Significant red flag disclosures include:

Broker Spotlight: Philip Connors of Worden Capital Management LLC – New York, NY

Published on: June 10, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Philip Connors is a stockbroker with Worden Capital Management LLC (“Worden Capital Management”) in New York, New York. Mr. Connors has a history of customer disputes and a past association with a disreputable brokerage firm that has been expelled by FINRA.

If you have lost money with broker Philip Connors or Worden Capital Management, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

Worden Capital Management

Broker Spotlight: David Murray of Worden Capital Management LLC – New York, NY

Published on: June 10, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

David Murray is a stockbroker with Worden Capital Management LLC (“Worden Capital Management”) in New York, New York. Mr. Murray has a history of customer disputes and associations with disreputable brokerage firms that have been expelled by FINRA.

If you have lost money with broker David Murray or Worden Capital Management, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

Worden Capital Management

Investor Alert: Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigates Titan Securities Over Sale of Future Income Payments

Published on: June 9, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

On June 8, 2021, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and Titan Securities entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (“AWC”) whereby Titan Securities consented to a censure and $20,000 fine. The sanctions are a result of Titan Securities’ failure to properly conduct an evaluation of a broker’s proposed sale of Future Income Payments to customers.

Unrelatedly, just last week, Titan Securities CEO and owner Brad Brooks was suspended for one year for failing to supervise a broker’s outside business activities between 2009 and 2012.

FINRA Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent No. 2019061705101