financial advisor negligence

GPB Automotive Portfolio, LP Files 10-Q with SEC; Future Remains Uncertain for GPB Automotive Investors

Published on: November 15, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Between July 2013 and June 2018, limited partners invested $675 million into GPB Automotive Portfolio, LP, which was sold as a private placement offering by broker-dealers and registered investment advisory firms across the country. Financial advisors, who received large commissions for selling limited partnership units of GPB Automotive, lured investors into this high-risk and illiquid security by emphasizing a high rate of return and monthly distributions. Unfortunately for investors, distributions have not been paid since December 2018.

With the recent announcement that GPB Automotive Portfolio, LP agreed to sell Prime Automotive for $880 million, limited partners have been wondering what that means for them.

Below, we delve into GPB Automotive LP’s latest quarterly filing with the SEC to look for answers.

Broker Leonard Marzocco, Formerly of Woodstock Financial Group, Inc. and First Standard Financial LLC, Suspended by FINRA

Published on: November 9, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended stockbroker Leonard Marzocco from the securities industry. Mr. Marzocco consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that between June 2019 and December 2019, while associated with Woodstock Financial Group, Inc. (“Woodstock Financial Group”), Mr. Marzocco excessively and unsuitable traded a customer’s account, in violation of FINRA Rules 2111 and 2010. As part of the agreement, Mr. Marzocco also agreed to pay $27,078 in restitution and a fine of $5,000.

Mr. Marzocco was registered as a broker with Woodstock Financial Group, Inc. in Nesconset, New York, from June 2019 to December 2019. Prior to joining Woodstock Financial Group, Mr. Marzocco was a registered stockbroker with First Standard Financial Company LLC in Miller Place, New York, from June 2017 to June 2019.

This is the second time Mr. Marzocco has been suspended for excessive trading. In July 2020, Mr. Marzocco contended to an 11-month suspension after FINRA alleged that he engaged in quantitatively unsuitable trading in a customer’s account. The findings stated that Marzocco’s trading of the accounts resulted in high turnover rates and cost-to-equity ratios, as well as significant losses. The customers suffered collective losses of $196,331 and paid $81,523 in commissions and fees. Marzocco also recommended a significant number of trades using margin in the customer accounts. In particular, Marzocco recommended using margin to a customer, even though he was aware that the customer’s financial circumstances made it unsuitable for him.

Former Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. and SagePoint Financial, Inc. Broker BARRED by FINRA – Moorestown, New Jersey

Published on: November 9, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred a former Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. stockbroker from the securities industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into whether he, among other things, exercised discretion without written authorization in a customer’s account. The investigation was launched after Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. terminated the broker in January 2020, alleging that he placed discretionary trades without authority.

The broker was associated with Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. in Moorestown, New Jersey, from September 2019 to February 2020. He was previously registered with SagePoint Financial, Inc. in Moorestown, NJ, from January 2010 until August 2019.

Customers of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., or SagePoint Financial, Inc. who have suffered financial losses, or suspect that the firms did not have their best interest in mind when recommending investments or making account transactions, can contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential consultation and review of their legal rights.

Former Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. Broker, Michael May, Suspended for Excessive and Unsuitable Trading

Published on: November 8, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended stockbroker Michael May from the securities industry. Mr. May consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that between June 2017 and May 2018, while associated with Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. (“Joseph Stone Capital”), Mr. May excessively and unsuitable traded a customer’s account, in violation of FINRA Rules 2111 and 2010. As part of the agreement, Mr. May also agreed to pay $10,349 in restitution and a fine of $5,000.

Mr. May was registered as a broker with Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. from July 2015 to June 2020 and again from March 2021 to October 2021. He is currently registered with VCS Venture Securities in New York, NY.

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating potential legal claims on behalf of customers of Michael May and Joseph Stone Capital related to investment recommendations and account activity made by Mr. May.

Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigates Joseph Stone Capital Broker Leonid (Lenny) Yurovsky for Churning, Excessive Trading, and Unsuitable Investment Recommendations

Published on: October 29, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

According to Mr. Yurovsky’s public disclosure report, stockbroker Lenny Yurovsky received a Wells Notice from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) on or about September 29, 2021, which made a preliminary determination to recommend that disciplinary action be brought against Mr. Yurovsky. In the Wells Notice, FINRA alleged willful violation of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and FINRA Rules 2020 and 2010 for churning customer accounts. In addition, FINRA alleged that Mr. Yurovsky excessively traded customers’ accounts, made trades on margin without customer authorization, and made unsuitable recommendations to trade on margin.

Mr. Yurovsky has been registered as a broker with Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. in Mineola, New York, since April 2016.

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating potential legal claims on behalf of customers of Lenny Yurovsky and Joseph Stone Capital related to investment recommendations and account activity made by Mr. Yurovsky.

Iorio Altamirano LLP Investigates Investment Recommendations Made by Former UBS Broker Patrick Murray – Sandusky, Ohio

Published on: October 21, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

**Update: July 6, 2022** On June 24, 2022, former UBS broker Patrick R. Murray was suspended by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Mr. Murray, who is not currently associated with a brokerage firm, consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that from March 2018 to January 2019, Murray violated FINRA Rules 3270 and 2010 by engaging in an outside business activity without providing prior written notice to his firm. As part of the agreement, Mr. Murray also agreed to pay a fine of $5,000.

Specifically, FINRA alleged that in March 2018, Mr. Murray and two other individuals established a company called Integrity Salt, LLC to buy and sell rock salt. Mr. Murray made capital contributions to Integrity Salt, LLC and made at least one vendor payment on behalf o the company by wiring more than a million dollars from his personal account directly to the vendor. Mr. Murray also earned approximately $78,704 in compensation from his activities related to Integrity Salt, LLC.

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating other potential claims related to Mr. Murray’s conduct and encourages anyone with information about Mr. Murray’s conduct or practices to contact our law firm. All conversations are confidential and privileged.

GPB Capital Founder Seeks Millions in Distributions from Fund Investors That He Allegedly Defrauded

Published on: October 7, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

David Gentile, the disgraced founder of GPB Capital Holdings LLC, who is facing criminal and civil fraud charges, is seeking to obtain millions of dollars from GPB. Despite being accused of running a Ponzi-like scheme when he was running GPB Capital, Mr. Gentile is asking for court-supervised mediation to obtain a distribution of more than $5 million to cover his personal tax liability from last year. Meanwhile, limited partners of GPB Capital private placement funds, such as GPB Automotive Portfolio LP, have not received distributions since 2019. Worse, their investments remain illiquid, as there is no secondary market to sell their units.

Mr. Gentile claims to be “entitled to distributions” under the private equity firm’s operating agreements. He also claims that GPB Capital and its funds, including GPB Holdings, LP / GPB Holdings Qualified, LP, GPB Automotive Portfolio, LP, GPB Holdings II, LP, and GPB Waste Management, LP, are responsible for paying his legal fees. He is essentially asking investors who have been defrauded to pay his legal fees to defend him against numerous allegations of wrongdoing.

Lawyers for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) argue that Mr. Gentile’s request should be denied because he does not qualify for mediation according to rules issued by the court.

Two More Wins for UBS Yield Enhancement Strategy (YES) Customers, Fourth and Fifth Awards in 2021

Published on: September 20, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

First, on September 15, 2021, a FINRA Dispute Resolution Services arbitration panel in Houston, Texas, ordered UBS Financial Services, Inc. (“UBS”) to pay customers over $357,000 in compensatory damages. Then, on September 17, 2021, arbitrators in Boca Raton, Florida, awarded customers over $691,000 in compensatory damages, more than $115,000 in prejudgment interest, and nearly $41,000 in expert witness fees.

The cause of action in both arbitration cases arose out of investments in UBS’s Yield Enhancement Strategy (“YES”), a complex and highly risky options strategy.

Customers across the country have filed securities arbitration claims against UBS, alleging that the brokerage firm misrepresented the options strategy as a safe way to obtain marginally higher yield on a portfolio of securities. In actuality, the complexity and nature of YES exposed customers to a significant risk of loss. Customers have also alleged that UBS and its team of options traders conducted the YES program with virtually no supervision or compliance oversight and with inadequate risk controls.

GPB Automotive Portfolio, LP to Sell Prime Automotive for $880 Million, Which Generated $1.8 Billion in Annual Revenue in 2020; GPB Automotive’ s Future Remains Uncertain

Published on: September 14, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

According to SEC filings, GPB Automotive Portfolio LP entered into an agreement with Group 1 Automotive, Inc. on September 12, 2021, to sell Prime Automotive for $880 million, consisting of 30 car dealerships and three collision centers located in the Northeast of the United States. According to a press release issued by Group 1 Automotive, Inc., the Prime Automotive dealerships generated $1.8 billion in annual revenues in 2020.

The future of GPB Automotive Portfolio, LP remains uncertain. Investors of GPB Automotive Portfolio LP are encouraged to act now and contact a securities arbitration law firm for a free consultation and review of their legal rights.

Iorio Altamirano LP is a securities arbitration law firm that represents GPB Automotive investors.

Santander Investment Securities Inc. Sanctioned by FINRA for Publishing and Distributing Inaccurate and Incomplete Research Reports to Institutional Investors

Published on: September 8, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

On September 7, 2021, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and Santander Investment Securities Inc. (“Santander”) entered into an agreement whereby Santander consented to a censure and $175,000 fine after FINRA alleged that Santander published and distributed research reports to institutional investors that omitted required disclosures or included inaccurate disclosures.

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating claims on behalf of institutional customers of Santander Investment Securities Inc.

Institutional clients of Santander Investment Securities Inc. that have suffered investment losses should contact securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential consultation and review of their legal rights.