Form U5

Robert Joseph Boyer III, Formerly with MML Investors Services, LLC, BARRED by FINRA – Holyoke, MA

Published on: September 29, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has barred former MML Investors Services, LLC broker Robert Joseph Boyer III from the securities industry. Mr. Boyer consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to provide information and documents requested by FINRA related to a matter that originated from a Form U4 amendment filed by MML Investors Services.

The amendment disclosed a customer complaint alleging that Mr. Boyer established multiple accounts that the complainant wasn’t in a financial position to purchase and that the complainant never reviewed nor signed some of the applications for these products, which were later found to contain false information.

If you have suffered investment losses with Robert Joseph Boyer III, or MML Investors Services, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

David Wells, Formerly with Fifth Third Securities, Inc., BARRED by FINRA – Chicago, IL

Published on: September 29, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

FINRA has barred former Fifth Third Securities, Inc. broker David Wells from the securities industry. Mr. Wells consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to appear for on-the-record testimony or to produce documents requested by FINRA in connection with its investigation into his potential misconduct while at Fifth Third Securities.

Mr. Wells “voluntarily resigned” from Fifth Third Securities after he admitted to misappropriating funds from three clients.

If you have suffered investment losses with David Wells, or Fifth Third Securities, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

James Couture, Former LPL Financial Broker, BARRED by FINRA – Worcester, MA

Published on: October 28, 2020 | by Iorio Altamirano

**Update: June 2, 2021** The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has charged James Couture with defrauding investors. The former LPL Financial broker-dealer and investment advisor allegedly defrauded his clients for about $2.9 million. According to the SEC’s complaint, from approximately 2009 to December 2019, Mr. Couture, while operating an investment advisory and brokerage business, fraudulently prompted his advisory clients to sell portions of their securities holdings in order to fund large money transfers to an entity (Legacy Financial Group LLC) that, unbeknownst to his clients, Couture owned and controlled. The SEC alleges that Mr. Couture inappropriately obtained his client’s authorization for the transactions by falsely claiming that the proceeds would be reinvested for the clients’ financial benefit. In reality, Mr. Couture’s alleged purpose in arranging these transactions was to divert the sale proceeds for his own benefit. A portion of the money was used to buy a book of advisory clients from another investment advisor representative.

Mr. Couture, 42, of Sutton, Massachusetts, is also facing criminal charges in a parallel action announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Mr. Couture owned the Private Wealth Management Group, which provided investment advisory services and sold insurance. According to the SEC, the business was not registered with the SEC or any state regulator.