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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

Titan Securities CEO and Owner Brad Brooks Suspended for One Year

Published on: June 9, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

On June 2, 2021, FINRA’s National Adjudicatory Council modified a FINRA’s Office of Hearing Officers decision from 2019 that was filed by FINRA’s Department of Enforcement against Titan Securities, Brad Brooks, and broker Richard Demetriou. The modified order has resulted in a one-year suspension of Titan Securities’ CEO and owner Mr. Brooks.

The enforcement action arose out of alleged misconduct of Mr. Demetriou’s involvement with a private placement of preferred units in a limited partnership, RBCP Preferred, LLC (“RBCP”). RBCP was organized by the owner of Mr. Demetriou’s previous member firm, who employed Mr. Demetriou to solicit investments from Mr. Demetriou’s previous firm, and Mr. Demetrious represented that RBCP was offered to them as a means of recouping those losses. Mr. Demetriou recommended RBCP, made misrepresentations concerning the supposed collateral securing the investments, and told customers that an investment of 10 percent of their previous losses would result in recovery of their lost investments, plus a profit – alleged returns of more than 1,000 percent. The investors did not recoup their losses but instead lost an additional $337,000 when RBCP failed, and the alleged collateral was not foreclosed.

FINRA’s National Adjudicatory Council made the following findings:

Former UBS Broker, Ricardo Turlan, Suspended by FINRA – San Antonio, Texas

Published on: June 8, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor Ricardo Turlan from the securities industry for two months. Mr. Turlan consented to the suspension after FINRA alleged that he engaged in discretionary trading without written authorization in two customer accounts between June 2017 and February 2019. Mr. Turlan also allegedly mismarked approximately 72 trades as “unsolicited” when the trades should have been marked as “solicited.” FINRA also fined Mr. Turlan $7,500.

The alleged conduct occurred while UBS Financial Services Inc. (“UBS”) employed Mr. Turlan in San Antonio, Texas. UBS discharged Mr. Turlan in July 2019, alleging misconduct related to a non-discretionary account and trading in accounts that reached levels that could be considered unsuitable.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Ricardo Turlan, or suspect that Mr. Turlan did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments or making account transactions, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your brokerage account.

Cadaret Grant Broker Matthew Zanowiak Suspended by FINRA – Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Published on: June 8, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority “(FINRA”) has suspended Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. broker Matthew Zanowiak from the securities industry for ten business days for exercising discretion without written authorization in approximately 15 customer accounts. Mr. Zanowiak was also fined $5,000.

If you have lost money with Matthew Zanowiak or Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Iorio Altamirano LLP represents investors who have disputes with their financial advisors or brokerage firms, such as Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc.

Boiler Room Broker, James Flower, Barred by FINRA for Excessive Trading, Churning, Unauthorized Trading, Mismarking Orders, and Targeting Elderly Investors

Published on: June 3, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Office of Hearing Officers has barred stockbroker James W. Flower from the securities industry for excessively trading in five customers’ accounts, executing 17 unauthorized trades, and mismarking 58 transactions. According to the findings, although he is based in New York, Mr. Flower generated business by cold calling people all over the country, focusing primarily on senior and elderly customers who are small business owners and retirees. Cold-calling customers is a common tactic for “boiler room” brokerage firms.

Mr. Flower was also ordered to pay restitution plus prejudgment interest to harmed customers. However, it is unclear whether he will be able to satisfy the judgment.

Mr. Flower was associated with Spartan Capital Securities, LLC since June 2019. Previously, he was associated with SW Financial from December 2015 to June 2019.

Broker Spotlight: Ross Barish of Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. – Mineola, NY

Published on: May 31, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Ross Barish is a stockbroker with Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C. (“Joseph Stone Capital”) in Mineola, New York. Mr. Barish is currently under investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for defrauding sixteen retail customers by executing a high-cost, in-and-out pattern of trading that lost his customers over $800,000 while generating commissions and fees for him of more than $400,000.

The sixteen customers experienced total losses of $814,509.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Ross Barish or Joseph Stone Capital L.L.C., or suspect that Mr. Barish did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments or making account transactions, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account or annuity contract.

Former Oppenheimer Broker, Jeffrey Warren, Barred by FINRA – Boca Raton, Florida

Published on: May 31, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has barred stockbroker Jeffrey Warren from the securities industry. Mr. Warren was expelled from the brokerage industry for refusing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into a gift that Mr. Warren received from a former Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. customer. Mr. Warren was associated with Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida, from 2009 until 2021.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Jeffrey Warren or Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

Iorio Altamirano LLP represents investors nationwide that have disputes with their financial advisors or brokerage firms, such as Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

FINRA Arbitration Award: Westpark Capital, Inc. Ordered to Pay Customers Nearly $800,000 for Actions of Former Broker, Lawrence Fawcett, Including Churning and Recommending Risky Private Placements

Published on: May 27, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

A FINRA Dispute Resolution Services arbitration panel in Richmond, Virginia, found Westpark Capital, Inc. to be liable for actions of its disgraced former broker, Lawrence Fawcett, and ordered the firm to pay nearly $800,000 to customers Charles and Karen Hailey. The award included over $545,000 in compensatory damages, $33,500 in costs, and $215,000 in attorneys’ fees. The arbitration panel found Westpark liable for failing to supervise Mr. Fawcett, who churned the Hailey’s accounts and made unsuitable investment recommendations. The unsuitable investment recommendations related to private placement investments in the following entities: Protagenic Therapeutics, Inc., Monster Digital, Inc., Miamar Labs, Inc.

The former stockbroker, Lawrence (Larry) Fawcett, was barred from the securities industry by FINRA in March 2018 for failing to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into his outside business activities. FINRA subsequently revoked Mr. Fawcett’s securities license for failing to pay a fine and suspended him for failing to comply with an arbitration award. Mr. Fawcett, who had only been in the securities industry for five years, had an extensive history of customer complaints, regulatory sanctions, associations with disreputable brokerage firms, and an employment termination after allegations of wrongdoing.

If you have lost money with Lawrence Fawcett or Westpark Capital, Inc., contact FINRA arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

Broker Spotlight: Robert Yasnis of Worden Capital Management LLC – New York, NY

Published on: May 26, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

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

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

Worden Capital Management

Broker Spotlight: Kevin Wilson of Worden Capital Management LLC – New York, NY

Published on: May 26, 2021 | by Iorio Altamirano

Kevin Wilson is a stockbroker with Worden Capital Management LLC (“Worden Capital Management”) in New York, New York. Since December 2017, Mr. Wilson has been the subject of at least eleven customer complaints, most involving allegedly unsuitable recommendations of private placements.

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

Worden Capital Management