Investment Alert 8/22/2018

Ameriprise Settles SEC Allegations

Ameriprise Settles SEC Allegations

On 8/15/18, OnWallStreet reported that Ameriprise agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges. The SEC allegations charged that Ameriprise’s independent advisor platform included at one time five financial advisors who had stolen substantial monies from clients over a period of several years. There were alleged numerous fraudulent acts including forging documentation according to the SEC’s Order. The Ameriprise supervisory system was supposed to monitor checks payable but allegedly failed to uncover suspicious disbursements according to the regulators. It is a critical obligation of an investment advisor firm to safeguard investor assets and Ameriprise failed to meet those obligations in this case, per Fuad Rana, an Assistant Director in the SEC Division of Enforcement. It is believed that Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regulators later barred all five of the financial advisors involved. If you are an investor who suffered losses with Ameriprise or if you have any questions related to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

RBC Financial Advisor, Earl B. Marks, Alleged to Have Sold Bad Bonds

Earl B. Marks, a financial advisor registered with RBC Capital Markets in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, is alleged by a customer in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim to have caused losses of $500,000 that resulted from the sale of bad bonds including Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS) and other high yield securities. See FINRA Brokercheck and FINRA Case No. 18-00850 for additional information. Brokerage firms owe a duty to investor clients to properly supervise and monitor their employees. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses with Marks, RBC relating to high yield securities, or if you have any questions related to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Chris Hibbard a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor Terminated

Chris Hibbard was a Merrill Lynch financial advisor in Louisville, Kentucky who appears to have been terminated by Merrill Lynch after allegations arose related to unauthorized transaction in client accounts. In February 2018, Merrill Lynch disclosed that following an internal investigation involving unauthorized transactions allegations, Hibbard’s employment with Merrill Lynch ended. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving unauthorized transactions, Hibbard, Merrill Lynch, or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Frank H. Zito a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor Discharged

Frank H. Zito was a Merrill Lynch financial advisor in Ridgeland, Mississippi who appears to have been discharged by Merrill Lynch in June 2018 after issues arose related to his alleged failure to abide by Merrill Lynch policies concerning outside business activities and selling away from the firm. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving outside investments, Zito, Merrill Lynch, or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Greg Grajek a Penny Stock Complaint Alleged Against UBS Broker

Greg Grajek, a UBS Financial (and former Morgan Stanley) financial advisor in San Diego, California appears to have a customer complaint disclosure. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. The allegations include Grajek supposedly failing to follow instructions concerning penny stock investments. Brokerage firms owe a duty to investor clients to properly supervise and monitor their employees Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving penny stocks, unsuitable investments, Grajek, UBS Financial, Morgan Stanley or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Eric P. Poague a Former Edward Jones Broker Barred By FINRA

Eric P. Poague, a former Edward Jones registered financial advisor in Bradford, Pennsylvania appears to have been barred by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for failing to provide information requested by FINRA. See FINRA Brokercheck. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving Poague, Edward Jones or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Customer Complaint Alleged Against Paul Thomas Rutkowski an AXA Financial Advisor

Paul Thomas Rutkowski, a financial advisor registered with AXA Advisors, LLC in Scottsdale, Arizona appears to be the subject of a customer complaint alleging issues related to purportedly unsuitable investment recommendations and/or alleged inaccurate rates of return being provided to public investor customers. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. Brokerage firms owe a duty to investor clients to properly supervise and monitor their employees. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving unsuitable investment recommendations, Rutkowski, AXA Advisors or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Customer Complaint Alleges Misrepresentation By JP Morgan Securities Advisor, Elena Pilar Martinez

Elena Pilar Martinez AKA Elena Pilar Blowers, a financial advisor registered with JP Morgan Securities, LLC in Boulder, Colorado appears to be the subject of a customer complaint alleging issues involving purported misrepresentation. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. Brokerage firms owe a duty to investor clients to properly supervise and monitor their employees. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving misrepresentations, Elena Pilar Martinez, Elena Pilar Blowers, JP Morgan or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Customer Complaint Alleged Against UBS Financial Advisor, Dwight Clyde West

Dwight Clyde West, a financial advisor registered with UBS Financial in Lone Tree, Colorado appears to be the subject of a customer complaint alleging issues related to purportedly unsuitable investment recommendations and/or alleged unauthorized transactions and/or negligence. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. Brokerage firms owe a duty to investor clients to properly supervise and monitor their employees. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving unsuitable investment recommendations, unauthorized transactions, West, UBS Financial or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Customer Complaint Alleged Against Former Ameritas Investment Corp Financial Advisor, Michael Scott Arteca

Michael Scott Arteca, a financial advisor currently registered with PruCo Securities, LLC in Uniondale, New York and formerly with Ameritas Investment Corp in Matewan, New Jersey appears to be the subject of a customer complaint alleging issues related to Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) investments and alleged misrepresentations related to same. See Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Brokercheck. Brokerage firms owe a duty to investor clients to properly supervise and monitor their employees. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses involving REIT investment recommendations, misrepresentations, Arteca, PruCo Securities, Ameritas Investment Corp or in any way relating to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Wells Fargo Broker, Bryan Gerald Musso, May Have Sold Unsuitable Oil and Gas Securities

Bryan Gerald Musso, a Financial Advisor registered with Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC in New Orleans, Louisiana, appears to be the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) disclosures relating to a customer complaint involving potential unsuitable recommendations of oil and gas securities. See FINRA Brokercheck. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to publicly disclose reportable events (including material customer complaints, IRS tax liens, judgments, certain criminal matters, etc.) on the Central Registration Depository (CRD) system. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses with Musso or Wells Fargo relating to oil and gas securities, or if you have any questions related to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Customer Alleges Fee and Commission Issues Involving Kovack Securities Broker, Maile Sue Foster

Maile Sue Foster, a Financial Advisor registered with Kovack Securities in Colorado Springs, Colorado, appears to be the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) disclosures relating to a customer complaint involving potential fee and commission issues. See FINRA Brokercheck. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to publicly disclose reportable events (including material customer complaints, IRS tax liens, judgments, certain criminal matters, etc.) on the Central Registration Depository (CRD) system. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. If you are an investor who suffered losses or who had any fee or commission issues with Foster or Kovack Securities, or if you have any questions related to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

Customer Complaint Alleged Against Former Cetera Broker, Steven Franklin Brandt

Steven Franklin Brandt, a Financial Consultant previously registered with Cetera Advisors, LLC in Alexandria, Virginia appears to be the subject of a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) disclosures relating to a customer complaint involving an alleged breach of contract and direct participation programs and/or limited partnership interests. See FINRA Brokercheck. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to publicly disclose reportable events (including material customer complaints, IRS tax liens, judgments, certain criminal matters, etc.) on the Central Registration Depository (CRD) system. Supervisory responsibilities on the part of the firms are a critical component of the securities regulatory scheme. Firms and supervisors cannot ignore red flags and they have responsibilities to detect and prevent improper activity. If you are an investor who suffered losses with Brandt or Cetera relating to direct participation programs (DPP) or limited partnership (LP) investments, or if you have any questions related to the handling of your investment portfolio please contact the Investment Loss Recovery Group at 1-800-856-3352 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation and review, handling cases nationwide.

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