Coral Gables, Florida
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA’s chief role is to protect investors by maintaining the fairness of the U.S. capital markets.
All stockbrokers and broker dealers (brokerage firms) are required to be licensed by and subject to the rules and regulations of FINRA. Each month FINRA publishes disciplinary actions against brokers and broker dealers. Discipline can range from monetary fines and suspensions, or in extreme cases, revocation of licensing and a bar from the securities industry.
See the FINRA website for current and historical disciplinary actions.
AUGUST 2013
Giancarlo Ciocca (CRD #4252148, Registered Representative, Coral Gables, Florida-currently not registered, previously registered with Interbolsa Securities, LLC and prior to that Merrill Lynch) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Ciocca consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings
that he impersonated one of his customers at his member firm during a telephone call with a firm call center employee.
The findings stated that Ciocca did so in order to obtain online access to the customer’s account. The customer was not on the call; instead Ciocca, impersonating the customer, was on the call with his sales assistant. After Ciocca obtained online access to the account, he used that access to change account preferences so his firm would no longer send hard-copy statements to the customer and to change the email address associated with the account to one Ciocca controlled. The findings also stated that the customer had sustained market losses in his account and Ciocca undertook these activities to prevent the customer from learning of those losses. Ciocca created and sent the customer inaccurate account performance reports, which listed transactions that had not occurred and
did not reflect the actual losses that had been incurred in the
account. Ciocca misrepresented to his firm that he was in compliance with firm policies prohibiting the creation of performance reports.
The customer complained to Ciocca, who then attempted to settle the customer’s complaint. This firm did not authorize the settlement offer, which was made without the firm’s knowledge. The findings also included that Ciocca failed to respond to a request for information and documents. FINRA also issued a request to Ciocca for an on-the-record interview. After being warned that a failure to appear would be a violation of FINRA Rule 8210, Ciocca’s counsel informed FINRA that Ciocca would not appear for the interview as requested or at any other time.
(FINRA Case #2011027886902)
If you have questions about investment losses or the way your brokerage account has been handled, please contact us to discuss your legal rights.
Rex Securities Law , located in Boca Raton, FL, provides representation to investors nationwide who are seeking recovery of investment losses due to the negligence or fraud of stockbrokers and broker dealers. If you have questions about how your account has been handled, call to speak with an experienced securities attorney. Most cases handled on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay legal fees unless we are successful.
561 391 1900