Investigation of NEXT Financial Group RE: Misappropriation of Customer Funds-Houston, TX

Investigation of NEXT Financial Group RE: Misappropriation of Customer Funds-Houston, TX

Investigation of NEXT Financial Group RE: Misappropriation of Customer Funds-Houston, TX 150 150 Robert Rex, Esq.

May 2019 UPDATE

NEXT TO BE PURCHASED BY ATRIA | SANCTIONED OVER MUTUAL FUND  SHARES—In January 2019 NEXT Financial Group announced plans to be purchased by private equity backed Atria Wealth Solutions. In March 2019 FINRA censured NEXT Financial Group and ordered the firm to pay disgorgement and interest of over $1.4 million to customers for conflicts of interest and overcharging fees on certain mutual funds.

September 2018

In connection with a currently pending lawsuit, we are investigating Houston, TX-based broker dealer NEXT Financial Group.

Publicly available records disclose a number of recent complaints by customers of  NEXT Financial  alleging  that their funds have been wrongfully converted by  NEXT Financial Group brokers, including the following:

  • Heidi Wivolin-In February 2018, Heidi Wivolin who was employed in the NEXT Financial Group office in Manalapan, FL, from 2009-2014 pleaded guilty to mail and tax fraud and agreed to pay restitution of over $2.5 million. On May 23, 2018, Wivolin was sentenced to two years in prison. See this for details. 
  • Joshua Ray Abernathy-In September 2017, NEXT Financial Group entered into a settlement agreement with Virginia Securities regulators which included a fine of $50,000 and costs of $10,000 for failing to properly supervise their former broker Joshua Abernathy, who had confessed to securities fraud and misappropriation of over $442,000 in customer funds.
  • Tye Williams-September 2016- Frisco, TX-based NEXT Financial Group broker Williams was barred from the securities industry by FINRA in connection with an investigation regarding a customer complaint that he had converted over $1 million from the customer’s account from 2004-2014.  . See this for more details.
  • Eduardo Diaz-Ocean Springs, MS. In June 2016, Diaz, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud,  was sentenced to 70 months, fined $15,000 and ordered to pay restitution of over $640,000 to his victims which include a 70 year old widow.
  • James McGilvrey-San Antonio, TX-Charged with Theft from The Elderly, sentenced to 20 years in state prison, fined $10,000 and ordered to pay over $1.9 million in restitution. See this for more detail.
  • Douglas P. Simanski-Altoona, PA-In June 2016, Simanski, without admitting or denying the findings, consented to a permanent bar from the securities industry and entry of findings that he failed to provide documents and information related to an investigation into allegations related to the conversion of funds. FINRA Case 2016049621301. According to his FINRA record 21 of Simanski’s former clients have been paid cash settlements, totaling about $2 million.
  • Gwendolyn M. Berry , of Dallas, TX, was associated with NEXT Financial group from 2009-2015 as a non-registered fingerprint person working as a non-registered assistant and bookkeeper for a Series & General Securities Representative and Series 24 General Securities Principal. After initiating an investigation into Berry regarding possible misappropriation and mismanagement of customer assets, FINRA repeatedly requested that Berry produce documents and information. Berry failed to produce the documents and information and was barred from association with any FINRA regulated broker-dealer in any capacity in April 2016. FINRA AWC No. 2015047059701. TheUS Attorney’s office reports  that in February 2018, Berry admitted that from 2008-2014 she stole $1.8 million from a family for whom she provided bookkeeping services. She was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison.
  • Patrick J. Gildea– of Wilkes-Barre, PA-discharged by NEXT Financial 12/2008 as a result of a customer complaint alleging misrepresentation and theft in connection with a municipal bearer bond transaction.

The official FINRA regulatory records for NEXT Financial Group disclose 32 prior regulatory events including a recent $750,000 fine by FINRA for supervisory failures.

Firms Have a Duty to Supervise their Financial Advisors (FINRA Rules 3110 & 2090)

If you have information you believe would be helpful to our investigation please contact us. If you had an account with NEXT Financial Group that you believe was mishandled, contact us to learn how you may be able to recover damages through FINRA arbitration.

Rex Securities Law , with offices in Boca Raton, FL,  and  Austin, TX,   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.

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Most cases handled on a contingent fee basis meaning that you do not pay legal fees unless we are successful.

Investigations involving Theft and Misappropriation of Customer Funds

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