Category Archives: StockBroker Misconduct

Ponzi Schemes, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Stockbroker Malpractice, Theft

Rhino Capital Group Investment Losses? How to Recover Damages.

November 2018

We are investigating options for recovery of damages for investors who may have suffered losses on the following :

  • Global Credit Recovery
  • Delmarva Capital
  • DeVille Asset Management
  • Rhino Capital Holdings
  • Rhino Capital Group
  • Riverwalk Financial Corp.

The U. S. Securities & Exchange Commission has charged the following individuals with operating a Ponzi scheme that raised over $345 million from investors who believed they were investing in a business that collected and resold consumer debt:

  • Kevin B. Merrill                              Towson Maryland
  • Jay B. Ledford       Westlake, TX & Las Vegas, NV
  • Cameron R. Jezierski                      Fort Worth, TX

According to the SEC complaint, the more than 230 investor/victims include small business owners, restaurateurs, construction contractors, retirees, doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers, talent agents, athletes and financial advisors.

Instead of using the investor funds as promised, the individual defendants stole much of it and used it to fund their lavish lifestyles which included:

  • A Ferrari costing $368,000
  • A seven carat diamond ring costing $330,000
  • $13 million paid to casinos
  • $10 million on high end cars (Bugatti, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and others)
  • A private jet costing $500,000

If you are a victim of this fraud, contact us for a no charge consultation to learn how you may be able to recover damages for your losses.

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.

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

Nationwide Representation

Rex Securities Law

TollFree: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870

Cherry Picking, Failure to Supervise, Fraud, Purshe Kaplan Sterling Inv., Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Stockbroker Malpractice

Wesley Perkins-World Tree Financial-Charged With Cherry-Picking Trades-Lafayette, LA

October 2018- Lafayette, LA

The FINRA records of  Wesley Kyle Perkins ,  a  former stock broker who is not currently registered and who was last employed by Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments ,  disclose  that he is currently named in an civil action filed by regulators alleging ‘cherry picking’ and is the subject of one pending and 4 prior customer disputes

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the agency that licenses and regulates stockbrokers and brokerage firms. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to report customer complaints and disputes as well as regulatory sanctions. In addition brokers are required to disclose certain financial matters such as personal bankruptcies, judgments and liens.

In September 2018, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed an action alleging that Wesley K. Perkins and his company World Tree Financial LLC operated a cherry picking scheme that defrauded World Tree Clients. According to the complaint, for 4 years Perkins reaped substantial profits at his client’s expense by cherry-picking trades, allocating favorable trades to favored accounts, including his own, and unprofitable trades to other accounts.

The SEC is seeking an injunction, disgorgement of illicit profits and civil penalties.

In a civil action pending in Lafayette Parish, customers of Perkins are seeking damages of $1.1 million for the mismanagement of their accounts.

Wesley Perkins was employed by Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments from 12/2009-8/2018.

If you have losses in an account handled by Wesley Perkins  , call for a no charge consultation to learn about your options for recovery of damages.

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.

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

Nationwide Representation

Rex Securities Law

TollFree: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870

Concentrated Positions, Discretionary Trading, Failure to Cooperate with Regulatory Investigation, Failure to Supervise, FINRA, Finra Investigation of Stockbroker, First Allied Securities, Stockbroker Discharged, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unsuitable Investments

Sean Brady-Former First Allied Securities Broker-Subject of Customer Suits Seeking Over $12 Million-St. Louis, MO

October 2018- St. Louis, MO

The FINRA records of  Sean Aaron Brady ,  a  former stock broker who is not currently registered and who was last employed by First Allied Securities ,  disclose  that he was recently permanently barred from the securities industry, terminated from employment and is the subject of 9 currently pending customer suits seeking millions of dollars.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the agency that licenses and regulates stockbrokers and brokerage firms. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to report customer complaints and disputes as well as regulatory sanctions. In addition brokers are required to disclose certain financial matters such as personal bankruptcies, judgments and liens.

In June 2018 FINRA  permanently barred Sean Brady from the securities industry to resolve allegations that he failed to provide FINRA information and documents requested during an investigation into possible sales practice violations committed by Brady.

There are currently nine cases pending by customers of Sean Brady seeking total damages in excess of $12 million in damages. Allegations of Sean Brady’s wrongdoing include:

  • unsuitable recommendations on the basis of false account documents
  • incorrect account information
  • fraud
  • negligence
  • failure to supervise
  • breach of fiduciary duty

Sean Brady was employed by First Allied Securities from 5/2008-10/2017 when he was discharged for violating firm policy pertaining to 1-falsification of signature on documents, 2-text messaging, and 3-consolidated account reports.

If you have losses in an account handled by Sean Brady  , call for a no charge consultation to learn about your options for recovery of damages from First Allied Securities.

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.

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

Nationwide Representation

Rex Securities Law

TollFree: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870

Concentrated Positions, Energy Securities, Failure to Supervise, FINRA, Finra Investigation of Stockbroker, Misrepresentation, Mutual Funds, NYLife Securities, Oil related investments, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unsuitable Investments

David Colflesh-Former NYLife Securities Broker-Subject of Multiple Customer Suits Over Mutual Funds-Tarkio, MO

October 2018- Tarkio, Missouri

The FINRA records of  David R. Colflesh ,  a  former stock broker who is not currently registered and who was last employed by NYLife Securities ,  disclose  a regulatory suspension and 18 prior customer disputes.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the agency that licenses and regulates stockbrokers and brokerage firms. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to report customer complaints and disputes as well as regulatory sanctions. In addition brokers are required to disclose certain financial matters such as personal bankruptcies, judgments and liens.

In October 2018 FINRA suspended Colflesh for 18 months and fined him over $34,000 to resolve allegations that he recommended non diversified mutual funds (in energy, oil and gas)  to customers without having a reasonable basis for believing they were suitable, as he had not adequately educated himself about the funds. FINRA found that Colflesh knew his recommendations exceeded his firm’s limits on concentrations of risky stocks.

In 17 prior customer disputes NYLife paid cash settlements totaling about $750,000 to former customers of Colflesh who suffered losses on unsuitable mutual funds.

David Colflesh was employed by NYLife Securities from 9/1983-11/2016 and operates Colflesh Financial Services Inc. in Maryville, MO.

If you have losses in an account handled by David Colflesh  , call for a no charge consultation to learn about your options for recovery of damages from NYLife Securities.

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.

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

Nationwide Representation

Rex Securities Law

TollFree: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870

FINRA, Michigan Securities Regulator, Promissory Notes, Selling Away, Signator Investors, Unregistered Securities, Unsuitable Investments

David Ferwerda-Former Signator Investors Broker-Sanctioned Over Woodbridge Mortgage Fund Sales-Grand Rapids, MI

October 2018- Grand Rapids, MI

The FINRA records of  David Carl Ferwerda ,  a  former stock broker who is not currently registered and who was last employed by Signator Investors ,  disclose  a regulatory bar from the securities industry and a termination from employment related to his alleged involvement in the sales the allegedly fraudulent Woodbridge Mortgage Investment Funds.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the agency that licenses and regulates stockbrokers and brokerage firms. FINRA requires brokers and brokerage firms to report customer complaints and disputes as well as regulatory sanctions. In addition brokers are required to disclose certain financial matters such as personal bankruptcies, judgments and liens.

In October 2018 FINRA permanently barred Ferwerda from the securities industry for his failure to provide FINRA with requested documents and information in connection with an investigation of Ferwerda’s participation in sales of notes related to the Woodbridge Group of Companies and 1 Global Capital LLC.

Ferwerda was employed by Signator Investors from 9/2012-3/2018 when he was discharged by Signator Investors for his involvement in the sale of unapproved outside investments in violation of firm policy. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is currently investigating this matter.

Woodbridge-A $1.2 billion Ponzi According to SEC

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges and an asset freeze against a group of unregistered funds and their owner who allegedly bilked thousands of retail investors, many of them seniors, in a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme.

According to the SEC’s complaint, unsealed in federal court in Miami, Florida, Robert H. Shapiro and a group of unregistered investment companies called the Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC, formerly headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, defrauded more than 8,400 investors in unregistered Woodbridge funds.

“We allege that through aggressive tactics, Woodbridge and Shapiro swindled seniors into a business model built on lies, which the SEC’s Miami Regional Office staff moved to halt,” said Stephanie Avakian, Co-Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division.

“Our complaint alleges that Woodbridge’s business model was a sham,” said Steven Peikin, Co-Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division. “The only way Woodbridge was able to pay investors their dividends and interest payments was through the constant infusion of new investor money.”

“Our complaint further alleges that Shapiro used a web of layered companies to conceal his ownership interest in the purported third-party borrowers,” said Eric I. Bustillo, Director of the SEC’s Miami Regional Office.  “Shapiro used the scheme to line his pockets with millions of investor dollars.”

If you have losses in an account handled by David Ferwerda on investments in Woodbridge or other unsuitable investments , call for a no charge consultation to learn about your options for recovery of damages from Signator Investors.

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.

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

Nationwide Representation

Rex Securities Law

TollFree: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870