Category Archives: Unregistered Securities

Discretionary Trading, Failure to Cooperate with Regulatory Investigation, Failure to Supervise, FINRA, Finra Investigation of Stockbroker, Independent Financial Group, Misrepresentation, Stockbroker Discharged, Stockbroker Malpractice, SWS Financial Services, Unregistered Securities, Unsuitable Investments

Jon Pariser-Former Independent Financial Group Broker-Subject of $2.7M Customer Suits Over Note Sales-Pacific Grove, CA

December 2018-Pacific Grove, CA

According to publicly available records    Jon R. Pariser , a  former stockbroker who was last registered with Independent Financial Group , and before that SWS Financial Services,  disclose a recent regulatory event barring him from the securities industry, 3 currently pending and 3 prior customer disputes, and a termination from employment.

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 10/2018 FINRA permanently barred Pariser from the securities industry to resolve allegations that he failed to cooperate with a FINRA investigation into his referral of customers to an individual who was not registered to sell securities and who may have recommended or sold unsuitable securities to them.

In the three currently pending FINRA arbitrations , customers of Independent Financial Group allege that Pariser recommended that they purchase promissory notes from individuals not affiliated with Independent Financial Group. They seek combined damages of more than $2.7 million. In 6/2014 Pariser was discharged by SWS Financial Services who alleged that he had utilized unauthorized discretion in customer accounts.

If you have losses in an account in an account handled by Jon Pariser , contact us for a no charge consultation 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.

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

March 2019- 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 , a customer dispute 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

Failure to Supervise, Stockbroker Malpractice, Titan Securities, Unregistered Securities

Brad Brooks-Titan Securities Broker-Discloses Customer Suit-Addison, TX

May 2018- Addison, Texas

The FINRA records of  Brad C. Brooks ,  a   broker who is employed by  Titan Securities  disclose one pending customer dispute , 4 prior final customer disputes, a pending regulatory event and a prior final regulatory event.

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 pending FINRA case 17-2747 a customer of Titan Securities seeks damages of $300,000 and alleges that Brooks failed to supervise the broker.

In the currently pending regulatory matter FINRA alleges that Brooks failed to adequately supervise the outside business activities of one of the brokers for which he was responsible. The outside business activities involved the sale of private investments and limited partnership units. FINRA Case 2013035345701. 

 

Brad Brooks has been employed by Titan Securities since 10/2005.

Titan Securities is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has been a FINRA member since 2004. They have about 13 brokers located in 7 branch offices in:

  • Arlington, TX
  • Abilene, TX
  • Overland Park, KS
  • Dallas, TX
  • Rowlett, TX
  • Henrico, VA
  • Kingston, OK

If you have questions about an account  handled by Brad C. Brooks , contact us for a no charge consultation to discuss your legal options for recovery.

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, at no cost to you.

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

Alabama Securities Commissioner, FINRA, LPL Financial, Massachusetts Securities Division, Unregistered Securities

LPL Financial to Pay $26M to Resolve Regulatory Investigation

May 2018

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced that a settlement has been reached between state securities regulators and LPL Finanical requiring LPL Finanical to repurchase from investors certain securities sold since October 2006 and to pay civil penalties that could total $26 million or more.

The settlement was led by regulators from Alabama and Massachusetts and relates to unregistered, non exempt securities sold by LPL.

Regulatory sanctions are nothing new for LPL Financial. Their FINRA record discloses 111 prior regulatory events.

If you have questions about how your account has been handled by your advisor,  contact us for a no charge consultation to discuss your legal options.

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

Affinity Fraud, FInancial Exploitation of the Elderly, Fraud, Misrepresentation, New England Securities, Stockbroker Discharged, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unregistered Brokers, Unregistered Securities, Unsuitable Investments

Greg Smith/Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell Indicted On Chinese Bond Scam-Shreveport,LA-Houston,TX

April 2018-Shreveport, LA

Shreveport resident Gregory Alan Smith, 55, and Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, 64, of Houston, TX, were indicted by a federal grand jury in a 13 count indictment for allegedly bilking unsuspecting investors out of over a million dollars.

Smith is operator of Smith Financial Group at 7330 Fern Ave., in Shreveport and Caldwell is Senior Pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston. The church is reportedly one of the largest Protestant churches in the U.S. According to Click2Houston Pastor Caldwell gained national notoriety when President George W. Bush made him his spiritual advisor.

Investors were lured to invest in allegedly worthless Historical Chinese bonds issued by the former Republic of China prior to losing power in 1949 and are not recognized by China’s current government.

According to FINRA records, Gregory A. Smith was a licensed broker who worked for New England Securities from 12/1999-7/2010. Smith was discharged by New England Securities in 7/2010 for failing to follow company policy with respect to outside business activities. In 2012, FINRA permanently barred Smith from associating with any FINRA member in any capacity, in part for commingling investor funds in his business account and for misappropriating investor 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.

Smith and Caldwell are charged with  wire fraud and money laundering and face decades in prison if convicted.

SEC complaint vs. Gregory A. Smith and Kirbyjon Caldwell.

If you are a victim of this apparent scam, call for a no charge consultation to discuss your options.

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