Category Archives: Cetera Financial Group

Cetera Advisors, Cetera Financial Group, Discretionary Trading, Failure to Supervise, FINRA, Finra Investigation of Stockbroker, Limited Partnerships, Misrepresentation, Reg D Offerings(private placements), REITs, Stockbroker Discharged, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unsuitable Investments

Martin Brooks-Former Cetera Advisors Broker-Discloses Settlement of $490K Customer Dispute-Lee’s Summit, MO

March 2018- Lee’s Summit, MO

The FINRA records of Martin Earl Brooks , a stockbroker who is currently employed  by United Planners Financial Services of America , disclose a prior final customer dispute, a recent regulatory matter 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 March 2018, Brooks was suspended for 15 days and fined $5,000 by FINRA to resolve allegations that while employed by Multi-Financial Securities (now known as Cetera Advisors) he purchased shares in a real estate fund for five different customers, without their permission. Brooks failed to mark the trades as solicited , and improperly marked them as unsolicited.

In July 2017, a customer of Cetera Advisors was paid $490,000 to resolve allegations that real estate investments recommended by Brooks were unsuitable.

Brooks was employed by Cetera Advisors from 10/2006-4/2016, when he was discharged by Cetera who made the following allegation on Brooks‘ FINRA record: “allegation by client that representative recommended unsuitable investments.” 

Brooks has been employed by United Planners since 7/2016.

If you have questions about an account handled by Martin Brooks , 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

National Toll Free: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870

Cetera Advisors, Cetera Financial Group, Commodities, Energy Securities, Failure to Supervise, Misrepresentation, Oil & Gas Investment, Oppenheimer, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unsuitable Investments

How to Recover Losses on Miller Energy Resources Investments

OCTOBER 2017

If you suffered losses as a result of following your broker’s recommendation to invest in Miller Energy Resources, contact us to find out how you may be able to recover damages from the brokerage firm through FINRA arbitration.

Miller Energy Resources filed for bankruptcy in October 2015 after the company and its officials were charged with inflating the value of its oil and gas properties by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Many investors were encouraged to invest in Miller Energy Resources and other oil and gas investments believing that such investments were safe and secure only to see the value drop dramatically.

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

Cetera Advisors, Cetera Financial Group, Concentrated Positions, Energy Securities, Failure to Supervise, Oil & Gas Investment, Oil related investments, Oppenheimer, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unsuitable Investments

Abraham Heimann-Former Oppenheimer/Cetera Stockbroker-Subject of Suits Over Energy Investments-Alpharetta, GA

April 2018-Alpharetta, GA

According to publicly available records Abraham Heimann, (CRD#1315922) ,  a  stockbroker who last was employed by Cetera Advisors, and who is not currently registered with any brokerage firm, discloses five currently pending customer disputes involving energy sector investments and two prior customer complaints that are final.

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.

The currently pending customer cases include:

  • FINRA case 17-02785-a customer of Heimann while he was employed at Cetera Advisors alleges damages of $364,000  for breach of fiduciary duty and negligence, failure to supervise, unauthorized trading and violation of FINRA conduct rules with respect to energy sector investments.
  • FINRA case #17-2498-a customer of Heimann while he was employed at Oppenheimer & Co,  alleges damages of $200,000  for breach of fiduciary duty, , negligence fraud, failure to supervise, unauthorized trading, excessive fees, costs and commissions and other claims with respect to energy sector investments.
  • FINRA case #17-1951-a customer of Heimann while he was employed at Oppenheimer and then Cetera Advisors alleges damages of $1,500,000  for lack of diversification.
  • FINRA case #15-03220 , another customer of Heimann while he was employed at Oppenheimer and then Cetera Advisors alleges damages of $876,195 for unsuitable investing, unauthorized trading, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and misrepresentation. The investments alleged to be unsuitable are oil & gas, penny stocks and medical investments.

Heimann , who is not currently registered as a stockbroker, was employed by Cetera Advisors  from 6/2013-2/2016.  He was with Oppenheimer & Co. from 1/2002-7/2013. Heimann discloses business affiliations with Alpha Insurance Mart, Global Investments LLC,  and Danlee International.

If you have losses in an account handled by  Abraham Heimann 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

Alternative Investments, Cetera Financial Group, Concentrated Positions, Dennis Van Patter (VSR Financial), Energy Securities, Failure to Supervise, FINRA, John H. Towers (VSR Financial), Limited Partnerships, M.F. (Mickey) Long II (VSR Financial), Misrepresentation, Oil & Gas Investment, Oil and Gas Partnerships, Parks H. Brown, Reg D Offerings(private placements), REITs, Stockbroker Malpractice, Summit Brokerage Services, TICs Tenant In Common Investments-1031 Exchanges, Unsuitable Investments, VSR Financial Services

VSR Financial Services-How to Recover Damages On Losses In REITs and Alt. Investments

April 2018–VSR Financial Services closed down its operations in the Fall of 2016. Many of its brokers and clients have been transferred to Summit Brokerage Services, a related entity which is part of the Cetera Financial Group.

See below for discussion of VSR’s regulatory issues related to the sale of real estate investment trusts (REITs), oil and gas partnerships and other alternative investments and how you may be able to recover damages for losses on those investments.

VSR’s  Alternative Investment Problem

VSR is well known for its sales of alternative investments such as non-traded REITs, equipment leasing programs, oil & gas drilling programs, promissory notes and commodity funds. In 2013, VSR and its president Donald Beary, were sanctioned by FINRA in connection with the sale of alternative investments. VSR paid a fine of $550,000.

Recovery of Investment Losses On Limited Partnerships and Other Alternative Investments Purchased From VSR Financial

Over the past several years we have represented a considerable number of investors, mostly retirees, who were recommended alternative investments with the promise of steady, dependable income and minimal risk.

Follow this link for other postings related to the recovery of losses on investments purchased from VSR Financial Services.

If you have suffered losses as a result of investing in alternative investments that were recommended to you by a VSR Financial Services broker (including, but not limited to the following brokers who formerly were employed by VSR) contact us for a no charge consultation to discuss your options:

Time is of the essence, so if you have a claim, you would be wise to pursue it immediately, otherwise valuable legal rights may be lost.

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

Cetera Advisors, Cetera Financial Group, Failure to Supervise, FINRA, Finra Investigation of Stockbroker, Girard Securities, Misrepresentation, Stockbroker Discharged, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unauthorized Trading, Unregistered Securities

Jason H. LeBlanc-Former Girard Securities Broker-Barred From Securities Industry-Fulshear, TX

September 2017 -Fulshear, Texas

According to publicly available records Jason H. LeBlanc (CRD#2483182) , a  former stockbroker who was last employed by Girard Securities , disclose  a prior regulatory event,  3 prior customer disputes and a termination.

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 2017 LeBlanc was permanently barred from the securities industry by FINRA to resolve allegations that he failed to disclose several outside business activities and provided inaccurate information about an outside business activity to Girard Securities.

The FINRA findings, which LeBlanc consented to without admitting or denying state:

  • LeBlanc misused customer funds by applying a customer’s money to an an investment other that the one he represented to her
  • LeBlanc sold a promissory note from one customer to another for $23,000
  • The second customer was led to believe she was investing in a coffee shop, instead LeBlanc returned $3,000 to the customer and invested the remaining $20,000 in a real estate investment company, without informing the customer
  • LeBlanc misused customer funds by commingling personal and customer funds

LeBlanc was employed by Girard Securities 4/2009-9/2015. He was discharged by Girard in 9/2015 when they learned of his outside business activities.

If you have questions about an account handled by Jason H. LeBlanc,  contact us to discuss your options.

Girard Securities is a part of the Cetera Financial Group. Girard has been a FINRA member since 1988 and is headquartered in San Diego, CA. The company has about 478 registered persons in 139 branch offices nationwide.

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.

Rex Securities Law

TollFree: 877-224-3199

Florida-561 391 1900 

Texas-512-329-2870