Category Archives: Securities

Fraud, Market Manipulation, Penny Stocks, Penny Stocks, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Spartan Securities Group

Spartan Securities Group Named in SEC Regulatory Action Over Penny Stocks-Clearwater, FL

February 2019-Tampa, FL

The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a litigation release on 2/21/2019 charging Spartan Securities Group, Ltd. , Island Capital Management, LLC, Carl E. Dilley, Micah J. Eldred and David D. Lopez for their roles in the creation “blank check” companies from 2009-2014.

The complaint alleges that Spartan Securities Group filed fraudulent applications with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to publicly list the companies so that the shares could be traded to public investors.

According to the release Dilley and Eldred, who are both principals of Spartan Securities, signed the false applications even though they knew or were at least reckless that the companies were fake.

The SEC is seeking to bar Spartan Securities Group from participating in penny stock offerings in the future.

Spartan Securities Group, Ltd.  is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. They are registered in 38 U.S. States and territories and have been a member of FINRA since 2001. According to FINRA records they have been the subject of 10 prior regulatory actions.

If you have questions about an account at Spartan Securities Group, call for a no charge consultation with an experienced securities attorney.

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

Annuities, Capital Financial Services, Failure to Supervise, REITs, Stockbroker Malpractice, StockBroker Misconduct, Unsuitable Investments

William Gordon-Capital Financial Services Broker-Discloses12 Customer Suits-Clearwater, FL

February 2019 – Clearwater, FL

According to publicly available records  William B. Gordon  (CRD# 2127800) ,  a   registered stockbroker currently employed by Capital Financial Services  disclose a prior regulatory event, a pending customer dispute and 12 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 2009, an Investors Capital Corporation customer filed FINRA case #09-01323 alleging negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and common law fraud in connection with the purchase of certain investments, including REITs.    The customer was awarded damages of  $150,970.

Eleven other Investors Capital Corporation customers filed customer complaints against Gordon with allegations ranging from  unsuitable investments, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence to fraud.   Total settlements paid to the customers was in excess of $1.1 million.

In pending FINRA case 19-0204,  a customer of Capital Financial Services, Inc.,  alleges unsuitability, misrepresentation and omissions and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with REIT and annuity investments. The customer is seeking damages of  $200,000.

Gordon was employed by Investors Capital Corp. from 1998 until November of 2010.   He has been employed with Capital Financial Services, Inc. since 11/2010.

If you have losses in an account handled by William Gordon, contact us for a no charge consultation to learn how you may be entitled 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

Annuities, BCG Securities, Elder Financial Abuse, Failure to Supervise, FInancial Exploitation of the Elderly, LPL Financial, Misrepresentation, Stockbroker Discharged, Stockbroker Malpractice, StockBroker Misconduct, Unsuitable Investments

Brandon Long-Former BCG Securities Broker-Discloses Customer Suits & Regulatory Actions-Roswell, GA

February  2019 – Roswell, GA

According to public records of Brandon P. Long (CRD#5975459)  a  stockbroker previously employed by BCG Securities,  Inc., discloses a regulatory event, a civil event, 3 customer dispute settlements 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 October of 2017, Long was permanently barred from the securities industry to resolve regulatory allegations that he made misrepresentations and induced federal employees to rollover their federal retirement accounts into annuities which resulted in losses for the customers. According to the allegations commissions of $1.7 million were earned on the sale of some $40 million in annuities. 

Long was employed by BCG Securities from 12/2014-4/2017. Prior to that he was with LPL Financial until 12/2014 when he was discharged for concerns regarding communications with a customer. Long also discloses a business affiliation with Keystone Wealth Management and Keystone Capital Partners & Federal Employee Retirement Counselors in Alpharetta, GA. 

If you have questions about an account handled by  Brandon P. Long, contact us for a no charge consultation to learn how you may be able to recover damages from his employer 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

Failure to Supervise, FINRA, Finra Investigation of Stockbroker, LPL Financial, Misrepresentation, Raymond James, Stockbroker Malpractice, StockBroker Misconduct, UIT (Unit Investment Trust), Unsuitable Investments

Mark Tauzin-Former LPL Financial Broker-Discloses Regulatory Event, Customer Dispute & Termination-Lafayette, LA

February 2019- Lafayette, LA

According to publicly available records Mark Tauzin   (CRD#1716373) ,  a  currently unregistered stockbroker who was last  registered with LPL Financial,  disclose a regulatory event , a prior customer dispute 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 10/2016 Tauzin consented  to FINRA sanctions and to the entry of findings that he engaged in a pattern of unsuitable short-term trading of front-loaded Unit Investments Trusts (UITs) in  accounts of households that were customers of his member firm.  Tauzin had no reasonable basis to believe the short-term trading of these front products was suitable for the customers according to FINRA.   The finding stated that Tauzin also maintained blank forms signed by customers relating to accounts for several households.  The forms included Automated Clearing House (ACH) authorization forms, margin agreements, account applications and switch disclosure forms.   With regards to certain households, completed switch disclosure forms.   With regards to certain households, completed switch disclosure forms were used for transactions that appeared identical to the signed, blank forms maintained in Tauzin’s files.  The maintenance of the blank forms violated the firm’s written supervisory procedures, document, regardless of client knowledge or consent.    Tauzin was suspended for  8 months  and  agreed to disgorge  $205,115, and pay a penalty of $20,000.

In August of 2015 an LPL Financial customer alleged unsuitability, misrepresentations and unauthorized trading in connection with her UIT investments.    The case settled for $750,000.

Tauzin was employed with LPL Financial from September 2009  to November 2014 when was discharged by LPL Financial after allegations that he f violated the firm’s document signature policy and concerns regarding short-term UIT Trading..  He previously was employed with Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Inc.

If you have questions about an investment account handled by Mark Tauzin, contact us for a no charge consultation to learn about 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

Centaurus Financial, Failure to Supervise, J.P. Turner & Company, Limited Partnerships, Misrepresentation, REITs, Stockbroker Malpractice, Unsuitable Investments

Cindy Chiellini-Centaurus Financial Broker-Subject of Numerous Customer Suits- Lexington, SC

February 2019 – Lexington, South Carolina

The FINRA records of  Cindy Lucille Porto Chiellini ,  a  stockbroker who is  employed by  Centaurus Financial  discloses 9 pending  and one 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 a customer of Chiellini’s prior employer was paid $70,000 to resolve allegations that they were sold unsuitable investments from 2010-2016.

The pending customer complaints include:

  • FINRA case 18-4363-a former customer of J.P. Turner & Centaurus seeks damages of $500,000 and alleges Chiellini recommended unsuitable investments from 2014-2018.
  • Case 168-04082 -a former customer of J.P. Turner & Centaurus seeks damages of $336,160 and alleges Chiellini recommended unsuitable investments in real estate securities from 2012-2018.
  • FINRA case 18-3810-a former customer of J.P. Turner & Centaurus seeks damages of $100,000 and alleges Chiellini recommended unsuitable investments in real estate securities.
  • FINRA case 18-1848-a former customer (beneficiaries of a deceased client’s account)  of Summit Brokerage Services seeks damages of $100,000 and alleges Chiellini recommended unsuitable investments .

Chiellini , who is also known as Cindy Porto and Cindy Porto Chiellini, has been employed by Centaurus Financial since 5/2015, and discloses a business affiliation with Mantei & Associates in Lexington, SC.

If you have losses in an account in an account handled by Cindy Porto Chiellini  , contact us for a no charge consultation to discuss how you may be able to recover damages for those 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