Today the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced a massive LPL Financial settlement with state securities regulators relating to over a decade of sales of unregistered securities by LPL brokers.

Under the terms of the LPL Financial settlement, the firm agreed to repurchase from investors certain securities that were sold to them since October, 2006.  LPL will also have to pay civil penalties to the states, which could be as much as a $26 million penalty.

What happened?   State securities regulators have been investigating LPL Financial for years regarding failures to have reasonable policies and procedures.  In the last year, NASAA’s task force has focused on investigating LPL’s procedures to prevent LPL brokers from selling unregistered, non-exempt securities.

The sale of unregistered, non-exempt securities violates most states’ securities law and federal securities laws.  Often those securities do not disclose important information to the prospective buyer, like the riskiness of the investment, lack of liquidity or ability to sell the investment, or true financial history of the investment.  Sellers may get high commissions and other incentives to pitch these products to investors, even if the product is not suitable or in the best interest of that investor.

Under the agreement, LPL will repurchase from investors unregistered, non-exempt securities sold since October 1, 2006 to LPL customers by their broker.  Not only will LPL repurchase, it will pay 3% interest from the date of sale.  Other terms were agreed upon for customers who have since sold or transferred their qualified securities out of their LPL account.

Is this a good deal?  Yes, for many cheated investors, it’s an unusually good deal. NASAA is an association of state securities regulators.  Those state regulators help investors by cracking down on bad broker conduct by national firms like LPL Financial.  The dollars from civil penalties issued by regulators occasionally go back to compensate the victims — but not usually.  The key to this LPL Financial settlement is that the firm agreed to buy back the securities from investors and pay 3% interest.  For many investors, especially those with smaller amounts of affected securities, that’s a very good result for a recovery without private litigation.

However, investors that otherwise qualify for the buy-back may have strong, valid, private claims for relief against LPL Financial that might result in a better outcome.   It depends on the facts, and an experienced securities attorney can help you make that evaluation.

Failure to have reasonable supervisory and compliance procedures, failures to reasonably supervise its brokers, and unlawful broker conduct all are violations of FINRA rules and may state blue sky securities laws.   In some states like Oregon, brokerage firms may have joint and several liability with the bad broker, and the statutory remedy for these violations can be repayment of the original purchase price, plus interest at 9% from date of purchase, less any dividends or money otherwise received from the investment.  It may also include payment of attorney fees.  These are claims that an experienced securities fraud attorney like Darlene Pasieczny can bring on behalf of an investor in FINRA arbitration.

If you are an LPL Financial customer, or customer of any brokerage firm, and you have concerns about what you were sold for your investment portfolio, call us today for a free initial consultation.   Sudden large drops in portfolio value for a moderate or conservative investor, or discovering you cannot easily sell an investment, are some of the Red Flags that you may have securities claims for recoverable losses.  Don’t wait – statute of limitations may apply to set deadlines of when you can file a claim.

If you have concerns about how your money is being handled by your financial professional, or concerns that you or a loved one might be the victim of financial exploitation, call me at (503) 358-8292. Again, consultations are free, and confidential.

As current chair-elect of the Oregon State Bar’s Securities Regulation Section, attorney Darlene Pasieczny (pictured here moderating a panel via webcast) assisted with the program planning for the 40th Annual Northwest Securities Institute (NWSI) program in Seattle, Washington.  As part of this panel presentation, attorney Dan Keppler and SEC trial counsel Brent Smyth spoke on SEC receiverships, and attorneys Heidi Brooks Bradley and Diana Breaux spoke on the FHLB v. Credit Suisse litigation and the Securities Act of Washington.  The remaining program saw excellent presentations by SEC and state regulators (including Dorothy Bean from the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation) and securities attorneys from Oregon, Washington, and Canada, on a wide range of topics.   

Darlene Pasieczny’s practice at Pasieczny Law LLC focuses on all stages of corporate and securities law issues, securities litigation and FINRA arbitration, as well as fiduciary litigation in trust and estate disputes, and elder financial abuse.

Pasieczny Law LLC attorney Darlene Pasieczny Presents on FINRA Expungement Proceedings at PIABA’s Mid-Year Meeting.

On April 4, 2019, I joined co-panelist Kate McGrail and moderator Robert J. Girard II in Washington D.C. Together, we presented on FINRA expungement proceedings to an audience of securities attorneys, law professors, and state securities regulators attending PIABA’s Mid-Year Meeting.

Our main topics included:

• The process for brokers to request expungement of customer dispute information from a broker’s CRD record.
• The process for customer claimants to object to the request.
• Proposed rule changes being considered by FINRA.

Current FINRA Rule 2080 of the Code of Arbitration Procedure for Customer Disputes provides the narrow grounds for expungement requests. FINRA Regulatory Notice 17-42 describes the potential changes including:

• Limiting the time in which brokers may request expungement.
• Creation of an Expungement Arbitrator Roster, with enhanced arbitrator qualification requirements, to hear expungement requests.
• Requiring an additional finding that the customer dispute information has no investor protection or regulatory value.

The CRD is the Central Registration Depository, an online licensing and registration system for brokers and securities firms. Pursuant to FINRA rules, certain disclosure information must be reported for inclusion in the CRD record. This includes customer disputes – customer complaints, arbitrations and court actions.

Expungement of customer dispute information from a broker’s CRD record also means that the information is no longer publicly available through FINRA’s free online BrokerCheck. Because FINRA is clear that expungement is an “extraordinary remedy.”

That is in part because BrokerCheck is considered a major tool for investors to research the background of a financial professional. Wouldn’t you want to know if the person you are going to trust with your savings has a record of multiple customer complaints? Brokerage firms and state and federal securities regulatory agencies also use the CRD record when making hiring and licensing decisions, as well as in enforcement actions.

The securities attorneys at the Investor Defenders practice group of Pasieczny Law LLC are investigating potential claims against this broker.

Public records from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) show that in August 2018, Daniel Noah Winger (CRD# 1542674) entered into an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (“AWC”) agreement in which Winger was barred from associating with any FINRA member in all capacities.

Daniel Noah Winger was most recently registered with PFS Investments Inc. in Federal Way, Washington.

The Facts and Violative Conduct alleged in the AWC include that, between April 2015 and April 2018, Daniel Noah Winger converted the funds of an elderly customer in violation of FINRA rules 2150(a) and 2010.  The elderly customer gave checks to Winger totaling approximately $100,000.  The AWC alleges that Winger used the customer’s funds for his own personal use.

Brokers are licensed and regulated by FINRA and state regulatory agencies.  FINRA rules, state securities laws and state common law offer protections for investors from unlawful broker conduct such as:  negligent portfolio mismanagement, selling away, overconcentration, unsuitable investment recommendations, excessive trading (“churning”), failure to supervise, misrepresentations about investments, or outright conversion and theft.

Common Red Flags of broker misconduct include lack of communication from your broker, discovering that you cannot liquidate investments that you thought you could sell, or discovering that large portions of your portfolio are used to purchase “alternative investments” like interests in Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, or promissory note investments.   The Investor Defenders have compiled a list of Ten Red Flags for Investors, which you can see by clicking on this link.

If you were a client of Daniel Noah Winger, and suspect that financial losses in your brokerage account may have been caused by broker misconduct, call the Investor Defenders.  We represent investors in the United States with securities claims against brokers and brokerage firms for financial losses caused by unlawful conduct.

The securities attorneys at the Investor Defenders practice group of Pasieczny Law LLC are investigating potential claims against this broker.

Public records from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) show that Jamewon Jeewon Shin (CRD# 2436899) was suspended as of August 13, 2018, from associating with any FINRA member for failure to provide information or keep information current pursuant to FINRA Rule 9552(d).

Jameson Jeewon Shin was most recently registered with LPL Financial LLC in Bellevue, Washington, and was previously registered with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC in Seattle, Washington.

FINRA records show that the names James J Shin, James Shin, Jameson Jee Won Shin are related to Jameson Jeeswon Shin.

Brokers are licensed and regulated by FINRA and state regulatory agencies.  State securities laws and state common law offer protections for investors from unlawful broker conduct such as: negligent portfolio mismanagement, selling away, overconcentration, unsuitable investment recommendations, excessive trading (“churning”), failure to supervise, misrepresentations about investments, or outright conversion and theft.

Common Red Flags of broker misconduct include lack of communication from your broker, discovering that you cannot liquidate investments that you thought you could sell, or discovering that large portions of your portfolio are used to purchase “alternative investments” like interests in Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, or promissory note investments.   The Investor Defenders have compiled a list of Ten Red Flags for Investors, which you can see by clicking on this link.

If you were a client of this broker, and suspect that financial losses in your brokerage account may have been caused by broker misconduct, call the Investor Defenders.  We represent investors in the United States with securities claims against brokers and brokerage firms for financial losses caused by unlawful conduct.

Did you know – most stockbrokers and registered investment advisors (RIAs) are not required by law to carry errors and omissions insurance?

Beginning July 31, 2018, with an amendment to the Oregon Securities Law, Oregon became only state in the nation to require certain state-regulated financial professionals to carry errors and omissions insurance. These financial professionals must now carry at least $1 million in errors and omissions insurance in order to qualify for licensing in Oregon.

ORS 59.175 now provides:
. . .
(5)(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection, every applicant for a license or renewal of a license as a broker-dealer or state investment adviser shall file with the director proof that the applicant maintains an errors and omissions insurance policy in an amount of at least $1 million from an insurer authorized to transact insurance in this state or from any other insurer approved by the director according to standards established by rule.
(b) A licensed broker-dealer subject to section 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is not required to comply with paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(c) A licensed state investment adviser who has its principal place of business in a state other than this state is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subsection.

Why is this important?

Investors are rightfully confused about what protections they have when they sign over their life savings or transfer a retirement account to the care of a financial professional.  One might assume the advisor is insured, just like many attorneys, doctors, and other professionals are insured.

There is no current federal requirement for FINRA-registered brokers or SEC-registered investment advisors to carry basic errors and omissions (“E&O”) insurance. E&O insurance is a form of liability insurance for professionals who provide advice or other services. Some call it “professional liability insurance.”

You may have seen reference to “SIPC” on a sign in your advisor’s office, or on account statements from a firm. The Securities Investor Protection Corp. (SIPC) insures cash and securities in a brokerage account up to a certain amount of losses incurred because of the bankruptcy of a broker-dealer. SIPC does not cover losses caused by faulty or negligent conduct by the broker or brokerage firm.

Wait a minute – A financial advisor may handle millions and millions of dollars of investor money, but not carry insurance for professional misconduct?  Yes.

Investors may win a substantial recovery of losses that were caused by their financial professional’s misconduct, either through a FINRA arbitration award or court judgment. However, many awards and judgments go unpaid. A smaller firm may simply close shop rather than pay. Or a culpable advisor might leave his or her firm and start working for a business or investment vehicle that is not licensed by FINRA or the SEC. If there was applicable insurance that covered the investor claims, the insurance policy would pay the investor at least part if not all of the award or judgment.  Large firms that have significant net capital, or firms that otherwise responsibly carry insurance as a matter of choice, already provide reassurance that they can make good on a successful customer claim.

Generally speaking, E&O insurance should cover mistakes, errors, negligent conduct, and breaches of fiduciary duties by a professional relating to the professional service that result in harm to the client.  In the case of financial professionals, that usually takes the form of recoverable financial losses caused by unlawful conduct.  For example, losses caused by a broker (or RIA or someone dual-licensed as a broker/RIA) failing to follow client instructions, making recommendations to purchase investments that are “unsuitable” for that particular investor, or acting in a way that violates a fiduciary duty to the investor.

The good news for Oregon investors is that there are now at least some new protections at the state level, relating to certain financial professionals.  If you invest with a financial professional and want to know if they have E&O insurance – ask!  Responsible advisors and firms should be able to provide a clear explanation as to what protections their customers have in case of a customer claim to recover investment losses.

The news has been full of stories of investment losses. First, it was cryptocurrencies and related investments on a roller coaster ride of valuation. Then, in the last week, the major stock market indices followed… Dow Jones, S&P 500, Nasdaq…

What is a Main Street investor to do?

As a securities attorney representing investors in disputes with the financial industry, down markets mean my phone starts ringing. Investors start to look closely at their portfolios.

Some find surprises. Potential claims against their financial advisor to recover investment losses.

Not every investment loss is a recoverable investment loss – far from it. But, sometimes investment losses are caused because of a financial advisor’s misconduct. Making unsuitable securities recommendations to buy risky investments or allocate a portfolio in a certain way. Failing to follow instructions, negligence, or outright fraud and misrepresentation.

The law provides remedies to investors injured by advisor misconduct. Typically, securities claims are brought by filing a statement of claim in FINRA arbitration. I’ve helped my clients bring securities claims in FINRA arbitration. I help them to navigate mediation and informal settlement discussions. And I have helped them recover millions of dollars, thought to be lost forever due to “bad luck”.

I recently filed some short video clips explaining how an experienced securities attorney like myself can help investors who think they may have a problem, and why investors may be hesitant to seek help and file claims to recover losses.

A down market is a good time to take a hard look at your, or your client’s, portfolio. And ask questions.

Why is the portfolio heavily allocated in one volatile sector, such as oil and gas?

Was that level of risk appropriate for the investor at the time of the recommendation? Why are there so many LP and LLC private placement interests in the portfolio? Can those interests be sold? And why are my investment losses in this down market so much more than my friend’s losses, when we have similar financial goals and risk tolerances? These and other red flags may be signs of investment fraud.

If you think you may be the victim of investment abuse, call me toll free at (503) 358-8292 for a free, confidential initial consultation. I represent investors in FINRA arbtiration nationwide who have investment losses caused by the conduct of a financial professional or a defective investment product. I also represent parties in trust and estate disputes where a fiduciary has breached their duties and money is recoverable to the estate, trust, or beneficiary.

The Investor Defenders at Pasieczny Law LLC help investors get their money back from brokerage fraud, fraudulent investments, elder financial abuse, and other situations. Our specialized investment litigation practice combines familiarity with complex financial modeling, experience with specialized FINRA arbitration rules and securities laws, and empathy for our clients whose investment losses have become personal.

If you have concerns about how your money is being handled by your financial professional, or concerns that you or a loved one might be the victim of financial exploitation, call me at (503) 358-8292. Again, consultations are free, and confidential.

We’ve updated our list of ten red flags that  investors should be aware of: danger signs that point to potential mismanagement of an account or investment fraud by a financial advisor. These red flags are useful as you evaluate your own investments, review the investments of an elderly relative, or if you’ve decided to change brokers.

From our firm’s first-hand experience in reviewing thousands of financial statements and successfully recovering investment money for many clients, these red flags of investment fraud are often a sign of trouble. If you notice any of these red flags and you have concerns, we encourage you to contact us for a free, confidential review. With early detection, investors have the potential to avoid a lot of heartache and significant financial loss.

***

Red Flags:

1. Your financial advisor didn’t discuss your risk tolerance with you, told you “not to worry” about that category when filling out account paperwork, or you somehow ended up with a higher risk portfolio than you wanted.  Any reported swing in portfolio value of more than 10% up or down, when you’re a conservative or moderate investor, is a red flag.

2. You discover that you cannot liquidate investments that you thought you could sell. Or you discover an unexpected high fee or surrender charge for selling.

3. Big portions of your portfolio are used to purchase “alternative investments” – things like interests in limited partnerships (LPs), non-traded REITs, private placements, promissory notes, and interests in limited liability companies (LLCs). Many of these investments come with a prospectus, require you to complete special forms just to purchase them, carry high risk for investors, and pay big commissions to the selling brokers.

4. You are encouraged to purchase investments where you must formally certify that you are an “accredited investor”. These investments also often carry a high degree of risk and are only designed for people who can afford to lose all of their investment.

5. You are advised to purchase investments the same day that they are offered to you, without giving you a chance to think about it, especially when your advisor says that the opportunity won’t last long. If you feel any sense of rush, surprise, or pressure to make any investment decision, that’s a red flag.

6. Your account statements stop arriving, your broker is suddenly hard to reach, or your advisor discourages you from discussing your investments with anyone else at the brokerage company.

7. You have investments that do not appear on the brokerage company’s account statements that you receive.   Or the statements otherwise look irregular, show frequent transactions that you don’t understand, or don’t add up.

8. Your financial advisor promises returns that seem too good to be true. In today’s market, there are no legitimate, safe and secure investments that can guarantee an 8% annual return year after year.  Any promised return that seems like an unusually good deal deserves closer scrutiny.  Risky, unsecured promissory note scams may be particularly targeted towards elderly investors as “fixed income” investments.

9. You are offered an investment that you do not understand.  Or your portfolio contains investments that, on closer examination, are not plausible or understandable.

10. You discover that your advisor has multiple disclosures when you look him or her up on FINRA’s BrokerCheck system (search by name at http://www.finra.org/Investors/ToolsCalculators/BrokerCheck). Disclosures may include prior client complaints, bankruptcy, termination from prior employers, regulatory investigations and sanctions, criminal charges, on-going or resolved client disputes.  These are all red flags about a broker’s prior conduct that you probably want to know about before entrusting them with your money.

***

If you have seen any of these red flags, and have questions about the legitimacy of your investments or seen large financial losses, do not ignore your suspicions. Call us for a free initial consultation.  We will tell you if your concerns are well founded and whether we can help.  Your call is confidential.

Please call us first, before contacting your financial advisor or any regulatory agency.  Why?  Because those calls are not confidential.  Once you contact the firm you can bet that your communications are being recorded, and the details you include or leave out may undermine your claim.  Securities regulators may be important allies in stopping wrongdoing, but they are not your attorney. By reporting a complaint to your state agency, FINRA or the SEC, you may be starting the clock on a statute of limitations for filing a claim, without understanding what that means.

The Investor Defenders at Pasieczny Law LLC help investors get their money back from brokerage fraud, fraudulent investments, elder financial abuse, and other situations. Our specialized investment litigation practice combines familiarity with complex financial modeling, experience with specialized FINRA arbitration rules and securities laws, and empathy for our clients whose financial losses have become personal.

If you have concerns about how your money is being handled by your financial professional, or concerns that you or a loved one might be the victim of financial exploitation, call me at (503) 358-8292. Consultations are free, and confidential.

Darlene Pasieczny’s practice at Pasieczny Law LLC focuses on all stages of corporate and securities law issues, securities litigation and FINRA arbitration, fiduciary litigation in trust and estate disputes, elder financial abuse, and complex civil litigation. Darlene’s practice includes representing investors nationwide in investment disputes through FINRA arbitration.

On December 21, 2017, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced it had fined brokerage firm Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. $2 million for significant supervisory failures in reviewing email communications. FINRA found that, over a nine-year period, Raymond James did not have a reasonably designed supervisory system and procedures for reviewing email communications.

Why is email review important? Under FINRA rules, brokerage firms must reasonably supervise all electronic communications technology used by a firm and its brokers to conduct firm business.  Many firms used a risk-based approach to supervision, automatically searching for key words and phrases in emails. This review is important for firms to catch bad conduct, such a broker involved in unapproved “outside business activities,” or conducting securities transactions that are not approved by the firm, also known as “selling away.” 

Brokers engaging in “selling away” sometimes create their own spreadsheets and account statements to mislead customers into thinking that recommended investments are approved by the brokerage firm. Often those investments are especially risky, inappropriate for the particular investor, and very lucrative for the seller. For example, it is not uncommon for a seller to receive a 7 – 10% commission on a sale of a private placement investment like a limited partnership (LP) interest. The most slick-looking investment pamphlet could be an outright investment fraud … with the check going straight to the seller’s pocket.

Firms must actively maintain supervisory procedures reasonably designed to catch such unlawful conduct, and protect its customers.  Email supervision, office audits, and document review are only a few of the ways firms should be monitoring the activities of its brokers.

Under FINRA rules and the applicable state or federal law, a brokerage firm can be held financially liable to the customer for the losses caused by its bad actor brokers.  And, for the firm’s own supervisory failures.

If you believe you are the victim of “selling away,” negligent portfolio management, churning, securities fraud, or other unlawful conduct by your financial professional,contact the Pasieczny Law LLC Investor Defenders team at (503) 358-8292 for a free, confidential initial consultation.

You may be able to recover financial losses caused by your financial professional.  An experienced securities attorney will fight on your side.

On November 8, 2017, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that a broker named Hank Mark Werner of upstate New York had been barred from the securities industry. The headline: “FINRA Hearing Panel Bars Broker for Defrauding Elderly, Blind Customer”.

The pattern of this behavior is outrageous but not all that unusual. It makes a good example of how financial professionals fail their clients.

According to the FINRA news release, Mr. Werner served as the licensed broker for an elderly couple since 1995. The husband died in 2012. Mr. Werner made some 700 trades on “behalf” of his client, a sightless 77-year old recently widowed woman in poor health between October 2012 and December 2015. He ultimately collected $210,000 in commissions. The panel’s decision includes an order of restitution to the widow, a fine, Mr. Werner’s banishment from the industry, and a further fine and censure for his employer – Legend Securities, brokerage firm expelled from the securities industry as of April, 2017.

The hearing panel found that Mr. Werner engaged in a pattern of “fraudulently churning and excessively trading” the client’s brokerage accounts – trades executed only for the sake of generating commissions. Compounding the excessive number of trades, Mr. Werner’s commission rates were so above range as to be “exorbitant”.

“Churning” is one common way investors can be defrauded by financial professionals. On a commission-based account, where a fee is generated for the broker for each purchase and sale, it’s easy to see how an unscrupulous broker might take advantage of a client with unnecessary trading.

Mr. Werner also steered his elderly client’s money into “unsuitable recommendations” — specifically a risky variable annuity that was not suitable based on his client’s age, heath, financial position, and other factors. Why do bad actors love putting their clients’ money into high-risk investments? It’s not just incompetence or the urge to gamble (although there’s that too). Again, it comes down to commissions. There’s a whole class of dubious variable annuities, commodities instruments, exotic real estate investment trusts (REITs), and other extremely complicated investments that are engineered to carry all kinds of risk, while cloaked in the appearance of a moderate investment, and which richly reward any broker who signs somebody up.

We applaud FINRA’s enforcement actions. But FINRA can’t help everybody.

As a securities litigator, I represent investors who have lost money due to the conduct of a financial professional or a defective investment product. If you have concerns about how your money is being handled, or if your broker has stopped returning your calls, contact me for a free, confidential consultation at (503) 358-8292 orInvestorDefenders.com

Customer Concerns Grow About Energy Stock Concentration and George Merhoff

Our office continues to investigate Cetera Investments and its representative George Merhoff Jr. Since our last reporting, even more investors have called us to report that they suffered significant losses in their accounts as a result of having virtually all of their investments in energy stocks. We continue to evaluate how widespread this problem is for our clients and potentially others who were customers of George Merhoff. Mr. Merhoff is currently a registered representative of Cetera Investments, and was previously a registered representative of Pacific West Securities, Inc.

If you are or were a customer of George Merhoff and are willing to share your information with us that might help us in this investigation, or if you have lost money in another investment or have concerns about the conduct of another financial advisor, please call our office at (503) 358-8292 for a confidential, and free no obligation consultation.

Is Your Investment Portfolio Over-Concentrated in Energy Stocks?

Here is why we are conducting our investigation: When a portfolio is heavily weighted in one particular industry sector, we refer to it as a non-diversified, over-concentrated account. Over-concentration increases volatility and risk in investment portfolios. Licensed securities stockbrokers and have an obligation under the law and FINRA Rule 2110 to recommend only suitable investments and trading strategies, based upon the particular customer’s risk tolerance, investment objectives, investment experience, time frame, and other factors when recommending an investment. If a broker recommends the same types of concentrated energy sector portfolios to a broad array of clients, regardless of their needs for safety and moderation, that suggest that the securities laws may have been violated.

What is FINRA and what is the Suitability Rule?

FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) is the self-regulatory organization that is authorized by Congress to regulate the securities industry.

That includes brokers and brokerage firms. FINRA has various rules to do this including Rules 2110 and 2111, which provide that a broker’s investment recommendations must be “suitable” for the customer. Suitability includes reasonable-basis suitability (that the investment or investment strategy is suitable for at least some investors), customer-specific suitability (the recommendations are suitable for that specific customer), and quantitative suitability (that a series of recommended transactions, even if suitable in isolation, when considered together are not excessive and unsuitable for that customer). Violations of the FINRA suitability rules may implicate other laws such as negligence and breach of fiduciary duty, and financial losses caused by the unlawful conduct may be recoverable by the investor.

Do you have questions about losses in accounts managed by Cetera Investments or George Merhoff?

The fact that you invested with Mr. Merhoff or Cetera does not necessarily mean that there was wrongdoing. However, if your account was over-concentrated in energy stocks and you did not ask for those investments, we would like to hear from you. Bob Banks, a nationally recognized securities attorney, has fought for investors in court and FINRA arbitration since 1985. He has successfully represented investors in over-concentration cases where there has been a failure to diversify investments. He leads the Investor Defenders practice group at Pasieczny Law LLC. If you have lost money in an investment, or if you have any concerns about the conduct of your financial adviser, please contact us, or call our office at (503) 358-8292 for a free no obligation consultation.

Effective December 12, 2015, certain information provided on the registration termination paperwork (Form U5) for a brokerage firm or terminated broker will be accessible on BrokerCheck in 3 business days instead of 15. The SEC approved the proposed change to FINRA Rule 8312 (FINRA BrokerCheck Disclosure). The Form U5 includes important information for investors researching brokers or firms on BrokerCheck, including whether a broker was fired from a firm and the reason given by the firm for termination.

See the full FINRA Regulatory Notice 15-49.

BrokerCheck and other investor educational materials are available on FINRA’s website.

Investor Defender attorneys Robert S. Banks Jr. and Darlene Pasieczny have the experience, knowledge, and dedication to help you. Mr. Banks himself has over 30 years experience representing investors in recovering millions of dollars in investment losses, and he has served on FINRA’s own National Arbitration and Mediation Committee. If you have concerns about your financial advisor or investment portfolio, please contact us and visit our website at investordefenders.com.

The Chief of Enforcement at the Division of Finance and Corporate Securities Consumer & Business Services Department (DFCS), Van Pounds,  was both quoted in Molly Young’s recent Oregonian article about high return investments and Salem investment adviser Kevin Winder.  Winder lost his license for selling promissory notes to clients in businesses in which he had a personal interest. Misrepresenting investments is not a new storyline, but it is uniquely tragic for every new set of victims. You can read the full story here.

Use Caution When Advisors Recommend Alternative Investments With High Return Rates

As a general rule Banks says, “If you can’t sell your investment at will, and you can’t find out its true value on any given day, then you should avoid it. Some private investments are certainly legitimate, but so many of them involve far more risk than the investor understands. Don’t risk it unless you really understand the potential for loss.”

Investor Defender attorney Darlene Pasieczny represent investors in securities industry disputes in FINRA arbitrations across the U.S. The Investor Defenders at Pasieczny Law LLC know the rules, and we fight for our clients in recovering investment losses. Contact us at (503) 358-8292.