New York Securities Fraud Lawyers Blog

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EMPLOYEE RECOVERY $2M FOR A WHISTLEBLOWING TRADER

INVESTOR RECOVERY $7.2+M FOR PONZI SCHEME VICTIMS

INVESTOR RECOVERY $3.9M FOR TAX SHELTER FRAUD VICTIMS

BROKER PONZI SCHEME $7.4 MILLION

FAILURE TO SUPERVISE $4+ MILLION

BROKERAGE THEFT $3.8 MILLION

PONZI AT MAJOR FIRM $4+ MILLION

FAILED PRODUCT 28 EXPUNGEMENTS

WHISTLEBLOWER AWARD MAX 30% BOUNTY

NO ACTION INSIDER TRADING CASE

NO ACTION EMBEZZLEMENT CASE

NO ACTION MARKET MANIPULATION

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New York Securities Fraud Lawyers Blog

Is Your Broker Or Investment Advisor Giving You The Real Picture About Bonds and Fixed Income Investments?

August 4, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

In the recent years, we witnessed a sharp decline in Puerto Rican municipal bond prices and related assets, resulting in an upsurge in FINRA claims, arbitrations and awards. This has revealed new insights into the bond market and we anticipate a wave of FINRA Arbitration cases linked to bonds and fixed income asset classes.

After the recession in 2008, there has been a massive movement away from equities towards the seemingly less-risky and volatile asset class of bonds, creating a spike in demand for U.S. treasuries, corporate and municipal bonds. More than $1 trillion has flowed into the U.S. bond market since 2008.

Bonds are sensitive to interest rates and it’s pricing inversely proportional to interest rates. Fed has explicitly stated their intent to hike interest rates going forward, therefore, a fall in bond prices can be reasonably anticipated. Rising interest rates will result in losses for bond investors, most immediate effect being paper losses, and the inability to sell those bonds without incurring actual losses for a long time. Majority of the impact will be felt by longer term bond investors with 10 years or more to maturity and by non-treasury bond holders that tend to fall faster as rates rise.

BROKER REPORT: Financial Advisor Michael A. Margiotta

August 3, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The securities fraud attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from investors who have complaints against stockbroker Michael Margiotta. Mr. Margiotta has been employed and registered since June 2015 with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., a broker-dealer, according to his publicly available BrokerCheck, as maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Per his BrokerCheck report, prior to his employment Merrill Lynch, Mr. Margiotta was employed by UBS Financial Services Inc. from October 2008 to June 2015, and with Citigroup Global Markets Inc. from December 2003 to November 2008, as well as other prior firms.

Mr. Margiotta’s BrokerCheck report indicates that he has received two customer complaints. The first complaint received by Mr. Margiotta involved allegations that he purchased securities that were unsuitable for the investor and sought damages of $1 million, according to the BrokerCheck report. That complaint resulted in a settlement to the investor of $355,000 to the investor the BrokerCheck report details. The second complaint received by Mr. Margiotta alleged unsuitability and that the broker informed the client “oil had bottomed out for sure prompting [the investor] to purchase securities which plummeted,” according to BrokerCheck records.

FINRA Announces Complaint Filed Against Hank Mark Werner Alleging Churning of Elderly and Blind Client’s Account

August 1, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today a complaint filed against Hank Marker Werner for allegations including securities fraud for churning the account of a senior-aged blind widow customer and for making excessive and unsuitable trading recommendations in a News Release.

According to his publicly available BrokerCheck report records maintained by FINRA, Mr. Werner was employed and licensed by Legend Securities, Inc. from December 2012 to March 2016. Prior to working at Legend Securities, Inc., he was employed by Liberty Partners Financial Services, LLC from July to December 2012, Brookstone Securities, Inc. from March 2011 to June 2012, and Alexander Capital, LP from November 2009 to March 2011, per Mr. Werner’s BrokerCheck report.

FINRA’s News Release detailed that Mr. Werner allegedly engaged in a deceptive and fraudulent scheme by churning the elderly client’s over the course of three years “to maximize his compensation by charging more than $243,000 in commissions, while causing the customer approximately $184,000 in net losses.” The News Release also stated:

BROKER REPORT: Rocco Guidicipietro

July 29, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The investment and securities fraud attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from investors who have complaints regarding Alexander Capital LP financial advisor Rocco Guidicipietro.

According to his BrokerCheck report maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), Mr. Guidicipietro was most recently with Legend Securities and JP Turner prior to that.

Mr. Guidicipietro has at least four reportable disclosures on his FINRA record, including three customer disputes and a regulatory event.

BROKER REPORT: Financial Advisor Alexander P. Brown III

July 28, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The securities fraud attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from investors who have complaints against stockbroker Alexander P. Brown III. Mr. Brown is currently employed and registered with Capital Portfolio Management, Inc. and works at the broker-dealer’s Timonium, Maryland office, according to his publicly available BrokerCheck records maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Per his BrokerCheck report, Mr. Brown was previously employed and registered by Chapin, Davis from April 2008 to November 2015, a Baltimore, Maryland firm, and was discharged from that firm for “failure to follow written supervisory procedures for marking an account as deceased.” Prior to working at Chapin, Davis, Mr. Brown was employed and registered by Ferris, Baker Watts Incorporated from 2003 to 2008, also out of Baltimore, Maryland, according to his BrokerCheck report.

According to his BrokerCheck report, Mr. Brown was sanctioned in 2016 by the Maryland Securities Division and could not maintain discretionary accounts or serve in a supervisory capacity because he “continued to trade in discretionary account after client deceased while awaiting paperwork to retitle account.”

BROKER REPORT: Aegis’ Robert Guidicipietro

July 27, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The investment and securities fraud attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from investors who have complaints regarding Aegis Capital Corp. financial advisor Robert Guidicipietro.

According to his BrokerCheck report maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), Mr. Guidicipietro was most recently with JP Turner and Obsidian Financial prior to moving to Aegis Capital in 2012. According to industry records, Obsidian was expelled by FINRA in 2013, not long after Mr. Guidicipietro left the firm.

Mr. Guidicipietro has at least nine reportable disclosures on his FINRA record, including a civil judgment/lien, multiple customer disputes, multiple regulatory events and an “employment separation after allegations.”

Broker Report: Steven Syslo

July 26, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from customers of Steven Syslo who were recommended investments in SandRidge Energy, Inc. as a safe investment, or suitable for conservative investors. Mr. Syslo was employed by Morgan Stanley from June 2009 to June 2016, according to his publicly available BrokerCheck report maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). As disclosed in his BrokerCheck report, Mr. Syslo is currently employed by UBS Financial Services, Inc.

In July 2011, SandRidge Energy, Inc. traded at around $12 per share. The company announced that it was filing for bankruptcy protection on May 16, 2016, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. According to the article, SandRidge Energy is an Oklahoma City-based driller, and is the latest oil and gas company to file for bankruptcy in 2016. Now, the company’s stock trades for pennies, and it is the company’s stockholders, including individual investors, who may be feeling the effects of substantial losses in their portfolios.

Broker-dealer firms such as Morgan Stanley are obligated by the securities laws and industry rules to ensure that recommended investments are suitable for each investor. Brokers must consider each investor’s age, tax status, net worth, investment experience and risk tolerance, among other factors. Investments in commodities such as oil and gas companies are generally considered to be risky investments. If investors were seeking conservative, stable investments, but were recommended oil and gas stocks or limited partnership interests, they may have claims for damages for unsuitable investments.

BROKER REPORT: Anthony Manougian

July 25, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The investment and securities fraud attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from investors who have complaints regarding Oppenheimer & Co. financial advisor Anthony Manougian. According to his BrokerCheck report maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), Mr. Manougian left Morgan Stanley Smith Barney “after allegations.”

In 2012, Mr. Manougian was recently the subject of an employment separation after allegations, per FINRA records. BrokerCheck indicates that there were “concerns regarding FA’s conduct and status as beneficiary in connection with a client estate.”

Mr. Manougian has also reportedly been the subject of two customer disputes, which were denied, per the Broker Comment on Mr. Manougian’s BrokerCheck.

BROKER REPORT: Financial Advisor Barry D. Abrams

July 22, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

The securities fraud attorneys at Malecki Law are interested in hearing from investors who have complaints against stockbroker Barry D. Abrams. Mr. Abrams is currently employed and registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., and works at the broker-dealer’s Marlton, New Jersey office, according to his publicly available BrokerCheck records maintained by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Per his BrokerCheck report, Mr. Abrams was previously employed and registered by Securities Service Network, Inc. from 2001 to 2013 and was discharged from that firm for “exercise[ing] discretion in a client account without written authorization from the client and without firm approval.” Prior to his employment and dismissal from Securities Service Network, Inc., Mr. Abrams was employed and registered with Morgan Stanley from 1995 to 2001, according to BrokerCheck records.

In 2015, Mr. Abrams was fined and suspended from association with any FINRA member broker-dealer for 15 business days by FINRA, after submitting a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent No. 2013039371801 (AWC). According to the AWC, Mr. Abrams violated NASD Conduct Rule 2510(b) (Discretionary Accounts) and FINRA Rule 2010 (Standards of Commercial Honor and Principles of Trade) by placing discretionary transactions in a customer’s account without first obtaining prior written authorization from the customer and acceptance by the firm for such discretionary trading.

Jenice L. Malecki to Address the Securities Experts Roundtable This Weekend

July 22, 2016 | Malecki Law Team

Securities Experts Roundtable (SER) is hosting its 24th Annual Conference and Membership Meeting on July 22 and July 23 at a private and exclusive destination, The Union League Club. Ms. Malecki will participate in two of their panels “The FINRA Resolution Taskforce Report After Seven Months: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going” and “The Graying of America- Suitability and Supervision for Senior Investors”.

Ms. Malecki frequently meets with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to discuss issues related to investor protection, supervision for elderly investors, and suitability. She also speaks at educational events and conferences.

Other panelists and speakers at the SER comprise of luminaries in securities and investment litigation, law professors, members of FINRA, and FBI white-collar crime experts. The conference provides an in-depth view and presentation on securities litigation. SER has 90+ experienced experts in securities and investment consulting, wealth management, investment banking, litigation and arbitration, and more.