Ernesto Chavez (CRD: 4315877) faces a new pending claim on BrokerCheck over an investment made in 2018. The customer alleges $180,000 in damages, and no arbitrator has ruled on the claim.
Brian James Pavelko [CRD: 6347352, McAdoo, Pennsylvania] was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities, according to FINRA's Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions report for September 2026. The entry states that Pavelko appealed an OHO decision to the NAC in which he had been barred for failing to provide certain information and documents requested by FINRA. The action is dated July 10, 2026, per the report.
According to the report, FINRA was investigating Pavelko's involvement in private placement offerings when it received copies of his state and federal tax returns for the years 2020 and 2021 and his bank account statements. FINRA states that the information in those documents led it to open a new investigation because the records showed Pavelko had received pandemic-related unemployment compensation from the New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Unemployment Insurance, while he was working at and receiving compensation from a member firm and while also receiving compensation from an outside business activity.
The report states that Pavelko later confirmed he applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance from NJDUI and that NJDUI approved his application. According to the report, Pavelko received approximately $37,000 in PUA benefits between May 2020 and September 2021. During the same period, per the report, Pavelko received compensation totaling approximately $54,000 in connection with his work for the firm and the outside business activity.
The report states that the information from Pavelko's tax returns and bank statements raised the question of what he had told New Jersey authorities about his securities industry work and compensation in his PUA application and in any subsequent submissions related to his benefits. FINRA wanted to determine whether Pavelko had made material misrepresentations or omissions in that application about his employment with, and income from, the firm and the outside business activity, according to the report. FINRA also became concerned that Pavelko may have provided ongoing misrepresentations about his securities industry compensation when he regularly checked in with NJDUI, per the report.
The report states that if Pavelko did make such misstatements about his securities business and compensation for the purpose of obtaining pandemic-related unemployment compensation that he may not have been entitled to receive, FINRA considered that such misconduct would be a violation of its ethical conduct rule.
According to the report, Pavelko later gave sworn testimony in an on-the-record interview about his application for pandemic-related unemployment compensation and his efforts to obtain a copy of his application to provide to FINRA. The investigation expanded to address whether he gave false testimony at that interview, per the report. FINRA considered false testimony to be a violation of its ethical conduct rule, according to the report.
According to the report, both the inquiry into what Pavelko told New Jersey authorities about his securities business and compensation and the inquiry into whether he gave false testimony were part of the investigation described above.
The report states that Pavelko appealed an OHO decision to the NAC in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for failing to provide certain information and documents requested by FINRA. The action is recorded as dated July 10, 2026.
If you have questions about an account handled by Brian Pavelko, you can contact Soreide Law Group at (888) 760-6552 or online to speak with a securities attorney. Our securities lawyers handle FINRA arbitration claims on a contingency fee basis. Learn how FINRA arbitration works.
This post summarizes public records published by FINRA, including BrokerCheck, as of September 26, 2026. Findings in a FINRA Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent are made in a settlement in which the respondent neither admits nor denies them. The records may be updated or corrected after this date.
Ernesto Chavez (CRD: 4315877) faces a new pending claim on BrokerCheck over an investment made in 2018. The customer alleges $180,000 in damages, and no arbitrator has ruled on the claim.
William Tunink (CRD: 2738224) settled a customer claim for $299,000 on August 11, 2026, according to his BrokerCheck report. The customer alleged that he obtained loans from the customer, and that some of the money went into an investment.
Tony Barouti (CRD: 3031995) faces a pending $230,400 customer claim, according to his BrokerCheck report. He says the allegations in it are false. His report also lists SEC administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings from August 2025.
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