Clark Smith Gardner (CRD #2930356, Orem, Utah) was barred by FINRA member for allegedly converting client funds for his own use and benefit. FINRA's findings stated that Gardner's client gave him a check for $243,000 to invest, however Gardner deposited that check into his own personal bank account and did not invest any of the […]

The following summation of information was obtained by Soreide Law Group on FINRA's Website under "Disciplinary and Other Actions, November 2014." Mark Foster (CRD #719105, Pasadena, California) was barred by FINRA for failure to respond to FINRA's requests for information and documents and failure to appear before FINRA and provide on-the-record testimony. The requests from […]

Keith Michael Rogers (CRD #4987615, Huntsville, Alabama) was barred by FINRA for his failure to cooperate with FINRA in an investigation. Rogers did not appear for testimony with FINRA. FINRA's findings stated that the FINRA investigation was into whether Rogers had misappropriated funds by, among other things, improperly diverting funds from the bank accounts of […]

Kenneth William Schulz (CRD #4605235, Tomahawk, Wisconsin) was barred by FINRA for allegedly directing a registered assistant to impersonate Schulz's former clients. The assistant was told to make phone calls to Schulz's former firm and request that the client's accounts be liquidated, then they could invest with Schulz at his new firm. FINRA's findings stated […]

Soreide Law Group recently obtained the following summary of information from FINRA's Website under "Disciplinary and Other Actions, November 2014." William Brian Mulder (CRD #1474998, Tulsa, Oklahoma) was barred by FINRA for failure to provide FINRA with documents and information. FINRA's findings stated that their requests for information were related to their investigation into the […]

Phillip John Bucaro (CRD #2171289, West Chicago, Illinois) was fined $7,500 and suspended by FINRA for four months for allegedly selling unapproved equity-indexed annuities (EIAs) to the clients in his firm and Bucaro receiving approximately $203,000 for those sales. FINRA's findings stated that the firm had an approved EIA list that it allowed its representatives […]

In a recent InvestmentNews article, Bruce Kelly writes that in October broker/dealers suspended sales of RCAP-distributed REITs and Cole REITs after American Realty Capital Properties Inc. (ARCP), a net-lease REIT that is controlled by Nicholas Schorsch, because of a $23 million accounting error over the first six months of the year that was left uncorrected. […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently penalized the Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities and two of its top officials, for market access violations. Wedbush Securities was fined $2.44 million and agreed to retain an independent consultant. Jeffrey Bell, former VP, and Christina Fillhart, senior VP, agreed to pay more than $85,000 in penalties and interest, […]

JOANN JACKSON (CRD# 2246952) a 63 year-old investment advisor from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, pled guilty to wire fraud last week in federal court. Allegedly, Jackson misappropriated over $800,000 from her client's account. The alleged victim had placed all of her investment accounts with Jackson. Jackson has worked as a stockbroker since 1994, and had become […]