Soreide Law Group obtained the following information from FINRA’s website under, “Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions August 2017:” Cathy Ione Earnest (aka CATHY RUE) (CRD #2606992, Chicago, Illinois) was barred by FINRA for allegedly refusing to produce FINRA-requested information and documents in connection with an investigation into allegations received in a complaint by her member […]

MATTHEW CHRISTOPHER MACZKO (MATHEW MACZKO) CRD#: 1888519 a former Wells Fargo Advisors registered representative, has been barred by  the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA).  Matthew Maczko was allegedly trading excessively in the accounts of an elderly client and then generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions for himself. On February 9th., 2017, Matthew […]

JEROME S. KRAUSE (CRD# 1582647) Alternate Name: JERRY KRAUSE, formerly with First Heartland Capital Inc., must pay $600,000 in damages to an elderly couple after he allegedly took money from them, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA). FINRA stated that Jerome S. Krause’s clients, both in their 80s, claimed Krause used his […]

Former broker DOUGLAS W. STUDER (CRD# 4440047) Alternate Names: DOUG STUDER has been barred recently by FINRA for refusing to appear for on-the-record testimony as requested by FINRA.  Studer was allegedly involved in an investigation into whether he had violated his employing member firm's policy by being named in an elderly client's estate documents to […]

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) filed a complaint August 25th. 2016, against ex-broker, CHRISTOPHER B. ARIOLA (CRD# 2957096) (Alternate Name: CHRISTOPHER BASILE ARIOLA).  Allegedly while working for Bay Mutual Financial, of Santa Monica, California, Ariola recommended that three elderly retirees invest a substantial portion of their retirement savings in gold and energy stocks […]

Soreide Law Group (888-760-6552) obtained the following information from FINRA’s website under, “Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions, July 2016.” Miguel Angel Hernandez (CRD #4733002, El Paso, Texas) was barred by FINRA for allegedly obtaining $25,000 in cash from an elderly client under false pretenses and converted those funds for personal use. FINRA’s findings stated that […]

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) began a Securities Helpline for Seniors one year ago, and since then more than $1.25 million in reimbursements have gone back to the clients because the regulator raised the issues to the firms, according to Susan Axelrod, FINRA’s executive vice president of regulatory operations. “I have to commend firms that […]

RICHARD W. OHRN (CRD# 5106991) Boca Raton was barred by FINRA over a complaint filed against Ohrn for the theft of $15,250 from two elderly clients’ accounts. Ohrn neither admitted to or denied FINRA's findings. Allegedly Ohrn also forged the signatures of four firm clients according to FINRA and changed the addresses of these clients […]

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that Avenir Financial Group, a New York-based broker-dealer, its CEO Michael Clements, and registered representative Karim Ibrahim (aka Chris Allen) consented to an order halting further fraudulent sales of equity interests in the firm and promissory notes pending a hearing on fraud charges relating to the same offerings. […]