In a California appeals court ruling that makes it easier for brokers to expunge customer complaints and disciplinary actions from their records, many feel it could have far-reaching implications for brokers everywhere, writes Dan Jamieson in an August 31st. article from InvestmentNews.com. In an Aug. 23, 2012, decision, the California Court of Appeal for the […]

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted yesterday to allow the issuers of private securities, such as hedge funds, to advertise their offerings and make solicitations to the public writes Dan Jamieson for InvestmentNews.com. This rule change is mandated under the "Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act." Solicitation and advertising of private offerings, which would include […]

Did you buy the Tsunami Lake Shore Integrated Fund, LLC, (“Tsunami Investments”) and other structured products from William John Anderson’s? Anderson may have recommended an investment in Tsunami Lake Integrated Fund, LLC, which was pursued by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a fraudulent investment scam. William John Anderson is a broker with Morgan […]

On the SEC's website they write that under the Securities Act of 1933, any offer to sell securities must be registered with the SEC or meet an exemption. Regulation D (or Reg D) contains three rules providing exemptions from the registration requirements. While companies using a Reg D exemption do not have to register their […]

On the website of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), it was announced August 23, 2012, that FINRA fined Rodman & Renshaw LLC $315,000 for supervisory and other violations relating to the interaction between the firm's research and investment banking functions. Rodman's former CCO, William A. Iommi Sr., was fined $15,000, suspended from acting in […]

Recently, InvestmentNews.com did an analysis of eight of the largest nontraded real estate investment trusts (REITs). They found that these REITs have lost $11.3 billion, or 37% of their equity value, over the past seven years. On August 14th., CNL Lifestyle Properties Inc., which initially raised $2.7 billion at $10 a share, became the latest […]

Valerie Helen Silverstein (CRD #1413711, Registered Representative, Coconut Creek, Florida) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying FINRA's findings, Silverstein consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that she had a pre-existing relationship with an individual when he became a customer of her […]

Alejandro C. Rotundo (CRD #4627887, Registered Representative, Miami, Florida) was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 30 business days. Without admitting or denying FINRA's findings, Rotundo consented to the described sanctions and to the entry of findings that he executed option trades in a customer’s account without […]

William Thomas Johnson Jr. (CRD #1189117, Registered Representative, North Palm Beach, Florida) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Johnson consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he received approximately $47,000 from a customer after Johnson made the representation, which […]