The following information is from FINRA’s website under “Disciplinary Actions, March, 2012:"   Sergio M. Ripamonti (CRD #2786045, Registered Representative, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida)   submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Ripamonti consented […]

The following information is from FINRA’s website under “Disciplinary Actions, March, 2012:   Scott David Mason (CRD #3270983, Registered Principal, Debary, Florida)   submitted an Offer of Settlement in which he was suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 18 months and required to requalify by examination prior to associating with […]

In a March 30, 2012, article from InvestmentNews.com, Bruce Kelly writes that another major nontraded real estate investment trust has seen a sharp drop in its value — but is also stopping paying distributions to investors. The KBS Real Estate Investment Trust Inc., or KBS REIT I, told investors Monday it was cutting the value […]

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ARTICLE FROM THE SEC'S WEBSITE: "The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that the United States District Court for the District of Colorado entered an Order amending a February 11, 2011 Final Judgment wherein Greenberg, without admitting or denying the Commission’s allegations, consented to the entry of a Final Judgment […]

The following article appeared on the SEC's website: "The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on February 2, 2012, United States District Judge William C. Caldwell of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania entered an order imposing a $2,500,000 civil penalty jointly and severally against defendants Robert Glenn Bard and […]

The following information is from FINRA's website under "Disciplinary Actions, March, 2012:   Spartan Securities Group, LTD (CRD #104478, Clearwater, Florida)   submitted a Letterof Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which the firm was censured, fined $52,500 and required to revise its WSPs regarding its supervisory system, procedures and qualifications;order handling; best execution; anti-intimidation/coordination; trade […]

The following information was obtained on FINRA’s website’s ‘Disciplinary Actions, March, 2012.”   Council (NAC) imposed the sanctions following appeal of an Office of Hearing Officers (OHO) decision. The sanctions were based on findings that Beloyan, acting on the firm’s behalf, drafted and distributed emails in which he recommended the purchase of securities, and those recommendations […]

The financial industry has been anticipating this time in history ever since the Baby Boom generation began. There are more people who will be turning more money over to stockbrokers than at any other time in history.  We have watched the abuse investors have taken. Take for example, the investors in Worldcom or Enron. They soon learned that things are […]

  In a recent New York times article, Greg Smith writes about his experience with Goldman Sachs as an executive director and head of the firm’s United States equity derivatives business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Here are some excerpts from his article that highlight Goldman Sachs intention to make money off their clients […]