Broker-dealers' falling short in due diligence when selling complex, illiquid products has been a focus of FINRA examinations and fines since the market collapse of 2008, writes Bruce Kelly of InvestmentNews.com. FINRA recently fined and sanctioned a handful of broker-dealers that sold two series of private placements that imploded in 2009 — Medical Capital Holdings […]

FINRA Case Number 11-01278, awards $158,250.00 to the defrauded Claimants for the alleged supervisory failures of Harvest Capital, LLC, of Gregg Rennie and his branch office. Rennie is now serving a prison sentence for selling fictitious notes to investors. Since early 2007, Gregg Rennie, the popular radio host and financial advisor, defrauded numerous clients approximately […]

Stephen Nietsch (CRD #3111082, Registered Representative, Boynton Beach, Florida) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity and ordered to pay $20,000, plus interest, in restitution to a customer. The sanctions were based on findings that Nietsch borrowed $20,000 from an elderly customer contrary to his member firm’s procedures prohibiting him from […]

David Marasek (CRD #2866848, Registered Representative, Boca Raton, Florida) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 10 business days. Without admitting or denying the findings, Marasek consented to the described sanctions and to the entry of […]

Patrick Alan Deramus (CRD #1718409, Registered Principal, Tampa, Florida) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for six months. Without admitting or denying the findings, Deramus consented to the described sanctions and to the entry of findings […]

Florida has determined to fight abuse and exploitation by enacting a specific civil cause of action for exploitation, but the Florida action applies to the exploitation of “vulnerable adults.” As a result, the attorney must be prepared to offer testimony on both prongs of the action and prove that his client is both a “vulnerable […]

Brokers have made 354 requests so far in 2012 to expunge information such as details of customer arbitration complaints from records that investors and securities firms use to research brokers' professional histories. During the entire year last year, 2011, the number was 372 expungement requests as stated in a recent Rueters article. According to the […]

Soreide Law Group would like to list some simple tips for investors. It is heartbreaking to hear some of the stories we hear almost on a daily basis. We caution would-be investors with some simple reminders when thinking of investing. Often, people who do not wish to invest in 'risky' products, are put in just […]

Did your broker/dealer sell you, an unaccredited investor, private placements in Breakthrough Ventures? Soreide Law Group is currently investigating claims against the brokers who sold these private placements to clients in the United States and Europe. This private placement may not be suitable for some investors, especially the more conservative investor, not willing to take […]