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 ARTICLE WAS OBTAINED FROM THE SEC'S WEBSITE: "On March 1, 2012, a federal judge ordered the former CEO of Brookstreet Securities Corp. to pay a maximum $10 million penalty in a securities fraud case related to the financial crisis. In December of 2009, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil injunctive […]

If your stockbroker over concentrated your portfolio in Thornburgh stock, you should be aware that this article was posted on the SEC's website: "On March 13, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed securities fraud charges in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico against Larry Goldstone, the former chief executive […]

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 […]

In an article from InvestmentNews.com, we learn that enforcement actions and fines by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc., or Finra,  jumped sharply in 2011, with the latter rising to $68 million, from $45 million in 2010, a new study shows. Much of that surge came from penalties for improper advertising. Finra filed 1,488 disciplinary […]

The Soreide Law Group is investigating claims on behalf of investors purchasing UBS Yield Optimization Notes. UBS’ Yield Optimization Notes are also known as reverse convertibles. Reverse convertibles are esoteric structured products based upon the performance of a short put option, or derivative. Reverse convertibles are attractive to investors seeking income because of the above […]

WASHINGTON — In a February article in The Bond Buyer, Jonathan Hemmerdinger writes that a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel ordered Memphis-based Morgan Keegan & Co. to pay a Birmingham investor $1.95 million for misrepresenting that the Jefferson County, Ala., sewer bonds he purchased were safe, liquid and tax-free investments. These bonds were actually […]

The following information was obtained on FINRA’s website’s ‘Disciplinary Actions, February 2012.”   Neal Seth Smalbach (CRD #1459854, Registered Principal, Palm Harbor, Florida)   submitted an Offer of Settlement in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity.   Without admitting or denying the allegations, Smalbach consented to the described […]