Losses From VII Peaks Co-Optivist Income BDC II? Did you invest in VII Peaks Co-Optivist BDC II because of your broker or financial advisor? Apparently, this non-diversified closed-end company, which elects to be treated as a business development company (“BDC”), invests in equity-linked debt securities and discounted corporate debt securities of private and public companies, […]

FINRA Issues Sanctions To Financial West Group's Sara Ng The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) reports troubling allegations of sales practice violations by Financial West Group securities broker Sara Ng (CRD#: 2701165, New York, New York). Not only has FINRA issued Ng a $5,000 fine and a suspension in December 2018 for making misleading and […]

DARIO SUAREZ Losses? Soreide Law Group is investigating possible investor claims against UBS Financial Services securities representative and sales supervisor Dario Suarez (CRD#: 1143417, Ponce, PR). Alarmingly, FINRA BrokerCheck reports 72 investor claims regarding Suarez’s sales practice violations. Investors brought a steadily increasing amount of disputes against Suarez since 2014 regarding unsuitable Puerto Rico bonds. […]

Losses from Rick Konecny? The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) reports troubling disclosures from securities broker Rick Konecny (CRD#: 1727785, Chicago, Illinois). Evidently, the securities broker, who recently worked for J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (July 2013 to April 2016), discloses three regulatory sanctions, including a permanent bar from the securities industry by FINRA, along with […]

STEVEN REZNIK Losses? Soreide Law Group is investigating potential investor claims against Raymond James Financial Services financial advisor Steven Reznik (CRD#: 1067199, Tallahassee, Florida). Namely, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) shows 19 investor disputes on Reznik’s record. Clients’ claims, summarized below, raise questions about whether Reznik, who worked for Raymond James from 1989 until […]

JESSE HOLOVACKO Fraud Conviction Affirmed The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed Merrill Lynch financial advisor Jesse Holovacko’s (CRD#: 5112298, Edison, New Jersey) convictions of 6 counts of wire fraud and 1 count of investment advisor fraud, according to an unpublished Opinion filed July 22, 2019 in U.S.A. v. Jesse Holovacko, […]

STEVE PAGARTANIS Liable For Misrepresenting Investments The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) disclosed on June 26, 2019, that a FINRA Arbitration Panel issued an Award in FINRA Arbitration #: 18-01353, requiring that Cadaret, Grant Co. Inc. securities broker Steven Pagartanis (CRD#: 1955579, Setauket, New York) pay $1,462,000 in compensatory damages to a Cadaret client who […]

BRENDA SMITH Barred By FINRA The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that it barred CV Brokerage Inc. financial and operations principal and securities broker Brenda Smith (CRD#: 4348518, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania). Apparently, Smith, whom CV  Brokerage Inc. disaffiliated with June 14, 2019, executed a Letter of Acceptance, Wavier and Consent (the “AWC”) #: 2017052325901 […]

MICHAEL DAWSON Misrepresent Your Investments? The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) reports troubling allegations against Deutsche Bank Securities broker Michael Dawson (CRD#: 62907, Houston, Texas). Notably, an investor filed a complaint involving the broker, who worked at Deutsche Bank from August 30, 2013 to December 22, 2015. Here’s more about the investor’s claim which suggests […]