In a March 12th., 2012, article in InvestmentNews.com, Mark Schoeff, Jr., writes 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. The greatest proportion of that figure was penalties for […]

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 […]

The following information was obtained on FINRA’s website’s ‘Disciplinary Actions, January 2012.”   Tyge Thomas Tuccillo (CRD #3075541, Registered Representative, Venice, 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, Tuccillo consented to the […]

In a February 14th., 2012, article in InvestmentNews.com, Bruce Kelly writes that LPL Financial, LLC, is on the hook for a $1.4 million arbitration awarded to an elderly couple who bought real estate deals. According to the attorney for the plaintiffs, the property investments relied on “tricks” to boost their yields before they collapsed. Heinrich […]

In an article for InvestmentNews.com, on February 1st, 2012, Mark Schoeff Jr. writes that in a market defined by low interest rates, investors are searching for higher returns. But brokers better be careful how they try to deliver those results, according to their primary regulator. In a 16 page letter posted on its website, the Financial Industry […]

The following information is excerpts from the article on the FINRA website.  The fact that a product is “complex” indicates that it presents an additional risk to retail investors because its complexity adds a further dimension to the investment decision process beyond the fundamentals of market forces. This may be the case even though the complexity […]

Alan David Goddard Jr. (CRD #3019681, Registered Representative, Boca Raton, Florida)   has submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $10,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 45 days. This fine must be paid either immediately upon Goddard’s reassociation with a FINRA member […]

In an InvestmentNews.com article by Bruce Kelly, he writes that failed private placements issued by Medical Capital Holdings Inc. and Provident Royalties LLC have forced dozens of broker-dealers to close, be sold or seek bankruptcy protection. Failed real estate tenant-in-common syndicator DBSI Inc. is threatening to have the same result, with DeWaay Financial Network LLC […]

In a November 25, 2011, article in InvestNews.com, Bruce Kelly writes that broker-dealers who sold billions of dollars in allegedly fraudulent private placements failed massively in their due-diligence responsibilities to investors, according to the assessment of forensic accountant and expert witness Gordon Yale, who has worked on more than 50 legal claims brought by investors against […]