Securities America Client Brings Lawsuit Over Jaime Westenbarger's Purported Negligence Investor Alert! Clients of securities broker Jaime Michael Westenbarger (CRD#: 4625703, Grand Rapids, Michigan) have sued because of Westenbarger’s sales practices. Notably, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) shows that a whopping 8 investors brought disputes about the securities broker, who worked for firms including First […]

Private Offerings and REITs May Not Be Worth What You Paid IS YOUR BROKER LYING TO YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE INVESTMENTS THEY SOLD? Brokers will always list the stated value from the sponsor of most REITS and private offerings they sold you since they don’t freely trade on any market. What most clients […]

Colony Credit Real Estate (NYSE: CLNC) Losses? Soreide Law Group is reviewing possible claims of unsuitability against brokers on behalf of investors who purchased Colony Credit Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: CLNC) because of their broker’s recommendations. CLNC is a commercial real estate credit real estate investment trust. It focuses on origination, acquisition, finance, and management […]

Customers Contend Jaime Michael Westenbarger Sold Unsuitable Products Jaime Michael Westenbarger (CRD#: 4625703, Grand Rapids, Michigan) is a Securities America, Inc. registered representative who has disclosed on his Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) BrokerCheck Report that customers have complained about his sales practices. The following customers have lodged customer-initiated investment-related disputes concerning, among other things, […]

Soreide Law Group, a Securities Arbitration Law Firm, (888) 760-6552, obtained the following information on FINRA’s website under “Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions, July, 2013.” Debra Kay Littlefield (CRD #2312877, Registered Representative, Inman, South Carolina) was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for two months. Without admitting or […]

FINRA recently issued a notice providing guidance to its members on communications with the public regarding unlisted real estate investment programs, (REITs) and real estate direct participation programs. Disclosure: Firm communications containing descriptions of a real estate program must be consistent with the program’s current prospectus and must not imply an investment in the program […]

William Galvin, the secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, today announced settlements with five leading independent broker/dealers to make $8.6 million in restitution to investors and pay fines totaling $975,000 for the sales of nontraded real estate investment trusts (REITs). These five firms are: Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., with $2.6 million in restitution and a […]

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc., is alerting broker-dealers to a number of shortcomings in how they communicate with investors about non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs). According to FINRA, broker-dealers are falling short in a some areas, including distributing materials that contain misleading and inaccurate statements about the potentials of investing in illiquid […]

In an article in the Wall Street Journal, Feb. 11, 2013, Matthew Heimer writes that ever since the Federal Reserve started pushing interest rates to new lows, it’s been a common theme for retirees and other conservative investors accepting more risk to get a decent income from their portfolios. Last week LPL Financial Holdings agreed […]