It was announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a Wells notice to UBS regarding secondary market trading of closed-end funds sold in Puerto Rico in 2008 and 2009.  USB sold $2.9 billion in bonds in 2008. UBS was a former financial adviser to Puerto Rico's Employees Retirement System that provides pensions for […]

In a September 29, 2011 article in the InvestmentNews.com, Andrew Osterland writes that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed charges against unregistered Long Island investment adviser Corey Ribotsky for allegedly lying about the performance of his investment strategies and stealing more than $1 million from one of the hedge funds he managed. According to the […]

Soreide Law Group, PLLC, is currently investigating the NewTom Group, Inc.,  private placement offered through Rockwell Global Capital.   NewTom Group was marketing a 12% return for the purchase of the NewTom Series A Convertible preferred shares. NewTom Group is the holding company for a chain of restaurants doing business under the name Pomodornio Ristorante […]

In  a September 30th., 2011 article from InvestmentNews.com, Darla Mercado writes that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission today charged a Miami man with fraud  and other allegations, claiming that he ran a phony $3 million commodity pool. It was announced that Oscar Hernandez, and his companies Midway Trading Co. LLC and Conquest Investment Group Inc. are […]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On The Florida Office of Financial Regulation's website it was announced, July 21, 2011, that The Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) issued a final order on May 26, 2011, against investment adviser James Paul Birmingham (“Birmingham”) (CRD # 222511) and his Broward County companies Birmingham Investments and Birmingham Capital Advisors, LLC for […]

In a June 20, 2011, article from Bloomberg News, it was reported that Massachusetts' top securities regulator is suing RBC Capital Markets LLC and one of its former registered representatives over the sale of leveraged exchange-traded funds, saying they sold them to clients who didn't understand how the investments worked. The Massachusetts Secretary of the […]

Recently, a FINRA arbitration panel made a monetary award  in the case of Stone & Youngberg v. Kay Family Revocable Trust, No. 3:11-cv-00198 (N.D. Cal., 6/22/11),  which was appealed by the defense and lost.    This case involved the challenge by a broker-dealer to a $750,000 award to a former customer, who was advised by Stone & […]

In a June 28, 2011, article written by Darla Mercado for InvestmentNews.com, she writes that Finra's variable annuity suitability rule should be old news to broker-dealers, but firms that want to avoid an arbitration land mine ought to review their procedures. This warning came from Andrew A. Favret, associate vice president and regional chief counsel […]