Herbert S. “Steve” Fouke, 54, a Lafayette, Louisiana, businessman pleaded guilty Friday, September 6, 2014, to federal fraud charges because of an investment scheme involving $8 million from clients. Fouke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud. Allegedly, Fouke recruited friends and business associates to become […]

Herbert S. “Steve” Fouke, 54, a Lafayette, Louisiana, businessman pleaded guilty Friday, September 6, 2014, to federal fraud charges because of an investment scheme involving $8 million from clients. Fouke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud. Allegedly, Fouke recruited friends and business associates to become […]

Today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Thomas Belesis, owner of independent broker-dealer, John Thomas Financial, and a Houston-based hedge fund manager, with defrauding investors. The SEC said hedge fund manager George R. Jarkesy Jr., worked closely with Mr. Belesis to launch two hedge funds that raised $30 million from investors, and that as […]

Securities Lawyer, Lars Soreide of Soreide Law Group, PLLC, recently announced that he is investigating claims against Linsco Private Ledger (LPL Financial) for investors who have suffered losses by former LPL broker Alberto Neira. The clients of former LPL representative Alberto Neira were solicited to invest in the now defunct Silver Oak Leasing – a […]

In an article, Feb. 7, 2013, in the New York Post, it was reported that (broker-dealer owner), Anastasios “Tommy” Belesis' firm, John Thomas Financial, is being investigated by the FBI, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA). Mr. Belesis has made many media appearances on cable business/financial shows. […]

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc., also known as FINRA, is proposing to tighten its definition of “public” arbitrator. FINRA would like to exclude people associated with a mutual fund or hedge fund from its pool of public arbitrators and require others to wait for two years after ending an industry affiliation before being classified […]

With the stock market crash of 2008-2009 there has been an onslaught of investors filing lawsuits against their stock brokers and brokerage firms for providing them with unsuitable advice. There is a direct inverse correlation with stock index averages and new case filings. In other words, in a down market more cases are filed. Many […]

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) released its 2013 regulatory and examination priorities letter. The annual letter alerts the broker-dealer community to what Finra examiners will be looking for in the coming year. FINRA will continue to watch yield-oriented products this year but FINRA also will be focusing on business development companies (BDCs), exchange-traded […]

The following information is from FINRA’s website under “Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions, January, 2013.” William Earl Manley (CRD #1177744, Registered Representative, Sarasota, Florida) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Manley consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he […]