Thomas Edward Kelly (CRD #1386403, Registered Principal, Johnson City, New York) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Kelly consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he engaged in a scheme to defraud investors, including firm customers, of funds totaling […]

In a press-release dated July 2nd, 2012, from their website, The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced a pilot program specifically designed for large arbitration cases for claims of $10 million or more. This program enables parties to customize the administrative process to better suit special needs of the larger case and allows them to bypass certain FINRA […]

  Sean K. Hannon (CRD #4296260, Registered Representative, Cary, North Carolina)   has submitted an Offer of Settlement in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Hannan, without admitting or denying FINRA's allegations, consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide investigative […]

Soreide Law Group, PLLC, has begun investigating potential claims against Money Concepts Capital Corp. and broker, Gurudeo "Buddy" Persaud. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a former broker in Orlando, Fla., who defrauded investors in an astrology-based Ponzi scheme. The SEC alleges that Gurudeo “Buddy” Persaud lured family, friends, and others into investing in his firm, White Elephant Trading […]

  Thomas Brown Hammond (CRD #2389080, Registered Representative, Fair Oaks, California) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity.  Hammond consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he solicited both his brokerage firm customers and customers of his consulting business to invest funds in a fictitious private […]

FINRA announced Thursday that Bank of America Merrill Lynch was fined $2.8 million  for supervisory lapses that led to its overcharging customers $32 million for the past eight years. According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) and the Bank of America Corp., Merrill Lynch has repaid 95,000 customers who were charged unwarranted fees due to computer coding issues […]

John Herman Fick (CRD #4197483, Registered Representative, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina) was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 18 months. This fine must be paid either upon Fick’s reassociation with a FINRA member firm after his suspension, or before the filing of any application or request for relief from any statutory […]

  Gary Lee Cousino (CRD #726486, Registered Representative, Mackinac Island, Michigan)   has been barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Cousino consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to respond to FINRA requests for information regarding its investigation of […]

  James Thomas Corne (CRD #4184489, Registered Representative, Duncan, South Carolina)   fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for three months.  Without admitting or denying the findings, Corne consented to the described sanctions and to the entry of findings that he falsified customers’ signatures on various securities and non-securities-related […]