Recent Blog Posts
SEC Adds Miami, FL Company to PAUSE Database; Entity Accused of Soliciting Investors Using Misleading Information
On October 31st, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the addition of 16 unregistered companies and investment entities the official Unregistered Soliciting Entities (PAUSE) list. This database is provided free to the public, as a tool for investors to help them protect themselves from fraud. Companies and investment entities can be added… Read More »
Miami Broker Fined, Suspended for ‘Quantitatively’ Unsuitable Trades
Akhil Morada (CRD #4859707) is a previously registered FINRA broker. From July 2016 to December 2016, Mr. Morada was employed at Primex based in Miami, Florida. Prior to that, this broker was associated with Newbridge Securities Corporation in Boca Raton (2015 to 2016) and E.J. Sterling in Miami (2014 to 2015). Recently, former securities… Read More »
South Florida Broker Barred By FINRA; Accused of Falsifying Documents
Wilfred Rodriguez Jr. (CRD#: 2504369) served as a registered representative of Wells Fargo Clearing Services from July of 2003 to August of 2018. During his time at the firm, Mr. Rodriguez Jr. was based out of a branch office in Boca Raton, Florida. On August 1st, 2018, Wells Fargo filed a Uniform Termination Notice,… Read More »
Florida Arbitration Panel Awards Investor $210,000
On October 3rd, 2018, a FINRA Arbitration Panel in Tampa, Florida awarded $210,000 in financial compensation to an investor who filed a negligence claim. The securities fraud case was filed against Caldwell International Securities (CRD#: 104323) and two of its former brokers: Sean Francis Lanci (CRD#: 4180997) and Dominic Paul Rota (CRD#: 4886731). Notably,… Read More »
SEC Charges Company, CEO for Selling Unregistered Securities Through EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
On September 21st, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced an $11.5 million settlement with an Illinois-based company, CMB Export LLC, its Chief Executive Officer Patrick Hogan, and 37 related limited partnerships. This settlement was reached in order to resolve charges related to unregistered securities that were improperly sold to foreign investors who… Read More »
South Florida Broker Suspended for Negligent Supervision
Jose Luis Leon (CRD#: 1789460) served as a registered broker at BAC Florida Investments from 1988 to 2017. During this time, Mr. Leon was based out of a branch office in Coral Gables, Florida. On September 19th, 2018, Jose Luis Leon was suspended from the securities industry for six months and fined $10,000 for… Read More »
SEC Charges Several South Florida Residents in Penny Stock Fraud Scheme
On September 7th, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced fraud charges against ten different individuals in relation to a penny stock fraud scheme. The charges were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of the New York. According to the SEC’s complaint, the ten individuals were implicated in… Read More »
SEC Charges Florida Resident With Securities Fraud
On September 10th, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced securities fraud charges against a former Miami Beach, Florida broker named Emil Botvinnik. In the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, the SEC charged Mr. Botvinnik (CRD#: 4359481) in a multi-million dollar excessive trading (churning) scheme. The alleged… Read More »
SEC Awards Nearly $55 Million to Two Whistleblowers
On September 6th, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced two new whistleblower awards. One SEC whistleblower was awarded $15 million for disclosures, and another was awarded more than $39 million — that being the second largest award in the history of the program. At Carlson & Associates, P.A., our Miami SEC whistleblower… Read More »
SEC Files Bond Fraud Charges Against South Florida Company
On August 14th, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced investment fraud charges against two companies and eighteen different individuals. One of the investment firms, Core Management Performance, LLC (CPM), is based in Boca Raton, Florida, and was operated by four South Florida individuals: James Scherr of Boca Raton, FL; Deborah Dora of… Read More »
