Recent Blog Posts
FINRA Fines Florida Broker $5,000 And Suspends Him For 45 Days For Undisclosed Outside Business Activities
Athanasios Tomaras (CRD#: 2722538) is a securities broker and registered investment adviser. From November of 2012 through July of 2016, Mr. Tomaras was associated with Fulcrum Advisory Services, LLC in Oldsmar, Florida. Currently, he works as a representative of R. F. Lafferty & Co. Recently, FINRA suspended this broker for 45 days and fined… Read More »
SEC Charges Florida Payday Lender, CEO In Relation To $66 Million Fraud Scheme
On September 27th, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced investment fraud charges against Sky Group USA LLC—a Miami, FL-based payday lending business—and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Efrain Betancourt, Jr. The company and its lead executive are implicated in a $66 million fraud scheme. Below, our Miami investment fraud lawyers provide a… Read More »
SEC Litigation Update: Enforcement Action Against Penny Stock Fraud Promoter In Florida
On September 1st, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released an official update in a Florida penny stock fraud case. Alexander Kon, a penny stock promoter from Overland Park, Kansas, is facing proposed enforcement action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Mr. Kon is accused of violating… Read More »
With A $110 Million Award, SEC Passes $1 Billion In Total Whistleblower Compensation
On September 15th, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced two new whistleblower awards—a $110 million award and a $4 million award, both connected to the same underlying enforcement action. With the latest awards, the SEC has now approved more than $1 billion in whistleblower compensation. Notably, nearly half of the compensation paid… Read More »
Florida Broker Barred For Failure To Cooperate With Investigation Into Alleged “Churning”
Nathan Gersteen Katz (CRD #846475) is a previously registered FINRA broker and investment adviser. From June of 2001 to August of 2018, Mr. Katz was a representative of Triad Advisors LLC in Largo, Florida. After that, he served as an investment adviser for American Independent Securities Group LLC from October of 2018 to January… Read More »
FINRA Complaint: Florida Broker Engaged In Improper Outside Business Activities
Jorge Antonio Netto (CRD#: 2432661) is an actively registered FINRA broker. Since April of 2017, Mr. Netto has served as a representative for Boreal Capital Securities LLC in Miami, FL. Previously, he was associated with Northeast Securities Inc. in Coral Gables, FL (2014 to 2017). On August 13th, 2021, FINRA filed a complaint against… Read More »
SEC Charges Florida Executive, Two Companies In Ponzi Scheme Case
On August 13th, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced securities fraud charges against Johanna M. Garcia of Broward County, Florida. She stands accused of operating a Ponzi scheme through two companies she owned: MJ Capital Funding LLC; and MJ Taxes and More Inc. The SEC contends that Ms. Garcia raised at least… Read More »
SEC Charges Two Florida Executives In Relation To Fraudulent $30 Million Securities Offering
On August 6th, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially announced securities fraud charges against two Florida executives and a company based in the Cayman Islands. Federal regulators filed charges against Gregory Keough, Derek Acree, and Blockchain Credit Partners. Below, our Miami investment fraud lawyers discuss the allegations raised in the SEC’s complaint…. Read More »
SEC Litigation Release: Florida Jury Broker-Dealer Liable In Securities Fraud Case
On July 30th, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that a Florida jury found Spartan Securities Group, LTD., another firm, and two individuals legally liable in a securities fraud case (Litigation Release No. 25156). The court will not be tasked with determining the appropriate sanctions/penalties. In this blog post, our Miami investment… Read More »
Miami Beach, FL Broker Barred For Failure To Cooperate Into Investigation Into Private Securities Transactions
Candido Jose Viyella (CRD #1829255) is a formerly registered securities broker and financial professional. From June of 2009 through December of 2020, Mr. Viyella was a registered representative of Morgan Stanley in Miami, Florida. In May of 2021, this broker was barred from the securities industry after declining to cooperate with a FINRA inquiry… Read More »
