Recent Blog Posts
Florida Broker Barred After Failure to Cooperate With FINRA Investigation
Mark Andrew Tudor (CRD#: 2842516) is a previously registered securities broker and investment advisor (RIA). From June of 2014 to October of 2018, Mr. Tudor was employed at Raymond James Financial Services in Lake Mary, Florida. Previously, this representative was also associated with Morgan Keegan & Company (Winter Garden, FL) and Wachovia Securities (Orlando,… Read More »
Florida FINRA Arbitration Panel Awards $150,000 to Pair of Investors
On May 3rd, 2019, a FINRA arbitration panel in Tampa, FL awarded a pair of Florida investors $150,000 in compensatory damages (Case Number: 18-02823) after finding a former financial advisor liable for their losses. The respondent in the proceedings was Yosef Y. Fox (CRD#: 2386001), a previously registered securities broker who was barred from… Read More »
Florida Brokerage Firm Suspended from Securities Industry for Failure to Pay Arbitration Award
Crystal Bay Securities Inc. (CRD #142339) is a previously registered brokerage firm. Based in Delray Beach, Florida, Crystal Bay Securities was originally formed in 2006 and was licensed to operate in several U.S. states. In February of 2019, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) cancelled this broker-dealer’s securities license after it failed to pay… Read More »
Florida FINRA Arbitration Panel Awards Investor More than $500,000 in Financial Relief
On April 15th, 2019, a FINRA arbitration panel in Boca Raton, Florida awarded more than $500,000 in financial compensation to an investor. The decision to do so came after finding that a brokerage firm and a financial advisor were both liable for the claimant’s investment losses. Full details regarding this decision can be found… Read More »
SEC: Florida Man Accused of Insider Trading at SeaWorld
On April 9th, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced insider trading charges against Paul B. Powers, a former associate general counsel at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. In a complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the agency alleges that Mr. Bowers accessed non-public financial information… Read More »
Miami, FL Morgan Stanley Broker Barred After Failing to Provide Information to FINRA
Scott J. Donato (CRD#: 2336331) is a former securities broker and registered investment advisor (RIA). He has been licensed for 23 years. From 2009 to 2017, Mr. Donato was employed as a representative of Morgan Stanley, where he was based at a branch office in Miami, Florida. As of March 14th, 2019, Mr. Donato… Read More »
SEC Awards $50 Million to Two Whistleblowers
On March 26th, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced two new whistleblower awards, worth $50 million in total. One of the two whistleblowers was issued an award of $37 million, which is the third largest whistleblower award in the history of the program. Thus far, the SEC has approved 61 whistleblower awards,… Read More »
Florida Financial Advisor Now Barred by FINRA
Christopher Charles Hellman (CRD #6584084) was previously a registered broker and a registered investment advisor. In the early part of 2016, he was employed at FMSBonds in Miami, Florida. From September 2016 to October 2018, he served as a representative of Merrill Lynch in Boca Raton, Florida. Recently, Mr. Hellman was barred by FINRA…. Read More »
Miami Broker Suspended By FINRA for Nine Months; Failure to Supervise
Mauricio De La Torre (2448272) is a previously registered securities broker. Most recently, Mr. De La Torre was employed at Tavira Securities in Miami, FL (2016 to 2017). Prior to that, he was a representative of Global Strategic Investments, LLC (2015 to 2016) and for Dakota Securities International (2014 to 2015). On March 11th,… Read More »
FINRA Arbitration Panel: Brokerage Firm Liable for Losses Sustained in Unsuitable REITs
Recently, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Office of Dispute Resolution announced that a Florida investor was awarded compensation in an arbitration claim that was filed against Ameriprise Financial Services and its representative Carroll Thomas Clark (CRD#: 734524). According to the agency, the investor filed a complaint alleged unsuitable investment losses. Specifically, these losses… Read More »
