Category Archives: Investment Fraud
Barred Florida Broker Was Selling Loans for Woodbridge Wealth
Barry Michael Kornfield (CRD#: 1490377), a registered broker who was most recently employed by Brookstreet Securities Corporation at an office in Coral Springs, Florida, was permanently barred from the securities industry in 2010. This FINRA enforcement action came after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Mr. Kornfield, and nine other brokers, with fraud… Read More »
Florida Broker Fined, Suspended for Unreported Private Securities Transactions
Recently, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that it was issuing a $10,000 fine and a three-month suspension against registered securities broker Gabriel William Hynes (CRD #3152541). Mr. Hynes was most recently employed at NYLIFE Securities LLC, and he worked out of a branch that was located in St. Augustine, Florida. According to… Read More »
Miami Broker Who Falsified Account Statements Barred From the Securities Industry
Recently, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) reported that registered broker Lorenzo C. Esteva (CRD#: 2170595) has been permanently barred from the securities industry. Mr. Esteva was most recently employed at the Miami office of Merrill Lynch (1991-2015) and the Miami office of UBS Financial Services (2015-2017). In the past two years, at least… Read More »
Broker Suspended for Recommending Unsuitable Investments to Elderly Florida Investor
On October 7th, 2017, FINRA’s Department of Enforcement announced sanctions against registered securities broker Walter Marino (CRD#: 2121623). While not admitting to any of the misconduct, Mr. Marino consented to the penalties, which included a one-year suspension from the securities industry. According to FINRA investigators, Mr. Marino negligently recommended wholly unsuitable investments to one… Read More »
SEC Announces Charges Against Businessman and Two Companies in ICO Scam
On September 29th, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced investment fraud charges against Maksim Zaslavskiy. According to federal investigators, Mr. Zaslavskiy, through two companies that he controlled, fraudulently sold unregistered securities to unsuspecting investors. This case is notable as it involved initial coin offerings (ICOs), a new type of securities product backed… Read More »
SEC Uncovers Concert Ticket Investment Scam
On September 6th, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Craig Carton, a prominent sports radio host from New York City, with investment fraud. According to the agency, Mr. Carton, along with his co-conspirator, Joseph Meli, stole millions of dollars from innocent investors. The SEC alleges that this the duo used a complex… Read More »
Florida Broker Suspended for Unsuitable Investment Recommendations
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently announced that Daniel Joseph Hushek III (CRD #4250117), a registered broker based in Sarasota, Florida, has been suspended from the securities industry for a period of fifteen months. According to investigators, Mr. Hushek failed to adequately supervise a representative who was recommending unsuitable investments to clients. Full… Read More »
SEC Announces Two More Whistleblower Awards
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced two more whistleblower awards. These mark the 45th and 46th SEC whistleblower payouts, bringing the total amount of money awarded to over $158 million. On July 25th, the agency awarded $2.5 million to a government employee. This individual was able to provide securities industry officials with… Read More »
South Florida Financial Advisor Pushed Clients Into Unsuitable Investments
Christopher Robert Hickman (CRD No. 3267599), a general securities broker from Delray Beach, Florida, has been suspended from the industry for five months, fined $5,000 and ordered to pay more than $115,000 in financial restitution to six different investors. Without admitting to or denying any wrongdoing, Mr. Hickman, who is employed at Cetera Investments… Read More »
Brokerage Allegedly Defrauded Investors, Misrepresented Relationship with City of Jacksonville
On August 4th, 2017, FINRA’s Department of Enforcement filed a complaint against CSSC Brokerage Services, Inc. (CSSC) and its principal and CEO Eric S. Smith. Within the document, the Department of Enforcement alleges that Mr. Smith and CSSC defrauded investors by materially misrepresenting the company’s financial condition in a bridge loan securities offering that… Read More »
