FINRA charges VFG Securities and Jason VanClef in Department of Enforcement complaint In a complaint filed by the FINRA Department of Enforcement on February 9, 2016 VFG Securities of Culver City, CA and its principal owner Jason VanClef were charged with providing customers with misleading sales literature, including spreadsheets that…
FINRA bars Gardnerville broker Steve Ybarra In April, 2016, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that Steve Ybarra of Gardnerville, Nevada was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Ybarra consented to findings that he submitted fictitious insurance policy applications to his firm in order to…
Bahram Mirhashemi barred by FINRA for excessive trading In April, 2016, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that Bahram Mirhashemi of Newport Coast, California was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Mirhashemi consented to findings that he made excessive, unauthorized and unsuitable transactions in customer…
Accelerated Capital Group fined $32,000 by FINRA for supervisory lapses. In January, 2014, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that Accelerated Capital Group, Inc. of Irvine, California submitted an acceptance, waiver and consent letter regarding supervisory lapses in its securities business. In agreeing to the AWC, the firm was…
Daniel McCourt suspended two years by FINRA for Private Securities Sales. In April, 2016, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that Daniel McCourt of Aptos, California was suspended from association with any FINRA member for two years for his role in a private securities transaction. McCourt submitted an acceptance,…
Securities America Fined $250,000 by FINRA. In April, 2016, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that Securities America, Inc. of La Vista, Nebraska submitted an acceptance, waiver and consent letter regarding the sale of preferred notes of an unregistered limited partnership investment sold by one of the firm’s registered…
GVC Capital, a FINRA registered broker dealer based in Greenwood Village, CO was fined $17,000 and censured by securities regulator FINRA for the firm’s role in a private offering of securities. The fine and censure was announced in April, 2016 and relates to an 2013 securities offering. The acceptance, waiver…
Update on Lawsuit against IRA Resources A lawsuit filed in the Texas courts against IRA Resources for its role (or lack thereof) in the Alpha Telecom (“ATC”) unregistered securities scam was finally dismissed by the Texas court of appeals over the issue of jurisdiction. At issue was Plaintiffs’ claim that…
Update on Lawsuit against Pensco Trust Company A lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Pensco Trust Company for Pensco’s role (or lack thereof) in the William Apostelos ponzi scheme has been the subject of intense motion practice between the parties. At issue…
Guy Gentile former StockUSA owner charged by The Securities and Exchange Commission. On March 23, 2016, the SEC charged Guy Gentile, a former registered representative and owner of StockUSA Execution Services of Carmel, NY with improper manipulation of “penny stocks.” The SEC complaint alleges that Gentile, who owned and ran…