Author: Mark J. Astarita

ubs
Arbitration Brokers

UBS Ordered to Pay Broker $1.6 Million

A former star broker for UBS Financial Services Inc. who was repeatedly called a “bitch” by her boss won a $1.6 million discrimination arbitration award last month. According to InvestmentNews.com, the broker, Chrisine Carona, worked for UBS in Boston from March 2009 through July 2017 and currently is employed by Morgan Stanley. She was […]

Investment Advisor
Brokers

Brokers Say Moving to RIA Was Positive 

A new report from TD Ameritrade Institutional, which gathered data from current and former brokerage reps, illustrates a generally positive attitude toward the RIA channel and signals a continuation of the migration trend.The findings from the 2019 Benchmarking and Independence report showed that 44% of brokers surveyed said the likelihood […]

Investors

Recover GPB Capital Losses

After inquiries by the SEC, FINRA and the FBI, GPB Capital has announced significant losses in the value of its investment funds.  Two of its funds, GPB Holdings II and GPB Automotive Portfolio, have reported losses of 25.4% and 39%, respectively according to InvestmentNews.com GPB Capital Holdings is a New York based […]

Investors

Online Gaming Company Charged with Fraud

The SEC charged Robert Alexander with fraudulently raising approximately $9 million from more than 50 individuals by selling investments in Kizzang LLC, a purported online gaming business. Alexander misled investors to believe they would make at least 10 times their investment, and also stated that he had put millions of […]

Investors

List of Firms Using Inaccurate Information 

The SEC maintains a list of unregistered entities that it alleges uses misleading information to solicit non-US investors  known as PAUSEor fake firms. It recently updated that list  to add four firms that are impersonating real firms, and 9 bogus firms. The list, known as the Public Alert: Unregistered Soliciting Entities […]

ponzi scheme
Investors

Victims of $102 Million Ponzi Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges and obtained an asset freeze against the individuals and companies behind a $102 million Ponzi scheme that bilked investors throughout the U.S. According to the SEC’s press release, the defendants defrauded more than 600 investors through sales of securities in issuers they controlled, […]

Securities and Exchange Commission
Investors

Merrill Lynch Admits Masking to Defraud Customers

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith with misleading customers about how it handled their orders.  Merrill Lynch agreed to settle the charges, admit wrongdoing, and pay a $42 million penalty. According to the SEC’s order, Merrill Lynch falsely informed customers that it had executed […]