Articles Posted in Broker Misconduct

FINRA has sanctioned Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. (“Transamerica Financial”) for its failure to reasonably supervise its financial advisors’ recommendations of three different products – variable annuities, mutual funds, and 529 plans. These recommendations resulted in significant customer harm and financial loss. Transamerica Financial was ordered to pay $4.4 million in restitution to approximately 2,400 affected…

FINRA has suspended financial advisor Michael Anthony Tavel (CRD #4862463) from the securities industry for 18 months and fined him $20,000. Michael Tavel was a stockbroker at LPL Financial LLC, in Indianapolis, Indiana, from September 2004 until April 2019. He has also been affiliated with Charter Advisory Corporation and Tavel Insurance & Financial Services, LLC.…

FINRA has suspended financial advisor Jay Clint Tomlinson from the securities industry for three months and fined him $7,500. Mr. Tomlinson’s sanctions arise from his improper use of discretion without written authorization when placing 379 trades in three customers’ accounts. FINRA has also censured Tomlinson’s employer, New York financial services firm R.F. Lafferty & Co.,…

FINRA has suspended financial advisor Drew R. Mantel from the securities industry for three months and fined him $5,000. Drew Mantel was registered with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC in Miamisburg, Ohio, from March 2018 until November 2018. At that time, Ameriprise terminated his employment. Previously, he was registered with Edward Jones in Franklin, Ohio, from…

FINRA has suspended financial advisor Timothy James Pandekakes (CRD No. 4890164) from the securities industry for three months and ordered him to pay partial restitution of $20,000. FINRA alleged that between January 2016 and April 2018, while employed by Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. in Bronxville, New York, Mr. Pandekakes recommended four unsuitable exchanges of…

FINRA has barred financial advisor Michael Edward Magill (CRD #2024663) from the securities industry. Michael Magill was a stockbroker at Foreside Fund Services, LLC, in Portland, Maine, from August 2017 until January 2019. If you have lost money with Michael Magill, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential…

Iorio Altamirano LLP is investigating whether registered stockbrokers and financial advisors inappropriately recommended that customers purchase common stock of Eastman Kodak Company (KODK). Iorio Altamirano LLP is an investor advocate law firm based in New York, NY. We help investors recover financial losses due to wrongful conduct by financial advisors and brokerage firms. If you…

In June 2020, FINRA permanently barred financial advisor Dee Dee Brooks (CRD #2559233) from the securities industry. Ms. Brooks was a financial advisor at Signator Investors, Inc. in Huntington Beach, California. FINRA’s disciplinary action arose from Ms. Brook’s solicitation of two private securities transactions, Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC (“Woodbridge”) and Future Income Payments, LLC.…

FINRA has suspended financial advisor Timothy David O’Brien from the securities industry for a 45-day period. He was also fined $10,000. O’Brien was registered with Feltl & Company in Inver Grove Heights, MN, from May 2012 until August 2020. He is currently not registered. If you have lost money with Timothy David O’Brien, contact New…

FINRA has suspended financial advisor Kurt Jason Gunter (CRD No. 2747789) from the securities industry for three months and fined him $10,000. FINRA alleged that between July 2013 through December 2016, Kurt Gunter engaged in an unsuitable pattern of short-term trading of Unit Investment Trusts in customer accounts. FINRA also alleged that Mr. Gunter signed…