Our firm is investigating Cambridge Investment Research broker and investment adviser representative Amy Ann Brandts (CRD# 1228497) of Herndon, Virginia for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
According to her FINRA BrokerCheck report, Amy Ann Brandts has been registered with (and/or associated with) the securities industry in the following roles and firms over her career:
- Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. (Broker registration) — 02/2003 – Present
- Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. (Investment adviser representative) — 03/2005 – Present
- Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. — 12/1998 – 10/2001
- Trusted Advisors — 03/2002 – 03/2003
- Trusted Securities Advisors Corp. — 10/2001 – 03/2003
- Capitol Securities Management, Inc. — 02/1995 – 12/1998
- G. R. Phelps & Co., Inc. — 10/1992 – 02/1995
- Sun Investment Services Company — 10/1984 – 10/1992
- New York Life Securities Corp. — 02/1984 – 08/1984
Amy Ann Brandts Fraud Allegations and Investor Complaints Explained
Customer Dispute (Received 07/30/2024) Alleging Cybersecurity Email Breach and Negligence
A customer dispute reported on Brandts’s record states the client alleged losses caused by an outside, unknown third party arising from a cybersecurity breach involving the RR’s email account, and further alleges that negligence occurred because the RR was not aware of the breach for a period of time.
- Employing firm at time of alleged activity: Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
- Product type: No Product
- Alleged damages: $96,672.00
- Date complaint received: 07/30/2024
- Status: Settled
- Status date: 01/23/2025
- Settlement amount: $96,672.00
- Individual contribution: $0.00
- Arbitration/civil litigation indicated: No
- Written complaint indicated: Yes
Customer Dispute (Received 01/30/2025) Alleging Cybersecurity Email Breach and Negligence
A second customer dispute similarly alleges the client suffered losses due to actions of an outside, unknown third party tied to a cybersecurity breach involving the RR’s email account, with negligence alleged based on the RR not being aware of the breach for a period of time.
- Employing firm at time of alleged activity: Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
- Product type: No Product
- Alleged damages: $450,000.00
- Date complaint received: 01/30/2025
- Status: Settled
- Status date: 03/03/2025
- Settlement amount: $350,000.00
- Individual contribution: $0.00
- Arbitration/civil litigation indicated: No
- Written complaint indicated: Yes
Disclosure Summary (For Quick Reference)
- Customer Dispute (Settled) — Complaint received 07/30/2024; allegations of loss tied to an email-account cybersecurity breach and negligence; alleged damages $96,672.00; settled $96,672.00 on 01/23/2025; $0 individual contribution.
- Customer Dispute (Settled) — Complaint received 01/30/2025; allegations of loss tied to an email-account cybersecurity breach and negligence; alleged damages $450,000.00; settled $350,000.00 on 03/03/2025; $0 individual contribution.
To obtain a copy of Amy Ann Brandts’s FINRA BrokerCheck report, visit this link.
Robert Wayne Pearce Is Committed to Recovering Your Investment Losses
FINRA Rule 2010 (Standards of Commercial Honor) and Why It Matters Here
FINRA Rule 2010 is a core rule that requires brokers to observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade, which matters because investor-facing conduct is expected to be handled with reasonable care and professionalism. In the complaints described above, the customers alleged losses due to a third-party cyber incident involving the RR’s email account and asserted negligence, so Rule 2010 becomes relevant as a benchmark for whether the broker’s conduct met the industry’s basic standards when safeguarding communications and responding to red flags tied to account security.
FINRA Rule 3110 (Supervision) and Cyber-Related Customer Losses
FINRA Rule 3110 requires brokerage firms to establish and maintain a supervisory system reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable rules and regulations, which matters because many investor losses trace back to preventable gaps in oversight, written procedures, or monitoring. When a customer alleges losses stemming from an email-account cybersecurity breach and contends negligence, Rule 3110 helps frame whether there were adequate supervisory controls—such as procedures for verifying money-movement requests, escalating suspicious activity, or enforcing authentication protocols—that could have reduced the risk of a third-party taking advantage of compromised communications.
FINRA Rule 4370 (Business Continuity Plans) and Operational Preparedness
FINRA Rule 4370 requires firms to maintain business continuity plans addressing how the firm will respond to significant business disruptions, which matters because cybersecurity incidents can create operational disruptions that affect clients, communications, and account servicing. In disputes where customers allege losses tied to a cybersecurity breach, Rule 4370 is often discussed in the broader context of whether the firm’s planning, response readiness, and client-notification processes were reasonably designed to protect investors and reduce harm when an incident is discovered.
Losing your savings to a dishonest broker or advisor can be devastating, but you do not have to face it alone. Robert Wayne Pearce and his team have spent over four decades helping investors who were misled or defrauded by Wall Street firms. The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. takes cases nationwide on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover your losses. Call (800) 732-2889 or email pearce@rwpearce.com today for a free and confidential consultation.