Key Investment Services - Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce

Jan 21, 2019

Key Investment Services Broker Suspended for Misrepresentations

Christopher Michael Herrmann of Greenwood, Indiana submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (AWC) to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in which he was assessed a deferred fine of $10,000 and suspended. From September 2011 to May 2015, Herrmann was employed with Key Investment Services (KIS) as a General Securities Representative. According to FINRA, in September 2013 and October 2014, Mr. Herrmann recommended annuity transactions to retired and elderly customers. The findings stated that Mr. Herrmann failed to facilitate the transactions as a tax-free 1035 exchange, resulting in significant tax liability to the customers. Mr. Herrmann allegedly circumvented KIS’s compliance procedures and supervision by concealing these switch transactions and providing false information. Based upon the foregoing, FINRA concluded that Christopher Herrmann violated FINRA Rules 4511, 2111 and 2010.

Oct 20, 2017

Key Investment Services Broker Suspended by FINRA for Altering Variable Annuity Form

Robert Hurley, a formerly registered broker with Key Investment Services LLC, submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (AWC) in which he consented to, but did not admit to or deny, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) findings that he altered a customer’s variable annuity form without the customer’s consent. FINRA’s findings state that Robert Francis Hurley, of Agawam, Massachusetts, altered and initialed the variable annuity distribution form after the client had signed it. According to FINRA, Mr. Hurley changed the payment frequency and modified how payments would be calculated, allegedly placing the customer’s initials next to both alterations. Mr. Hurley’s alterations caused his customer to receive a much larger annuity distribution payment than expected.