Sarasota Florida Stockbroker Misconduct Attorney - Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce

May 10, 2018

FINRA Suspends Former Robert W. Baird & Co. Broker for Unsuitable Investment Strategy

Jodie Ann LaMarre, of Sarasota, Florida, submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for allegedly recommending an unsuitable investment strategy to an elderly customer on a fixed income with conservative investment goals, causing the customer to suffer unnecessary tax liability of over $33,000. While employed with the Sarasota, Florida branch of Robert W. Baird & Co., Ms. LaMarre allegedly recommended the consolidation of all her elderly customer’s assets into a single taxable account. According to FINRA, Ms. LaMarre made this recommendation without regard for the fact that several of the customer’s assets were in tax-deferred accounts. FINRA’s findings state that Ms. LaMarre was aware of and understood the negative tax consequences of her unsuitable recommendations, which resulted in unnecessary tax liability of more than $33,000 and a reduction of her customer’s 2016 monthly social security benefit.

Jul 11, 2016

Florida Wells Fargo Representative under Investigation for Converting Client Funds

Jeffrey Krupnick of Sarasota, Florida was named as a respondent in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) complaint for allegedly converting a client’s funds for his own personal use. FINRA alleged that Mr. Krupnick, between January 2012 and November 2014, while registered with FINRA member firm Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Wells Fargo) converted approximately$143,000 from his half-brother, a Wells Fargo customer. FINRA alleged that due to over $50,000 in accumulated credit-card debt, Mr. Krupnick attempted to take advantage of his half-brother in a scheme to cover his losses. The FINRA investigators found that Mr. Krupnick opened several brokerage accounts for his half-brother for which he took control over and took funds from. FINRA alleged that Mr. Krupnick removed over $170,000 from 4 brokerage accounts he had created for his half-brother in October 2013. Furthermore, FINRA found that Mr. Krupnick named himself as the primary account holder on the joint accounts and assumed primary control over them even though he never contributed funds to the accounts and instead used the ill-gained funds to pay credit card bills, home payments, and other luxuries including a wedding in Hawaii.

Dec 1, 2014

FINRA Files Complaint Against Former Edward Jones Broker Candius Bannister

Candius J. Bannister, of Sarasota, Florida, was named a respondent in a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) complaint alleging that she borrowed $31,500 from a customer in violation of her member firm’s and FINRA’s rules. Formerly registered with both Edward Jones and Morgan Stanley, both Florida based broker dealers, the now unregistered Candius Bannister is alleged to have borrowed a total of $31,500 from a customer while employed with Edward Jones. She allegedly has not repaid the loans, as required by the promissory notes, and she allegedly neglected to request or receive pre-approval from Edward Jones with respect to the loans. Candius Bannister is alleged to have violated the rules of both Edward Jones and FINRA as a result of these transactions.