Wells Fargo - Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce

Sep 5, 2017

Wells Fargo Broker Permanently Barred for Failing to Respond to FINRA Investigation into Undue Influence of Elderly Client

James Schaedler, Jr., former registered representative with Wells Fargo Clearing Services (Wells Fargo), has been barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for refusing to produce information and documents requested by FINRA in connection with an investigation into allegations that he exercised undue influence over an elderly former client and improperly received a $200,000 gift from another elderly client. FINRA began an investigation in January 2016, into allegations that James Robert Schaedler, Jr., of Corona, California, exercised undue influence over a former elderly client, who ultimately amended her trust to make Mr. Schaedler a partial beneficiary and residual beneficiary of her $2.3 million dollar estate. Further, FINRA expanded its investigation to include allegations that Mr. Schaedler improperly received a gift of $200,000 from a second elderly client.

Aug 26, 2016

Former Wells Fargo Representative Barred for Mismanaging Client’s Will

Wonnie Short of Nashville, Tennessee submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) to the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for allegedly failing to ensure that a Wells Fargo Advisors LLC, (Wells Fargo) customer received the funds they were due from an annuity. Between November 1996 and November 2011, Mr. Short was registered with Wells Fargo. In October 2006, while Short was registered with Wells Fargo, a firm customer executed a will naming Mr. Short as executor. When the customer passed away in November 2008, Mr. Short petitioned the court and was appointed executor of the client’s estate. As executor, Mr. Short facilitated the pay out on three of the client’s annuities. For one of the annuities, the client’s estate was a 10% beneficiary and a local foundation, which was also a Wells Fargo customer, was a 90% beneficiary.

Jul 15, 2016

Former Wells Fargo Representative Suspended For Unsuitable Mutual Fund “Switching”

Brent Burgesser of Chandler, Arizona submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) to the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for allegedly executing unsuitable mutual fund switches in the accounts of three customers. Burgesser became registered in the securities industry in May 2000 as a General Securities Representative (GSR).From October 2008, through July 2012, Mr. Burgesses was an associated member with Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. FINRA alleged that between January 2009 and May 2012, Mr. Burgesser effected 83 unsuitable mutual fund switches in the accounts of several customers, resulting in more than $63,700 in customer losses. Mutual fund “switching” is simply the process of transferring an investment from one fund to another, sometimes for good reason and other times to defraud clients. Some brokers attempt to effect numerous switches in client accounts in order to generate commissions. In the case of Mr. Burgesser, FINRA found that the former Wells Fargo representative generated approximately $109,500 in commissions for himself as a result of mutual fund “switching.”

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.

Jan 6, 2016

Former Wells Fargo Representative Suspended for Unauthorized Trades

Bradley Rozema of Greenwood, Indiana submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for executing securities transactions without his customers or firms written approval. Mr. Rozema first became associated with FINRA through a member firm in 1980 as a General Securities Representative (GSR). From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Rozema acted as a GSR for Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Wells Fargo). FINRA found that Mr. Rozema, while associated with Wells Fargo, effected discretionary trades for three clients. Mr. Rozema received verbal authorization to execute the trades which followed the customer’s investment objectives. However, Mr. Rozema allegedly did not obtain written authorization from either his clients or Wells Fargo in violation of NASD Rule 2510(b).

Sep 25, 2015

Hollywood, Florida Wells Fargo Representative Barred for Converting Client Funds

Alejandro Torres of Hollywood, Florida submitted a Letter of Acceptance Waiver and Consent (AWC) to The Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for allegedly converting client funds, engaging in unapproved outside business activities and submitting material false information on a questionnaire to his broker dealer. Torres entered the securities industry in 2009 and has been associated with several FINRA-regulated broker-dealers since. In January 2013, Torres became associated with FINRA-regulated broker-dealer Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Wells Fargo) as a registered representative. On January 17, 2014 Torres was terminated as Wells Fargo filed a Uniform Termination notice for Securities Industry Registration (Form U5).

Sep 14, 2015

Wells Fargo Representative Suspended for Unauthorized Trades

William Campbell of Florence, South Carolina submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) to The Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for allegedly making several trades for clients without written authorization. Campbell entered the securities industry in 2012 when he became associated with FINRA Member Frim Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Wells Fargo) and within a year became a General Securities Representative (GSR). On July 17, 2014 Wells Fargo filed a Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration (Form U5) terminating Campbell’s registration.

Jul 27, 2015

Former Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo Representative Suspended

Sylvester King Kr. of Miramar, Florida submitted a Letter of Acceptance Waiver (AWC) to the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for allegedly concealing loans to customers participating in undisclosed private securities transactions and providing false information to his employer. In 2009 King and his partner formed PKG, a d/b/a branch office located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that was registered with Morgan Stanley and later Wells Fargo. PKG provided financial “concierge” services to professional athletes that played in the NFL and NBA. FINRA found that from November 14, 2011 through January 23, 2012, King assisted his partner in loaning approximately $399,500 to three professional athletes in the NFL and NBA who were also Wells Fargo customers. FINRA alleged that separate accounts were made and various wiring techniques were used to conceal the loans from Wells Fargo and its reporting requirements.

Jul 13, 2015

Former Fort Lauderdale Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo Representative Barred

Aaron Parthemer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (AWC) to the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA) for the purpose of settlement for allegedly engaging in several outside business activities without his firm’s prior written knowledge. Parthemer first became registered with FINRA as a General Securities Representative (GSR) in October 1994. From June 2009 through October 2011, Parthemer was registered with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (Morgan Stanley) as a GSR. On November 4, 2011 Morgan Stanley filed a Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration (Form U5) under Parthemer’s request. From October 21, 2011 to present, Parthemer has been registered through Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Wells Fargo) as a GSR.

May 28, 2015

Wells Fargo Broker Fined and Suspended by FINRA for Unsuitable Investment Recommendations

According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Randall Layne Girton, of Orland Park Illinois, recommended that one of his Well Fargo customers purchase mutual fund shares and then, shortly thereafter, sold them to reinvest in a Wells Fargo investment advisory program, known as “Fund Source.” FINRA investigated and concluded that Mr. Girton’s recommendation that the customer sell her mutual fund share to invest in a Wells Fargo Proprietary Investment Advisory Program was an unsuitable investment recommendation, especially when he recommended several months after that the customer sell the Fund Source program and repurchase the mutual funds. FINRA Rule 2111(a) requires that registered representatives have a reasonable basis to believe that the recommended securities transactions are suitable in light of a particular customer’s investment objectives and financial condition. FINRA found that Mr. Girton’s recommendation that the Wells Fargo customer liquidate the Class A mutual fund shares that were part of a long term buy and hold investment strategy within months was unsuitable. According to FINRA, Mr. Girton had no basis to believe that the expected return on the Fund Source program would exceed the return on the mutual fund investment he previously recommended.