The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Western Pacific Capital Management LLC and its president, James O’Rourke, with securities fraud. The California-based firm allegedly materially represented the liquidity of a hedge fund and failed to disclose to clients a conflict of interest related to the fund. Stock fraud lawyers…
It is crucial that investors who believe they have been the victim of securities fraud contact a legitimate investment attorney. Many investors learned this lesson the hard way recently when they were duped by a “State Securities Commission” website copycat. In November 2011, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA)…
Investment attorneys have been on the lookout for investors who have been wronged and suffered losses as the result of brokers or firms misrepresenting and/or recommending private placements without a reasonable basis. On November 29, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced that it would sanction ten individuals and eight…
Investment seminars have grown in popularity as a result of the rocky market and concern investors are feeling. While investment seminars can be a place to receive sound investment advice, some of them have only one purpose: to make you the victim of securities fraud. For this reason, a growing…
There are many types of selling away schemes, and these schemes can result in significant — and sometimes complete —investor losses. However, with the help of an investment attorney, investor losses can be recovered through securities arbitration. Selling away occurs when a broker or investment adviser sells an investment to…
Unauthorized trading, a form of broker misconduct that occurs when a broker makes a trade without the investor’s consent, can be a valid claim for securities arbitration. However, there is more than one way for unauthorized trading to be committed. In one way, the broker may believe that the transaction…
On November 22, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced its securities arbitration decision to fine Wells Investment Securities Inc. for using misleading marketing materials. The materials were used in the sale of Wells Timberland REIT Inc., for which Wells was the wholesaler and dealer-manager, and the fine imposed by…
Mutual funds are popular with investors because they consist of multiple stocks, meaning if one stock does poorly in the market, it doesn’t necessarily lower the entire mutual fund portfolio. Even so, mutual fund portfolios can be designed to be either very conservative or very risky. Mutual funds can include…
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Merrill Lynch and came from the sale of around $16.5 billion in certificates that were derived from pools of securitized home mortgages. Investment attorneys and investors nationwide will be watching Case No. 08-CV-10841, filed against Merrill Lynch. This case obtained class certification…
Investors who purchased MF Global Notes should consider securities arbitration against the underwriter broker-dealer from whom they purchased the Notes as a way of possibly recovering their losses. Though it is unsure when and how much MF Global noteholders will receive from the firm’s bankruptcy, Fitch Ratings stated in early…