Investor Lawyers Blog
Investment fraud lawyers continue to investigate claims on behalf of individuals who suffered significant losses in Puerto Rican bonds after the value of these investments plummeted in 2013, causing many investors to suffer significant losses. In addition, securities arbitration lawyers are keeping an eye on recent news that indicates investors may be able to pursue their claims in continental Unites States venues, rather than in Puerto Rico, due to the shortage of FINRA arbitrators on the island.
A claim was recently filed on behalf of a former client of Luis Fernandez and Angel Canabal against UBS Financial Services Incorporated of Puerto Rico and UBS Financial Services Inc. According to the claim, the retired client invested the majority of his life savings based on the recommendation of Fernandez in UBS proprietary bond funds, which were primarily invested in Puerto Rican debt. Allegedly, these investments were risky, illiquid and unsuitable for the investor.
The claim also alleges that the risks of the investments were not explained to the client, and that UBS made a recommendation that he borrow more money to be invested in the proprietary funds from a UBS-related company. The account was later taken over by Canabal, who allegedly told the investor that the recommendations were sound, the account wasn’t invested aggressively, and no changes were required.
According to investment fraud lawyers, under FINRA rules, firms have an obligation to fully disclose all the risks of a given investment when making recommendations, and those recommendations must be suitable for the individual investor receiving the recommendation given their age, investment objectives and risk tolerance. Reportedly, many UBS clients received unsuitable recommendations regarding investments that consisted largely of Puerto Rican debt.
If you suffered significant losses in UBS Puerto Rico bonds sold by Fernandez, Canabal or another UBS broker, you may be able to recover your losses. To find out more about your legal rights and options, contact a securities arbitration lawyer at Law Office of Christopher J. Gray, P.C. at (866) 966-9598 or newcases@investorlawyers.net for a no-cost, confidential consultation.