State Litigation

Christopher Plummer, Lex Cowsert and CytoGenix, Inc. – Microcap and Penny Stock Fraud and Misrepresentation Litigation and Arbitration Attorney

Published on: July 19, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Boca Raton, Westin, Coral Springs, Plantation, Davie and Fort Lauderdale, Florida Microcap and Penny Stock Fraud and Misrepresentation Litigation, Arbitration and Elder Abuse Attorney:

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Christopher Plummer, Lex M. Cowsert, and CytoGenix, Inc., Civil Action No. 14-CV-5441 (LTS)

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged a serial con artist and a penny stock company CEO with misleading investors in a supposed vaccine development company by issuing false press releases portraying it as a successful venture when it was in fact a failing enterprise.

Bernard H. Butts Jr. – South Florida Prime Bank Investment and Program Trading Scheme Litigation, FINRA Arbitration and Elder Abuse Attorney

Published on: July 16, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Miami, Hollywood, Dania, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Lighthouse Point, Florida Prime Bank Investment and Program Trading Scheme Litigation, FINRA Arbitration and Elder Abuse Attorney:

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Bernard H. Butts, Jr., Fotios Geivelis, Jr., also known as Frank Anastasio, Worldwide Funding III Limited LLC, Douglas J. Anisky, Sidney Banner, Express Commercial Capital LLC, James Baggs (Defendants), Bernard H. Butts, Jr. PA, Butts Holding Corporation, Margaret A. Hering, Global Worldwide Funding Ventures, Inc., and PW Consulting Group LLC (Relief Defendants), Civil Action No. 13-23115-CIV-MARTINEZ-MCALILEY (Southern District of Florida)

Florida-Based Attorney Ordered to Pay Nearly $4 Million in Court Judgment of Prime Bank Investment Scheme Case

South Florida – Certified Public Accountant Independence and Negligence Litigation and Arbitration Attorney

Published on: July 15, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Delary Beach, Boynton Beach, Lantana, Lake Worth and West Palm Beach Certified Public Accountant and Public Accountant Independence and Negligence Litigation and Arbitration Attorney:

SEC Charges Ernst & Young With Violating Auditor Independence Rules in Lobbying Activities

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently charged Ernst & Young LLP with violations of auditor independence rules that require firms to maintain their objectivity and impartiality with clients.

Regions Bank, Thomas Neely, Jr., Jeffrey Kuehr, Michael Willoughby – South Florida Accounting Fraud and Negligence Litigation and Arbitration Attorney

Published on: June 27, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

SEC Announces Fraud Charges Against Three Former Regions Bank Executives in Accounting Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced fraud charges against three former senior managers of Regions Bank for intentionally misclassifying loans that should have been recorded as impaired for accounting purposes. As a result, the bank’s publicly-traded holding company overstated its income and earnings per share in its financial reporting.

The SEC also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with Regions Financial Corp., which substantially cooperated with the agency’s investigation and undertook extensive remedial actions. Regions will pay a total of $51 million to resolve parallel actions by the SEC, Federal Reserve Board, and Alabama Department of Banking.

Dawson James Securities, Inc. – Boca Raton, Florida Broker/Dealer Sales Practice Violations FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: June 27, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) is a self-regulatory authority assigned the responsibility, by the Securities and Exchange Commission, to license, regulate and discipline securities broker/dealers and their employees, including account executives. In the event that FINRA elects to institute an enforcement action, firms and licensed individuals have the responsibility to reflect such action on their U-4 and/or U-5 filings, which can be viewed on the FINRA website under the broker-check section of the site or by viewing the monthly disciplinary information also provided on the FINRA site.

The monthly disciplinary information is referenced on the FINRA site generally in alphabetical order. This post relates to the following company or individuals. If the reader would like to review the entire FINRA release or the broker-check information concerning this matter, you can follow these highlighted links:

June 2014 Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions

Boca Raton, Florida Advance Fee High-Yield Investment Scam Litigation and FINRA Arbitration Litigation Attorney

Published on: June 27, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

Boca Raton, Lantana, Lake Worth, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, Florida High Yield Investment Scam Litigation and FINRA Arbitration Litigation Attorney:

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Cheryl L. Robinson, Civil Action No. 2:14-cv-1036 (D. Nev. June 26, 2014)

SEC Files Settled Charges Against Arizona Resident in Prime Bank Investment Scheme

Weston Capital Asset Management and Albert Hallac – South Florida Hedge Fraud and Mismanagement FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: June 25, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Pompano Beach, Florida – Hedge Fund Fraud and Mismanagement FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney:

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Weston Capital Asset Management LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 14-cv-80823 (S.D. FL)

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently filed a civil action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Weston Capital Asset Management LLC and its founder and president Albert Hallac of Palm Beach, Florida, for violations of antifraud provisions, and against the firm’s former general counsel, chief compliance officer, and chief operating officer Keith Wellner of New York, New York for aiding and abetting violations. The complaint also names Hallac’s son, Jeffrey Hallac, a managing member at Weston Capital, as a relief defendant.

Carolina Financial Securities, LLC – South Florida Private Placement Fraud and Mismanagement FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: June 25, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) is a self-regulatory authority assigned the responsibility, by the Securities and Exchange Commission, to license, regulate and discipline securities broker/dealers and their employees, including account executives. In the event that FINRA elects to institute an enforcement action, firms and licensed individuals have the responsibility to reflect such action on their U-4 and/or U-5 filings, which can be viewed on the FINRA website under the broker-check section of the site or by viewing the monthly disciplinary information also provided on the FINRA site.

The monthly disciplinary information is referenced on the FINRA site generally in alphabetical order. This post relates to the following company or individuals. If the reader would like to review the entire FINRA release or the broker-check information concerning this matter, you can follow these highlighted links:

June 2014 Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions

World Trade Financial Corporation – Fort Lauderdale, Florida Section 5 and Unregistered Sale of Securities FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: June 25, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) is a self-regulatory authority assigned the responsibility, by the Securities and Exchange Commission, to license, regulate and discipline securities broker/dealers and their employees, including account executives. In the event that FINRA elects to institute an enforcement action, firms and licensed individuals have the responsibility to reflect such action on their U-4 and/or U-5 filings, which can be viewed on the FINRA website under the broker-check section of the site or by viewing the monthly disciplinary information also provided on the FINRA site.

The monthly disciplinary information is referenced on the FINRA site generally in alphabetical order. This post relates to the following company or individuals. If the reader would like to review the entire FINRA release or the broker-check information concerning this matter, you can follow these highlighted links:

June 2014 Disciplinary and Other FINRA Actions

Your Best Memories and Robert Hurd – South Florida Ponzi Scheme and Securities Fraud FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney

Published on: June 12, 2014 | By Russell L. Forkey, P.A.

South Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach Ponzi Scheme and Securities Fraud FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney:

Securities and Exchange Commission v. Robert Hurd, Your Best Memories International Inc. and Kenneth Gross, Civil Action No. 13-CV-04464-RGK (JCGx) (C.D. Cal. June 20, 2013)

Court Orders California Company and Its President to Pay Over $1.9 Million in Investment Scheme Involving Purported Alzheimer’s Treatment