Articles Posted in FINRA Disciplinary Actions

(FINRA Case #2016051931501)

Michael Terry Swingle (CRD #723350, Dunedin, Florida) – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Swingle was assessed a deferred fine of $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for 18 months.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Swingle consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that as a result of deteriorating financial circumstances caused in part by gambling, he borrowed a total of $118,500 from five customers of his member firm, contrary to the firm’s policy.

(FINRA Case #2015046971701)

Gregory J. Anastos (CRD #5800831, Jersey City, New Jersey)  – An Offer of Settlement was issued in which Anastos was suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for four months. In light of Anastos’ financial status, no monetary sanction has been imposed.

Without admitting or denying the allegations, Anastos consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he recommended, over an approximate 13-month period, that elderly husband and wife customers engage in short-term trading of a single security, resulting in significant losses for them and generating over $78,158 in commissions, markups and markdowns for himself.

(FINRA Case #2016049239101)

Richard Charles Foster (CRD #4557045, Tulsa, Oklahoma) – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Foster was assessed a deferred fine of $10,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member firm in all capacities for six months.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Foster consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he made an unsuitable recommendation that a customer liquidate an individual retirement account (IRA) and give Foster the proceeds to trade in an outside brokerage account utilizing a risky and costly options trading strategy.

(FINRA Case #2016050492101)

Walter Warren Parker (CRD #2131232, Wylie, Texas)  – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Parker was fined $7,500 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for one month.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Parker consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he made investment recommendations to a customer that were not suitable given her age, risk tolerance, financial experience and liquidity.

(FINRA Case #2017054146302)

Matthew Evan Eckstein (CRD #2997245, Syosset, New York) – Eckstein was named a respondent in a FINRA complaint alleging that he sold over $1.3 million of “investments” that were neither described in any written materials nor memorialized in a note or other agreement.

The complaint alleges that these undocumented investments appear to have been part of a spurious investment scheme run by a close friend of Eckstein. Having done no due diligence on the issuer, Eckstein nevertheless recommended that at least four customers—including elderly, conservative investors—invest based on repayment terms, including maturity dates and interest payments, which he orally provided to them.

FINRA Case #2017053798602)

Craig Eugene Walker (CRD #5427440, Madison, Mississippi)  – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Walker was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Walker consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he submitted to an insurance company affiliated with his member firm an unauthorized application for a $150,000 fixed annuity, purportedly on behalf of an individual.

(FINRA Case #2016049628301)

Thomas Alan Meier (CRD #1146044, Miami, Florida) – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Meier was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Meier consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he effected approximately 1,290 unauthorized transactions, including both purchases and sales of equity securities, in eight accounts belonging to six customers.

(FINRA Case #2015046052701)

 Jodie Ann LaMarre (CRD #2127928, Sarasota, Florida)– An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which LaMarre was assessed a deferred fine of $10,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for one year.

Without admitting or denying the findings, LaMarre consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that she recommended an unsuitable strategy involving the consolidation of all of an elderly customer’s assets in a single taxable account without regard to the fact that several of these assets were in tax-deferred accounts or investment vehicles.

(FINRA Case #2015045703002)

 Mark Brian Degner (CRD #2364726, Shady Cove, Oregon) – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Degner was fined $7,500 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for 20 business days.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Degner consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he negligently made material misstatements in connection with the sale of 20-year interest rate-linked CDs to elderly customers.

(FINRA Case #2015043939101)

Lawrence John Fawcett Jr. (CRD #5851474, Dix Hills, New York) – An AWC (Accept, Waiver & Consent) was issued in which Fawcett was fined $2,500, suspended from association with any FINRA member in all capacities for 15 business days and ordered to pay $22,714.30, plus interest, in disgorgement of commissions received.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Fawcett consented to the sanctions and to the entry of findings that he recommended unsuitable mutual fund transactions to a customer.