Broker / Advisor Investigations

WealthForge Securities Stockbroker David Kangas Under Investigation For Private Placement Fraud Allegations in FINRA Complaint

Our firm is investigating WealthForge Securities stockbroker David Andrew Kangas (CRD# 6591398) of Richmond, Virginia for potential investment-related misconduct.

David Andrew Kangas’s Stockbroker Career History

David Andrew Kangas is currently registered with WealthForge Securities, LLC, where he has been registered as a General Securities Representative since November 1, 2019. His listed branch office is located at 3015 W Moore Street, Suite 102, Richmond, Virginia 23230.

Kangas was previously registered with Cabot Lodge Securities LLC from March 2019 to November 2019 in Orange, California, and with Sandlapper Securities, LLC from January 2016 to March 2019 in Orange, California. His reported employment history also lists Cornerstone Real Estate Investment Services in Orange, California, beginning in December 2015.

According to FINRA, Kangas has passed the Securities Industry Essentials Examination, the Series 7 General Securities Representative Examination, and the Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination.

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Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC Financial Advisor Carl DeMarco Under Investigation For Alleged Misrepresentation (FINRA Complaints)

Our firm is investigating Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC financial advisor and registered representative Carl Anthony DeMarco Jr. (CRD# 2671924) of Tinton Falls, New Jersey for potential investment-related misconduct.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Based on the BrokerCheck report, Carl Anthony DeMarco Jr. has been registered in the securities industry since October 1995 and has worked at the following firms:

HORNOR, TOWNSEND & KENT, LLC (CRD# 4031) — Registered 01/2002–Present (branch listed: Tinton Falls, NJ; main office shown: Conshohocken, PA).

1717 Capital Management Company (CRD# 4082) — 01/1999–01/2002 (Newark, DE).

EQ Financial Consultants, Inc. (CRD# 6627) — 10/1995–01/1999 (New York, NY).

The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (CRD# 4039) — 10/1995–01/1999 (New York, NY).

The report also reflects a professional designation of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC).

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PHX Financial, Inc. Financial Advisor Richard Jirinec Under Investigation For Alleged Regulation Best Interest Violations in FINRA Complaint

Our firm is investigating PHX Financial, Inc. financial advisor Richard James Jirinec (CRD# 2580370) of Jupiter, Florida for potential investment-related misconduct.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Based on his FINRA registration history, Richard J. Jirinec has been registered with the following firms:

PHX Financial, Inc. (Jupiter, FL) — 03/2015 to Present

Securities America, Inc. (Jupiter, FL) — 06/2014 to 03/2015

Dalton Strategic Investment Services Inc. (Jupiter, FL) — 06/2013 to 07/2014

America’s Choice Equities LLC (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) — 09/2005 to 06/2013

GunnAllen Financial, Inc. (Tampa, FL) — 05/2003 to 09/2005

Harrison Securities, Inc. (Port Washington, NY) — 01/2001 to 06/2003

Whitehall Wellington Investments, Inc. (Port Washington, NY) — 02/1998 to 12/2000

Gaines, Berland Inc. (Bethpage, NY) — 07/1997 to 02/1998

HGI (Jericho, NY) — 06/1996 to 07/1997

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The Leaders Group, Inc. Financial Advisor John Pulliam Under Investigation For Alleged Variable Annuity Misrepresentation and Failure to Follow Client Liquidation Instructions — FINRA Customer Complaints

Our firm is investigating The Leaders Group, Inc. financial advisor John Michael Pulliam (CRD# 2224237) of Summit, New Jersey for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
According to his FINRA BrokerCheck report, John Michael Pulliam has worked in the securities industry with the following firms, among others:
The Leaders Group, Inc. (Summit, NJ) — Registered since 12/01/2025
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. / Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. (Crested Butte, CO) — 09/2019 to 09/2025
UBS Financial Services Inc. (Plano, TX) — 11/2011 to 09/2019
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Plano, TX) — 05/2006 to 12/2011
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (Plano, TX) — 03/1994 to 05/2006
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (New York, NY) — 06/1992 to 08/1993

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LPL Financial Advisor Roosevelt Grayson Subject of Customer Disputes Alleging Misrepresentation, Unsuitable Recommendations, and Failure to Follow Instructions

Our firm is investigating LPL Financial LLC broker and investment adviser Roosevelt Emanual Grayson (CRD# 1328135) of Farmington Hills, Michigan for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
Based on his FINRA BrokerCheck report, Roosevelt Emanual Grayson has worked in the securities industry for decades and has been registered with multiple firms, including IDS Financial Services Inc. and IDS Marketing Corporation (starting in March 1985), Pruco Securities Corporation, Great Lakes Equities Co., Pamco Securities and Insurance Services, Liberty Securities Corporation, Independence One Brokerage Services, Inc., Essex National Securities, Inc., First Chicago NBD Investment Services, Inc., Banc One Securities Corporation, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
From January 2007 through October 2012, he was registered with Chase Investment Services Corp., followed by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC from October 2012 through January 2015. He has been registered with LPL Financial LLC since December 2014 (reported as “Present”) and lists Farmington Hills, Michigan as his employment location.

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Merrill Lynch advisor Shawnie Desmond faces pending caustomer disputes alleging tax-consequence omissions. Learn how investors may recover losses.

Our firm is investigating Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated broker and investment adviser representative Shawnie M. Desmond (CRD# 4648474) of Phoenix, Arizona for potential investment-related misconduct involving alleged omissions about tax consequences related to recommendations to move investments to managed portfolios.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Shawnie M. Desmond is currently registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated as both a broker and investment adviser representative. FINRA BrokerCheck lists her Merrill Lynch branch office at 2555 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85016, and reflects that she has been registered with Merrill Lynch since September 20, 2016.

Before joining Merrill Lynch, Desmond was registered with Edward Jones. Her BrokerCheck report lists Edward Jones registrations from December 2013 to May 2016 as a broker in Tequesta, Florida, and from March 2014 to May 2016 as an investment adviser representative in St. Louis, Missouri.

Her reported employment history includes work as a financial advisor with Edward Jones from November 2013 to May 2016, Merrill Lynch beginning in August 2016, and Bank of America, N.A. beginning in October 2016.

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Raymond James Financial Services Advisor Christopher Campbell Under Investigation For Alleged Misrepresentations in Real Estate Direct Investments (FINRA Complaint)

Our firm is investigating Raymond James financial advisor and stockbroker Christopher William Campbell (CRD# 5597534) of Buffalo, New York for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
Based on publicly available registration and employment history, Christopher William Campbell has been registered with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. since November 2017 and Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. since November 2017, working out of the firm’s Buffalo, New York office.
Prior to Raymond James, Mr. Campbell was registered with Waddell & Reed from approximately May 2016 through November 2017.

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TIAA Financial Advisor George Kontos Subject of Customer Complaints Alleging Failure to Disclose Annuity Restrictions and Surrender Charges (FINRA Complaint)

Our firm is investigating TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC financial advisor and broker George Michael Kontos (CRD# 7147967) of Royal Oak, Michigan for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
Based on his FINRA BrokerCheck report, George M. Kontos has been registered with TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC as a registered representative since June 2023, and he is also associated with Advice and Planning Services (same branch address) as an investment adviser representative.
His prior securities industry registrations include GLP Investment Services, LLC (registered representative) from July 2019 through June 2023 and Asset Allocation Strategies, LLC (investment adviser representative) from October 2019 through June 2023.

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Alpha Capital Family Office Financial Advisor Douglas Campbell Under Investigation For Unsuitable Investment Recommendations and Negligence in FINRA Customer Complaints

Our firm is investigating Alpha Capital Family Office, LLC financial advisor and investment adviser representative Douglas Walter Campbell (CRD# 1157205) of Greenwood Village, Colorado, for potential investment-related misconduct.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Douglas W. Campbell is not currently registered as a broker, but his BrokerCheck record reflects a long securities industry history across multiple firms.
His prior broker registrations include (among others) Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC (Greenwood Village, CO), UBS Financial Services Inc. (Orlando, FL), Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (Orlando, FL), and Wachovia Securities, LLC (Charlotte, NC), followed later by LPL Financial LLC (Centennial, CO) through September 2018.
In his more recent employment history as reported, he served with Alpha Capital Management Group LLC (Centennial, CO) and then Alpha Capital Family Office (Greenwood Village, CO) beginning in 2020.

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Aegis Capital Corp Stockbroker Keith Dagostino Under Investigation For Alleged Unsuitable Recommendations and Excessive Trading; FINRA Customer Complaints

Our firm is investigating former EF Hutton LLC and Aegis Capital Corp stockbroker Keith Dagostino (CRD# 2837860) of Woodbury, New York for potential investment-related misconduct.

Stockbroker’s Career History

BrokerCheck reflects that Dagostino is not currently registered and was previously registered with multiple broker-dealers over his career. His reported registration history includes EF Hutton LLC (10/2023–10/2024), Aegis Capital Corp. (10/2014–11/2023), Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (05/2010–10/2014), Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (07/2005–06/2010), Ladenburg, Thalmann & Co., Inc. (12/2003–07/2005), Wachovia Securities, LLC (12/2003), Quick & Reilly, Inc. (11/2002–12/2003), and Ladenburg Capital Management Inc. (03/1997–11/2002).

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