Our firm is investigating The Leaders Group, Inc. broker and Financial Designs Wealth Management investment adviser representative Jorge Alberto Valdes (CRD# 2403666) of Miami, Florida in connection with customer disputes reported through FINRA BrokerCheck.
According to his BrokerCheck report, Valdes is currently registered with The Leaders Group, Inc. and Financial Designs Wealth Management. His record reflects two customer dispute disclosures, both of which are final rather than pending.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
According to his FINRA BrokerCheck report, Jorge A. Valdes has been associated with the following securities and investment advisory firms:
- Financial Designs Wealth Management — 08/2023 to Present as an investment adviser representative
- The Leaders Group, Inc. — 05/2021 to Present as a broker
- Financial Designs Wealth Management — 07/2021 to 08/2023
- TLG Advisors, Inc. — 06/2021 to 06/2021
- Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. — 07/1995 to 05/2021
- Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc. — 11/1993 to 06/1995
FINRA reports that Valdes currently works as an investment adviser representative with Financial Designs Wealth Management and as a registered representative with The Leaders Group. He also reports ownership of Financial Designs Inc.
Valdes reports the Certified Financial Planner professional designation.
His disclosed outside business activities include Financial Designs Inc., real-estate ownership entities, Financial Designs Legacy, a payroll business, and Financial Designs Wealth Management.
Jorge Alberto Valdes Allegations and Investor Complaints Explained
FINRA BrokerCheck reports two customer disputes involving Jorge Valdes.
The more recent dispute was settled for $323,832 and involved allegations of twisting, misrepresentation, and forgery/false attestation in connection with an insurance product. The older dispute, from 2008, alleged that variable annuity recommendations were unsuitable for the customers’ long-term growth objectives; that complaint was denied.
Customer Dispute: Alleged Twisting, Misrepresentation, and Forgery/False Attestation
The recent BrokerCheck disclosure identifies The Leaders Group, Inc. as the employing firm when the activities giving rise to the complaint allegedly occurred.
The allegations are described in BrokerCheck as consisting of “Twisting, Misrepresenting, Forgery/False Attestation.” The product involved was insurance.
The disclosure provides the following information:
- Firm: The Leaders Group, Inc.
- Allegations: Twisting, misrepresentation, and forgery/false attestation
- Product Type: Insurance
- Alleged Damages: $323,832
- Date Complaint Received: 06/13/2025
- Status: Settled
- Status Date: 01/27/2026
- Settlement Amount: $323,832
- Individual Contribution: $0
- Written Complaint: Yes
- Arbitration or Civil Litigation: No
Broker’s Statement
Valdes disputes the allegations.
In the BrokerCheck narrative, he states that the allegations are false and explains that he met with the client to review an existing insurance policy and estate plan. According to Valdes, the parties discussed adding a chronic illness benefit, compared the existing and proposed policies, and discussed a new 10-year surrender schedule.
He further states that emails involving the client, trustee, and manager reflected their participation during underwriting. According to the disclosure, the life insurance company ultimately rescinded the policy and returned all premiums paid to the insured.
Prior Customer Complaint: Alleged Unsuitable Variable Annuities
Valdes’s BrokerCheck report also contains an earlier customer complaint involving ING Financial Partners, Inc.
According to the disclosure, customers alleged that recommendations and sales of variable annuity contracts did not meet their objective of long-term growth and were unsuitable for them.
The complaint was received on February 4, 2008 and was subsequently denied on February 28, 2008. No specific damages amount was claimed, although the firm reported that it could not make a good-faith determination that potential damages would be less than $5,000.
Disclosure Summary
- Customer Dispute — Settled
- Firm: The Leaders Group, Inc.
- Allegations: Twisting, misrepresentation, and forgery/false attestation
- Product: Insurance
- Alleged damages: $323,832
- Settlement: $323,832
- Settlement date: January 27, 2026
- Individual contribution: $0
- Broker position: Valdes denies the allegations
- Customer Dispute — Denied
- Firm: ING Financial Partners, Inc.
- Allegation: Variable annuities allegedly failed to meet customers’ long-term growth objectives and were unsuitable
- Complaint received: February 4, 2008
- Status: Denied
- Status date: February 28, 2008
Conclusion
Investors reviewing Jorge Valdes’s BrokerCheck record should note that his most recent customer dispute resulted in a $323,832 settlement, while Valdes disputes the allegations and reports that he personally contributed $0 to the settlement. The older variable annuity complaint was denied.
FINRA explains that settlements may be entered into for business or other reasons and do not necessarily constitute an admission or finding of wrongdoing.
Investors considering doing business with Jorge Alberto Valdes may want to review his complete FINRA BrokerCheck report under CRD# 2403666 for the most current information concerning his registration and disclosure history.
Robert Wayne Pearce Is Committed to Recovering Your Investment Losses
Allegations involving insurance twisting or misrepresentation can arise when an investor claims that an existing insurance policy was replaced or changed based on incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading information. Such transactions may involve surrender periods, new fees, different benefits, underwriting requirements, or other financial consequences.
In Valdes’s recent disclosure, the customer alleged twisting, misrepresentation, and forgery/false attestation involving an insurance product. The matter settled for $323,832, although Valdes denies the allegations and reported no personal contribution to the settlement.
For over 45 years, Robert Wayne Pearce has helped investors recover losses caused by broker fraud, negligence, unsuitable recommendations, misrepresentations, and other investment-related misconduct. His firm, The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A., represents clients nationwide on a no-recovery, no-fee basis.
Call (800) 732-2889 or email pearce@rwpearce.com for a free case review with an experienced securities attorney.
