FINRA Enforcement Actions – February, 2011

FINRA Arbitration Securities and Private Placement Fraud and Mismanagement Attorney, Russell L. Forkey, Esq.

February, 2011:

Bathgate Capital Partners LLC nka GVC Capital LLC (CRD #38923, Greenwood Village, Colorado) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which the firm was censured and fined $13,500. Without admitting or denying the findings, the firm consented to the described sanctions and to the entry of findings that it acted as a placement agent in a private investment in public equity (PIPE) offering under Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933 by a company whose securities were quoted on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBBTM). Read More.

Couch Financial Services, Inc. (CRD #130559, Dallas, Texas) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which the firm was censured and fined $10,000. Read More.

InterSecurities, Inc. nka Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. (CRD #16164, St. Petersburg, Florida) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which the firm was fined $50,000 and required to certify to FINRA that it has reviewed it policies, systems and procedures concerning how it determines whether new products are securities, and has determined that they are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, and at the same time it provides this certification, it shall provide a written description of the policies, systems and procedures that are the subject of the certification. Read More.

LPL Financial Corporation, nka LPL Financial LLC (CRD #6413, Boston, Massachusetts) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which the firm was censured and fined $175,000. Read More.

Pinnacle Financial Group, LLC (CRD #131674, Orlando, Florida) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which the firm was censured and fined $15,000. Read More.

Jason Leekarl Beckett (CRD #3186927, Registered Representative, West Columbia, South Carolina formerly licensed with Traderight Securities Inc.) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $10,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for two months. Read More.

Dennis O’Neal Blackstone (CRD #1517755, Registered Principal, Arlington, Texas, formerly licensed with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

Gregory James Buchholz (CRD #1864780, Registered Representative, Bridgewater, Connecticut, formerly licensed with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

Cynthia Ann Bulinski (CRD #1851735, Registered Representative, Annapolis, Maryland, formerly licensed with J.W. Cole Financial, Inc.) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which she was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

Kim Edward Elverud (CRD #2139216, Registered Principal, Bloomington, Minnesota, formerly licensed with Sumner Harrington, LTD.) submitted an Offer of Settlement in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

Douglas Christopher Green (CRD #1713027, Registered Principal, Lighthouse Point, Florida, formerly licensed with Crocker Securities, LLC.) was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

Michael Douglas Hanke (CRD #3158013, Registered Representative, Tampa, Florida, currently licensed with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. ) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $2,500 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 10 business days. Read More

David Jacob Herzog (CRD #1688885, Registered Representative, Houston, Texas) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

David Scott Isolano (CRD #2504880, Registered Principal, Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania) submitted an Offer of Settlement in which he was fined $40,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for five months and immediately thereafter suspended from association with any FINRA member in any principal capacity for one month. Read More.

Robert Charles Keane (CRD #4232583, Registered Principal, Cleveland, Ohio) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $10,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 30 days. Read More.

Steven Louis Morewitz (CRD #5022985, Registered Representative, Newport News, Virginia) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $10,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for 18 months. Read More.

Harry Alexander Mullen Jr. (CRD #342393, Registered Representative, Marietta, Georgia) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.

Louis Robert Porteous III (CRD #1549517, Registered Principal, South Freeport, Maine) submitted a Lett
er of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was fined $5,000 and suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for one year. Read More.

Carlos C. Sarmiento Jr. (CRD #5003883, Registered Representative, San Antonio, Texas) submitted an Offer of Settlement in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity and ordered to pay $82,350, plus interest, in restitution to a member firm. Read More.

Ronald George Spomer II (CRD #4210676, Registered Representative, Cody, Wyoming) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Read More.