Richard Paul Counts (CRD #3241105, Registered Representative, Belleair, Florida)

Theft and Misapprociation FINRA Arbitration and Litigation Attorney, Russell L. Forkey, Esq.

January, 2012:

Richard Paul Counts (CRD #3241105, Registered Representative, Belleair, Florida) submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which he was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity. Without admitting or denying the findings, Counts consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that he misappropriated approximately $18,000 from a customer’s checking account and approximately $73,500 from the same customer’s home equity line of credit; Counts converted these funds to his personal use. The findings stated that Counts failed to respond to FINRA requests for information. (FINRA Case #2010024445201).