Carmine Capone of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and The GMS Group (GMS) of Livingston, New Jersey submitted an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for allegedly failing to supervise one of their registered representatives. A FINRA member since 1979, GMS has 7 branch offices and over 100 registered representatives. Mr. Capone has been associated with GMS since August 1985 and is a General Securities Sales Supervisor for the firm.
FINRA found, that between 2011 through 2013 a registered representative, who was supposed to be under Mr. Capone’s supervision, recommended and engaged in several unsuitable trades in ETF’s in four customer accounts. During the relevant period, FINRA found that the registered representative for GMS did not understand the unique features and specific risks of the ETF transactions. All four clients realized thousands of dollars in losses while the GMS representative generated commissions of $210,754. FINRA alleged that the ETF’s were nontraditional and exposed the clients to more risk than they could tolerate.
Mr. Capone and the registered representative under his supervision were both employed at GMS’s Boca Raton, Florida branch office. GMS was censured and ordered to pay a $75,000 fine for failing to properly supervise its representative who recommended and executed several unsuitable transactions. Mr. Capone was suspended from association with any FINRA member in any capacity for thirty days and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
Stockbrokers have been known to engage in many types of practices which violate industry and firm rules, practices, and procedures. In order to protect customers from stockbroker misconduct, FINRA rules require broker-dealers such as The GMS Group to establish and implement a reasonable supervisory system. The implementation of the rules require supervisors to monitor employees to ensure they comply with federal and state securities laws, securities industry rules and regulations, and the firm, such as The GMS Group own policies and procedures. If broker dealers and/or their supervisors do not establish and implement these protective measures, they may be liable to investors for damages which flow from the misconduct. As a result, investors who have suffered losses because of their stockbroker’s unlawful or prohibited conduct can file a claim to recover damages against broker dealers like The GMS Group, which should consistently oversee its employees in order to prevent stockbroker misconduct.
Have you suffered losses in your The GMS Group investment account due to your stockbroker’s misconduct? If so, call Robert Pearce at the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. for a free consultation. Mr. Pearce is accepting clients with valid claims against stockbrokers for unsuitable recommendations, misrepresentations, and/or other unauthorized and prohibited conduct.
The most important of investors’ rights is the right to be informed! This Investors’ Rights blog post is by the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A., located in Boca Raton, Florida. For over 40 years, Attorney Pearce has tried, arbitrated, and mediated hundreds of disputes involving complex securities, commodities, and investment law issues. The lawyers at our law firm are devoted to protecting investors’ rights throughout the United States and internationally! Please post a comment, call (800) 732-2889, send Mr. Pearce an email at pearce@rwpearce.com, and/or visit our website at www.secatty.com for answers to any of your questions about this blog post and/or any related matter.
Robert Wayne Pearce
Robert Wayne Pearce of The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. has been a trial attorney for more than 40 years and has helped recover over $125 million dollars for his clients. During that time, he developed a well-respected and highly accomplished legal career representing investors and brokers in disputes with one another and the government and industry regulators. To speak with Attorney Pearce, call (800) 732-2889 or Contact Us online for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION with Attorney Pearce about your case.
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