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FINRA Disciplinary Actions December 2021

MURRAY TODD PETERSEN (CRD #1311730, ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA)

November 22, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Petersen was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Petersen consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he participated in outside business activities after his member firm withdrew its approval. The findings stated that Petersen sold jewelry for investment purposes against his member firm’s approval as well as participated in at least two private securities transactions totaling $1,080,000 without written approval from his member firm. (FINRA Case #2019064432901)

TYRONE MAURICE SMILES (CRD #4370937, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY)

November 22, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Smiles was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Smiles consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he participated in outside business activities without approval from his member firm as well as providing false information to FINRA in the course of an investigation. The findings stated that Smiles ran an overseas vacation property rental business without informing his member firm as well as referring customers to retirement representatives for profit, and provided false testimony to FINRA regarding both of these activities. (FINRA Case #2020065022801)

CAROLINE MOHAN (CRD #2429577, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA)

November 22, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Mohan was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Mohan consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that she refused to appear for on-the-record testimony as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Mohan was under investigation for allegations made in a U5 filed by her former member firm that she had had been involved with undisclosed outside business activity and private securities transactions when she refused to appear. (FINRA Case #2021070667501)

JESUS RODRIGUEZ (CRD #4888685, EL PASO, TEXAS)

November 29, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Rodriguez was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Rodriguez consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to provide documents and information as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Simpson was under investigation for allegations made in a U5 filed by his former member firm that he had used a client’s line of credit for personal benefit when he refused to cooperate. (FINRA Case #2021072373401)

RODNEY DELETHS WASHINGTON (CRD #1275777, NEW ALBANY, OHIO)

December 9, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Washington was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Washington consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he refused to provide documents and information as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Washington was under investigation for allegations made in a U5 filed by his former member firm that he had undisclosed outside business activities and a personal bankruptcy that had not been reported to his member firm when he refused to cooperate. (FINRA Case #2020066438301)

THOMAS PATRICK BARTON III (CRD #6908590, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA)

December 10, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Barton was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Barton consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he submitted multiple fictitious insurance policy applications with forged electronic signatures. The findings stated that Barton electronically signed the names of five individuals on five fictitious insurance policy applications without their prior permission and submitted the forged applications to an insurance company. (FINRA Case #2021071289801)

GAETANO SALVATORE CIAMBRIELLO (CRD #6948879, NEW YORK, NEW YORK)

December 14, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Ciambriello was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Ciambriello consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to appear for on-the-record testimony as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Ciambriello was under investigation regarding allegations made in a U5 filed by his former member firm that he engaged in outside business activities without providing notice or requesting approval when he failed to appear. (FINRA Case #2020067213401)

DANIEL DELLA ROSA (CRD #2468171, TAMPA, FLORIDA)

December 16, 2021 – An Order Accepting Offer of Settlement was issued in which Della Rosa was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Barton consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide information and documents and also failed to appear for on-the-record testimony requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Della Rosa was under investigation by FINRA for his sales practices when he refused to cooperate. (FINRA Case #2020065714602)

HAYK PAPOYAN (CRD #4459980, VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA)

December 20, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Papoyan was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Papoyan consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to timely disclose an outside brokerage account and testified falsely about his knowledge and control of that account to FINRA staff. The findings stated that Papoyan opened and funded a brokerage account at another firm without informing his member firm about it, then lied to FINRA staff about that account. (FINRA Case #2020065058201)

JASON PATRICK HAMBY (CRD #3089278, BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA)

December 22, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Hamby was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Hamby consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide on-the-record testimony as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Hamby was under investigation for allegations that he involved an unregistered person in activities that required securities registration when he failed to cooperate. (FINRA Case #2019064729704)

SCOTT ALAN KAUFMAN (CRD #2047445, MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA)

December 22, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Kaufman was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Kaufman consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide on-the-record testimony as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Kaufman was under investigation regarding allegations that he used fixed income trading strategies designed to increase bond ratings at the expense of lowering yields to customers when he failed to cooperate. (FINRA Case #2019063886401)

AMY MARJORIE O’BRIEN (CRD #5765481, FORT MILL, SOUTH CAROLINA)

December 23, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which O’Brien was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, O’Brien consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that she failed to provide documents and information as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that O’Brien was under investigation regarding an anonymous tip that she improperly received funds from an elderly customer when she failed to cooperate. (FINRA Case #2021073002001)

DAVID KHEZRI (CRD #2736831, HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK)

December 23, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Khezri was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Khezri consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide documents and information as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Khezri was under investigation regarding allegations that he made unsuitable securities recommendations in customer accounts when he refused to comply. (FINRA Case #2021070381701)

KYLE ZACHARY WITTGREN (CRD #6221630, FRISCO, TEXAS)

December 20, 2021 – An AWC was issued in which Wittgren was barred from association with any FINRA member in all capacities. Without admitting or denying the findings, Wittgren consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he failed to provide on-the-record testimony as requested by FINRA. The findings stated that Wittgren signed clients’ names without the clients’ knowledge or consent, submitted 13 unfunded variable annuity rollover applications and altered three of the clients’ email addresses in violation of company policy when he failed to comply. (FINRA Case #2021071290001)

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