Richard Crescenzo – and the firm that employs him or her – is regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
If you are like most people, before you go out to dinner at a new restaurant, you probably take a quick look at the reviews. This makes sense; you are going to pay for an expensive dinner, and you need to be sure that you are getting a good value.
Yet, when choosing a financial advisor, many people fail to conduct this same level of due diligence. Before turning over access to your money, you need to be sure that you have found a financial advisor that you can trust. Here, our audit report, including details of allegations, complaints, and sanctions will help you decide whether or not to invest with Richard Crescenzo.
The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient… Warren Buffet
BrokerComplaints.com is currently investigating allegations related to Richard Crescenzo. We provide a free platform for investors to help them in their claims against negligent brokers and brokerage firms.
About Richard Crescenzo
Richard Crescenzo is an Investment Adviser. Richard Crescenzo’s Central Registration Depository (CRD) number is 1134115 and the FINRA Profile can be found at – https://brokercheck.finra.org/individual/summary/1134115.
Click here to download a Detailed Audit Report for Richard Crescenzo.
Richard Crescenzo has previously been reprimanded and has disclosures and/or client dispute(s) listed at FINRA BrokerCheck.
Accusations and Disclosures
You can find below, a quick snapshot of Richard Crescenzo’s regulatory actions, arbitrations, and complaints.
DISCLOSURE 1 –
- Event Date: 8/10/2017
- Disclosure Type: Customer Dispute
- Disclosure Resolution: Settled
- Disclosure Detail :: Allegations: Client’s heirs allege failure to supervise and unsuitable recommendations by former Rep to liquidate and transfer assets prior to Client’s death causing tax consequences.
- Damage Amount Requested: $400,000.00
- Settlement Amount: $200,000.00
- Arbitration Docket Number: 18-01684
DISCLOSURE 2 –
- Event Date: 3/28/2016
- Disclosure Type: Regulatory
- Disclosure Resolution: Final
- Disclosure Detail :: DocketNumberFDA: 2014043616601
- DocketNumberAAO: 2014043616601
- Initiated By: FINRA
- Allegations: Without admitting or denying the findings, Crescenzo consented to the sanction and to the entry of findings that he borrowed a total of $25,000 from elderly customers without his member firms’ knowledge or approval. The findings stated that during the relevant period, Crescenzo’s firms’ policies and procedures prohibited registered representatives from borrowing money from firm customers with limited exceptions, none of which apply here. Crescenzo repaid one of the customers after she filed a written complaint with his then-employer firm. Crescenzo also made a payment of $2,000 to the other customer, representing partial repayment of the related loans. Crescenzo never informed any of his associated firms of the loans from the customers. The findings also stated that Crescenzo completed an annual questionnaire at his firm in which he falsely answered o in response to a question asking if he had borrowed money from any customer.
- Resolution: Acceptance, Waiver & Consent(AWC)
- Sanction Details :: Sanctions: Suspension
- Sanction Details :: Registration Capacities Affected: any capacity
- Duration: Two years
- Start Date: 4/4/2016
- End Date: 4/3/2018
- Sanctions: On August 13, 2013, Crescenzo was granted a discharge in bankruptcy under Section 727 of Title 11, United States Code. Accordingly, no monetary sanction is being assessed in this matter.
DISCLOSURE 3 –
- Event Date: 9/24/2014
- Disclosure Type: Customer Dispute
- Disclosure Resolution: Settled
- Disclosure Detail :: Allegations: CUSTOMER CALLED IN/EMAILED COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT STATING THAT SHE WAS UPSET ABOUT LARGE LOSSES IN HER ACCOUNT IN AUGUST 2014. CUSTOMER ALSO DISCLOSED TO FIRM THAT SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY LOANED MR. CRESCENZO $10,000 IN JUNE 2011(WHILE HE WAS EMPLOYED AT ANOTHER BROKER DEALER, AMERIPRISE) AND HE HAS NOT PAID HER BACK YET (OTHER THAN ONE $2,000 PAYMENT). CUSTOMER WANTS HER LOAN PAID BACK IN ADDITION TO THE 10% INTEREST THAT HE PROMISED HER.
- Damage Amount Requested: $9,000.00
- Settlement Amount: $9,000.00
- Arbitration Docket Number:
DISCLOSURE 4 –
- Event Date: 4/30/2013
- Disclosure Type: Financial
- Disclosure Resolution: Final
- Disclosure Detail :: Type: Bankruptcy
- Disposition: Discharged
- Broker Comment: IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO PUT MYSELF INTO PROTECTION (CHAPTER 7) TO SHIELD MY PROFESSION AND LICENSES. THIS WAS DUE TO A WRONGFUL SUIT BROUGHT BY MY PRIOR FIRM WHEN I LEFT THEM (DECEMBER 2010) AND MOVED MY PRACTICE- CONTRACT RELATED. THIS MATTER DID NOT INVOLVE CLIENTS, ANY COMPLIANCE ISSUES OR EVEN MY PERSONAL FINANCIAL MATTERS. THIS PROTECTION ENDED THE CASE/ CONCERN.
DISCLOSURE 5 –
- Event Date: 2/24/2004
- Disclosure Type: Customer Dispute
- Disclosure Resolution: Settled
- Disclosure Detail :: Allegations: CLAIMANT ALLEGES UNSUITABLE AND UNAUTHORIZED INVESTMENT TRANSACTION; CLAIMANT ALLEGES CHURNING
- Damage Amount Requested: $420,000.00
- Settlement Amount: $62,500.00
- Arbitration Claim Filed Detail: 04-00360
- Arbitration Docket Number:
- Broker Comment: PSI PAID $4000 TOWARDS THE GLOBAL SETTLEMENT
DISCLOSURE 6 –
- Event Date: 6/18/2003
- Disclosure Type: Customer Dispute
- Disclosure Resolution: Settled
- Disclosure Detail :: Allegations: CLIENTS ALLEGE THTROUGH THEIR ATTORNEY THAT THEY WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE RISKY NATURE OF THEIR INVESTMENTS. IN ADDITION, ALLEGE THAT THEIR FA TOLD THE HUSBAND TO SIGN HIS WIFE’S NAME ON THE NEW ACCOUNT DOCUMENTS SO THAT SHE HAS NOT ACTUALLY AUTHORIZED THE INVESTMENT.
- Damage Amount Requested: $60,000.00
- Settlement Amount: $24,999.00
- Arbitration Docket Number:
- Broker Comment: FA WAS ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE $5,000, BUT HE HAS NOT YET AGREED TO DO SO.
According to a study prepared for the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, 80 percent of American investors report that they have been solicited to participate in a fraud scheme, while 11 percent of American investors report that they personally lost money as a result of fraud.
FINRA notes that the rate of investment fraud is most likely much higher than it is reported. This is because many victims of financial advisor scams are too ashamed to come forward. Further, the study also found that a significant number of investors do not know how to spot common red flags of investment fraud. The least you should do is share your experience with other potential victims of investment scams.
Previous Associations
Under federal securities law and securities industry regulations, registered investment firms have a legal duty to supervise their financial advisors. Section 15(b)(4)(E) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 makes a securities firm liable for the conduct of representatives.
- VANDERBILT SECURITIES, LLC (CRD#: 5953) :: 6/18/2015 – 11/20/2015 :: WOODBURY, NY
- CAPITOL SECURITIES MANAGEMENT, INC. (CRD#: 14169) :: 10/24/2012 – 6/22/2015 :: MELVILLE, NY
- CAPITOL SECURITIES & ASSOCIATES, INC. (CRD#: 7278) :: 12/22/2011 – 12/18/2012 :: GLEN ALLEN, VA
- AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. (CRD#: 6363) :: 8/13/2010 – 12/20/2011 :: HAUPPAUGE, NY
- OPPENHEIMER & CO. INC. (CRD#: 249) :: 4/13/2006 – 8/18/2010 :: HAUPPAUGE, NY
- WESTROCK ADVISORS, INC. (CRD#: 114338) :: 7/19/2004 – 4/17/2006 :: NEW YORK, NY
- WACHOVIA SECURITIES, LLC (CRD#: 19616) :: 7/1/2003 – 6/4/2004 :: ST. LOUIS, MO
- PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED (CRD#: 7471) :: 8/29/2001 – 7/1/2003 :: NEW YORK, NY
- UBS PAINEWEBBER INC. (CRD#: 8174) :: 11/11/1999 – 8/31/2001 :: WEEHAWKEN, NJ
- SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC. (CRD#: 7059) :: 7/31/1993 – 11/22/1999 :: NEW YORK, NY
- LEHMAN BROTHERS INC. (CRD#: 7506) :: 4/11/1988 – 7/31/1993 :: NEW YORK, NY
- E. F. HUTTON & COMPANY INC (CRD#: 235) :: 10/1/1987 – 4/11/1988
- DAVID LERNER ASSOCIATES, INC. (CRD#: 5397) :: 7/6/1983 – 11/11/1987
The duty to supervise securities representatives is a strong legal requirement. Registered investment firms must take many different steps to ensure that they are protecting their customers from irresponsible and criminal financial advisors.
Legit or Not?
Unfortunately, stockbroker fraud is more common than many investors would like to think. And yes, stockbrokers (including Richard Crescenzo, but not limited to) can (and do) steal money from their clients. While it’s rare that a broker will literally steal his client’s money (though that does happen), typically the “theft” of investment funds comes in the form of other fraudulent violations of securities law and FINRA rules which leads to significant investment losses.
Sometimes investment losses occur because advisors, stockbrokers, and even brokerage firms, commit fraud. Massimo Vignelli
Investors generally understand that there are risks associated with buying and selling securities. The market can go up, and the market can go down. No matter how skilled of an investor you are, there are always risks. With that being said, sometimes investment losses cannot be blamed on simple back luck.
There are 10 major types of complaints we receive against Investment Brokers –
- Outright Theft (Conversion of Funds)
- Unauthorized Trading
- Misrepresentation or Omission of Material Facts
- Excessive Trading (Churning)
- Lack of Diversification
- Unsuitable Investment Recommendations
- Failure to Disclose a Personal Conflict of Interest
- Front Running of Transactions
- Breakpoint Sale Violations
- Negligent Portfolio Management
Do your due diligence before investing. Public records are available for everybody to review and decide on the safest bet.
How to Protect Yourself
We, as citizens, place a great deal of trust in the financial advisors who are tasked with helping us achieve and maintain financial security. Most of the time financial advisors and stockbrokers are honest folks who work diligently in their client’s best interests. However, on occasion financial advisors and the brokerage firms who employ them mess up and cause serious financial harm to their clients. Sometimes these losses are caused by simple negligence. Other times fraud or other serious misconduct is to blame.
Here are 5 signs that your broker needs to be reported –
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty: Under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, certain investment professionals, known as registered investment advisors (RIAs), owe fiduciary obligations to their customers. Your investment broker must always look out for your best interests. If you lost money because of your broker’s breach of fiduciary duty, you may be entitled to compensation for the full value of your damages.
- Unsuitable Investments: Many financial advisors are not fiduciaries. Instead, they are held to the suitability standard. These stockbrokers and financial advisors can only sell and recommend financial products that are appropriate for a customer’s unique investment profile. If you lost money in unsuitable investments, you should consider reporting them.
- Material Misrepresentations or Omissions: Brokers have a duty to make fair and honest representations to their clients. If they fail to do so, and an investor loses money due to a misrepresentation or a material omission, the broker may be liable for the investor’s losses.
- Lack of Diversification: Brokers must also act with the appropriate level of professional skill. Pushing a customer into over-concentrated investments is highly risky. Brokers can be held liable for losses sustained because of an investor’s inappropriate lack of diversification.
- Excessive Trading (Churning): Stockbrokers and financial advisors must have a well-grounded, reasonable basis to execute all trades. Unfortunately, there are cases in which brokers will frequently trade on a customer’s account, simply to increase their own fees. This unlawful practice is known as churning.
- Unauthorized Trading: Brokers must have the proper legal authority to make transactions on behalf of a client. If you lost money because your broker made trades that you never approved of, you may have been the victim of unauthorized trading. You should consult with an experienced attorney.
Report Richard Crescenzo
In order to prevail in an investment fraud lawsuit or FINRA arbitration cases, you must be able to assert a viable ‘cause of action’.
Richard Crescenzo – and the firm that employs this broker – is regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). FINRA provides an online form to allow investors to file a formal complaint against their financial advisor, stockbroker, or brokerage firm.
Click here to go to FINRA’s Online Complaint Form →
This form will ask you for specific information related to your complaint. Be prepared by gathering the following:
- Name and symbol for the investment product in question.
- The CRD number (1134115) for the broker – Richard Crescenzo
- Your complete contact information.
Remember, it is advised to report your broker to FINRA, only after you have exhausted all of your other remedies and carefully prepared a compelling complaint. Once you file a complaint against your broker at FINRA, your case will be bound by FINRA’s rules and the arbitration panel’s eventual decision. The time clock will start, and your complaint will be served on your broker or broker-dealer.
The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the source BrokerComplaints.com and do not necessarily reflect the official position of ‘The Skeptic Files,’ which shall not be held liable for any inaccuracies presented. The information provided within this article is for general informational purposes only. While we try to keep the information up-to-date and correct, there are no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability of the information in this article for any purpose.
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