Financial Advisor Christopher Michael Gardner Discloses Two FINRA Customer Disputes

• September 3, 2026
• Signature Estate Securities

Broker’s Background

 

Christopher Michael Gardner (CRD #: 6399817) is registered with Signature Estate Securities, LLC and Seia in Los Angeles, CA. Gardner’s past employers include Towneley Capital Management, Inc. and Osaic Wealth, Inc.

 

Current and Past Allegations of Conduct Leading to Investment Loss

 

According to publicly available records released by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in April 2026, Christopher Michael Gardner became the subject of a customer dispute alleging: “breach of fiduciary duty”. Damage amount requested is $4,000,000.00.

 

In addition, Christopher Michael Gardner has been the subject of another past FINRA disclosure, including the following:

• March 2026 – Customer allegations of unsuitability regarding option trading. Damaged amount requested is $500,000.00.

For a copy of Christopher Michael Gardner’s FINRA Broker Check, click here

We Help Investors Recover Investment Losses

 

Financial advisors have a legal and regulatory obligation to recommend only suitable investments that are appropriate for their clients’ needs and objectives. Their employing brokerage firm has a legal and regulatory obligation to supervise the Financial Advisors’ sales practices and dealings with clients. To the extent any of these duties are breached, the customer may be entitled to a recovery of his or her investment losses.

 

Options strategies have become increasingly popular among brokerage firms, registered investment advisers and other financial professionals, often times being sold as safe income producing investment strategies.  Many financial professionals do not understand the risks associated with options and, therefore, do not accurately communicate those risks to their clients.

 

There are a wide array of options strategies.  These strategies may include long or short options, put or call options, covered call options, spreads, strangles, iron condors and yield enhancement strategies.  In certain instances, financial professionals may implement a combination of these strategies.

 

If you have experienced losses as a result of options trading and believe that those losses were caused by the misconduct of your financial advisor or investment advisor, contact the Wolper Law Firm.  We will evaluate your case at no cost.  Over the last several years, the Wolper Law Firm has handled a significant number of cases involving failed options strategies.  Recently, the Wolper Law Firm obtained a $7.1 million arbitration award against a registered investment advisor, who destroyed a substantial amount of our client’s wealth by implementing an ill-advised options strategy.

 

Reasonable basis suitability requires that a recommended investment or investment strategy be suitable or appropriate for at least some investors. Reasonable basis suitability requires an advisor to conduct adequate due diligence so that he or she can determine the risks and rewards of the investment or investment strategy.

 

Quantitative suitability requires a brokerage firm or financial advisor with actual or de facto control over a customer’s account to have a reasonable basis for believing that a series of recommended transactions – even if suitable when viewed in isolation – is not excessive and unsuitable for the customer when taken together in light of the customer’s investment profile. No single test defines excessive activity, but factors such as the turnover rate, the cost-equity ratio, and the use of in-and-out trading in a customer’s account may provide a basis for a finding that a member or associated person has violated the quantitative suitability obligation. Financial advisors have a legal and regulatory obligation to recommend only suitable investments that are appropriate for their clients’ needs and objectives. Their employing brokerage firm has a legal and regulatory obligation to supervise the Financial Advisors’ sales practices and dealings with clients. To the extent any of these duties are breached, the customer may be entitled to a recovery of his or her investment losses.

 

The Wolper Law Firm represents investors nationwide in securities litigation and arbitration on a contingency fee basis. Matt Wolper, the Managing Principal of the Wolper Law Firm, is a trial lawyer who has handled hundreds of securities cases during his career involving a wide range of products, strategies, and securities. Prior to representing investors, he was a partner with a national law firm, where he represented some of the largest banks and brokerage firms in the world in securities matters. We can be reached at (855) 289-7868 or by email at mwolper@wolperlawfirm.com