Financial Advisor Bobby Coburn (Securities America) Customer Complaints

• September 6, 2019
• Securities America

Bobby Coburn (CRD # 1464789) is a former Financial Advisor at Securities America, Inc. in Fort Meade, FL.  Bobby Coburn has been in the securities industry since 1998 and previously worked at Brecek & Young Advisors, Inc., Legend Equities Corporation, Nationwide Securities, Inc., Walnut Street Securities, Inc., North American Management, Inc. and Ameritas Investment Corp. 

According to publicly available records released by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in August 2019, FINRA barred Bobby Coburn from acting as a broker or otherwise associating with a broker-dealer firm indefinitely for failing “to provide FINRA with requested information and documents” in connection with its investigation into Mr. Coburn’s termination from Securities America for his alleged involvement “in the solicitation of multiple clients to invest in an unapproved private securities transaction and engaged in the settlement of a related customer’s complaint without the firm’s knowledge.”

For a copy of the FINRA sanction, click https://www.finra.org/sites/default/files/fda_documents/2019062319501%20Bobby%20Wayne%20Coburn%20CRD%201464789%20AWC%20va.pdf.

In addition, Bobby Coburn has two customer complaints disclosed on his CRD alleging the following:

• October 2018 – “The client alleges the purchase of a variable annuity was not suitable.”  The matter settled for $54,898.34.
• April 2016 – “Customer invested $30,000 in a Costa Rica real estate development and did not receive payments due under Promissory Note.”  That matter settled for $7,000.

For a copy of Bobby Coburn’s CRD, click https://brokercheck.finra.org/individual/summary/1464789#disclosuresSection.

FINRA strictly prohibits financial advisors from “selling away” or selling securities and investments to clients that are not offered by the brokerage firm with which they are employed. For example, it is illegal and a violation of industry rules for a financial advisor to recommend or even suggest that a client invest in the financial advisor’s own business or a business operated by his or her friends or family. It is not necessary that the financial advisor earn any compensation for recommending an outside investment.

The purpose behind this prohibition is to ensure that a financial advisor only offers to sell securities that have been vetted by his or her employer brokerage firm through a rigorous due diligence process. Most brokerage firms have an approved list of investments, products, and research that can be provided or made available to clients. Any deviation by the financial advisor from the approved product list may constitute selling away.

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 800.931.8452 or by email at mwolper@wolperlawfirm.com.