• August 2, 2018
• Oppenheimer & Co.
• Unsuitability
• Unsuitable

The Wolper Law Firm, P.A. is currently investigating claims against Paul Deangelo, a former Financial Advisor at Oppenheimer & Co. in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.  Paul Deangelo has been in the securities industry since 1980s and previously worked for Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley.

According to publicly available records released by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), on march 13, 2018, Paul Deangelo was discharged by Oppenheimer for failure to “inform the firm about a regulatory inquiry.”  This is not the first time Paul Deangelo has left a brokerage firm under a cloud of suspicion.  In 2015, he was permitted to resign from Wells Fargo after an investigation was launched regarding unauthorized trading in a customer account.

In addition, Paul Deangelo has been the subject of six (6) customer complaints in his career, including the following:

• January 2017—“Client claims former FA placed him in risky PR bonds.”
• September 2016—“Client claimed they wanted safety and income. Client alleged bonds are now [in] bankruptcy.”
• March 2009—“Client alleges excessive trading and suitability of her investments.” The matter was settled for $80,000.
• June 1999—“Allegations by customer were that I mishandled accounts, excessive trading was done and unsuitable investments.” The matter was settled for $45,000.

https://brokercheck.finra.org/individual/summary/1837472#disclosuresSection

Financial advisors have a legal and regulatory obligation to recommend only suitable investments that are appropriate for their clients’ needs and objectives.  In addition, Financial Advisors must first obtain authorization from their customers before placing trades in a customer account. 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.

If you or someone you know was a customer of Paul Deangelo, and you experienced investment losses, please contact the Wolper Law Firm, P.A. at 800.931.8452 or by email at mwolper@wolperlawfirm.com to discuss your specific situation and the legal options available.  The Wolper Law Firm, P.A. represents investors nationwide in securities litigation and arbitration.

Matt Wolper, the Managing Principal of the Wolper Law Firm, P.A., 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.  Simply put, he knows how the other side evaluates cases, which gives you a competitive advantage.