Articles Tagged with Energy-Sector Securities

An elderly couple in their upper 80s filed a FINRA arbitration claim against David Lerner Associates, Inc. (“David Lerner Associates”) to recover losses and damages of up to $1 million. The couple, represented by securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP, alleges that David Lerner Associates recommended an unsuitable investment strategy to invest and concentrate a significant portion of their retirement savings and net worth into risky and high-commission energy-sector securities that were proprietary to David Lerner Associates, Inc.: (1) Energy 11, L.P. (“Energy 11”); (2) Energy Resources 12, L.P. (“Energy 12”); and the Spirit of America  Energy Fund (“SOAEX”).

The arbitration claim also alleges that David Lerner Associates and its broker, Robert Rasbach, misrepresented and omitted material information about the investment strategy and the energy investments, including:

  • That investing in Energy 11 and Energy 12 involved a “high degree of risk” and was only appropriate for investors willing and able to assume the risk of a “speculative, illiquid, and long-term investment.”

Energy 11, L.P. is an illiquid, non-traded limited partnership sold as private placement security exclusively by broker-dealer David Lerner Associates, Inc. The limited partnership invests in the oil, gas, and energy sector, which has been extremely volatile the past several years.  Energy 11 was not suitable for most conservative or retired investors.

On November 5, 2011, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energy 11 GP, LLC, the general partner of Energy 11, L.P. (“Energy 11”), sent a letter to investors of Energy 11 notifying them that partial distributions would resume after a nearly two-year hiatus. The amount of the distribution will be 50% of the regular monthly distribution.

In March 2020, Energy 11 suspended monthly distributions to its limited partners as the partnership took on massive debt.  Unbeknownst to many investors, the distributions were merely a return of the limited partner’s original capital investment, not a dividend.   Energy 11 currently owes 21 months of unpaid distributions to its limited partners, totaling approximately $42 million.

On August 6, 2021, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energy 11 GP, LLC, the general partner of Energy 11, L.P. (“Energy 11”), sent a letter to investors of Energy 11.  Despite the upbeat and optimistic tone of the letter, as well as the representations made by David Lerner Associates, Inc.’s financial advisors to customers, investors have the right to feel concerned about their investments based on Energy 11’s public filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  Most notably for investors:

  • Energy 11 has not made distributions to its limited partners since March 2020.
  • Energy 11 owes its limited partners 18 months of unpaid distributions, totaling more than $36 million.

Martin Lerner is a stockbroker with David Lerner Associates, Inc. (“David Lerner Associates”) in Boca Raton, Florida, with a history of customer complaints.

Martin Lerner has been the subject of six customer complaints, which include one pending dispute and five resolved disputes that ended with monetary compensation being paid to a customer. The pending dispute is a securities arbitration claim filed by a customer against Martin Lerner and David Lerner Associates concerning energy-sector securities. The customer alleged that the recommendations to invest in Energy 12 L.P., an illiquid, non-traded limited partners, and Spirit of America Energy Fund (SOAEX), an energy mutual fund, were unsuitable.  The customer also alleged that Martin Lerner made material misrepresentations or omissions regarding both energy-sector securities.

If you have invested in Energy 11, Energy 12, SOAEX, or lost money with broker Martin Lerner or David Lerner Associates, contact New York securities arbitration lawyers Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential evaluation of your account.

You worked hard, opened a brokerage or retirement account, and invested your savings with a financial advisor or stockbroker, only to suffer financial losses due to bad investment advice, misleading sales pitches, or brokers that were driven by commissions.  Now what?

Can I Sue My Financial Advisor Over Losses?

Yes, you can sue your financial advisor or broker to recover investment losses if the broker did not have your best interest in mind when they made an investment recommendation or offered investment advice.  You can also sue your financial advisor or broker if the financial advisor misrepresented or omitted material facts that an investor should have known about the security or investment strategy.

**Update:  4/19/21**  In March 2021 another customer filed a securities arbitration complaint against Daniel Todd Lerner and David Lerner Associates, Inc.   The customer has alleged over $515,000 in damages  as a result of unsuitable investment recommendations related to Energy 11 and an unspecific mutual fund (possibly, SOAEX).  The complaint alleged unsuitability, misrepresentation,  breach of fiduciary duty, and unauthorized trading.

See also:

Energy 11, L.P. and Energy Resources 12 L.P.: How to Recover Investment Losses from David Lerner Associates, Inc.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has suspended financial advisor Charles Bonilla from the securities industry for five months, fined him $5,000, and ordered him to disgorge $22,417 in commissions.

FINRA suspended Mr. Bonilla for recommending energy-sector securities to customers without having a reasonable basis to believe those investments were suitable.  Mr. Bonilla was a broker with David Lerner Associates, Inc. in Boca Raton, FL when the alleged conduct occurred.

If you have suffered financial losses investing with Mr. Bonilla or suspect that Mr. Bonilla did not have your best interest in mind when recommending investments, including energy-sector mutual funds or limited partnerships, contact New York securities arbitration law firm Iorio Altamirano LLP for a free and confidential review of your account.

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