Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

FINRA Arbitration Panel Awards Double Damages to Florida Investor Over Advisor’s “Egregious” Lies

Posted on April 17th, 2023 at 4:11 PM
FINRA Arbitration Panel Awards Double Damages to Florida Investor Over Advisor’s  “Egregious” Lies

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has doubled the damages a former advisor must pay to a Florida-based investor due to the “particularly egregious” lies the advisor told to convince the client to invest in a fraud.

The client, a retired professor at Florida State University, alleged breach of fiduciary duty, gross negligence, and fraud against her former advisor, Gail Milon, according to the award. The panel awarded the client $458,326 in compensatory damages, $458,326 in punitive damages, and $145,000 in interest.

In 2017, Milon recommended investment funds that were offered by Cambridge Capital Group Advisors, according to the award. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously charged Cambridge with civil fraud in 2019, and Cambridge subsequently denied the allegations. However, in 2021, Cambridge agreed to a court-ordered final judgment restricting it from engaging in fraud and compelling the firm to pay an unspecified amount in disgorgement related to the civil fraud.

According to the arbitrators, “The Panel determined that Respondent’s actions in intentionally lying to the Claimant about the nature of the investments were particularly egregious because the Respondent knew that the monies being invested represented over 80% of Claimant’s liquid assets.” According to the award, the investor initially invested nearly $520,000 in Cambridge funds with Milon, who is no longer registered with FINRA.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents financial advisors and investors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

If the regulators are after you, and are trying to make a case against you, and you are going to contest their allegations against you, make sure you have the best securities industry defense lawyers, Eccleston Law Firm. My case was spun into a combination of penalties including fines, cash settlements, CE courses and suspension. They were the best I have seen in action. When all was said and done, they had done their magic, my situation was negotiated and settled with a simple "letter of caution" and a case closed without action. It is the most important legal business decision you will ever make, make it Eccleston Law.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1783012078 Law
July 2, 2026
Financial Services Institute Backs New Jersey Bill Protecting Independent Advisor Model

The Financial Services Institute (FSI) has urged New Jersey lawmakers to advance legislation that would help preserve the independent contractor status of financial advisors operating in the state.

1782920284 Law
July 1, 2026
Private Credit Funds Face Scrutiny Over Software Exposure Amid Investor Concerns

Private credit fund managers are facing increased scrutiny over their exposure to software companies as investors continue to pull money from the sector during ongoing market volatility.

1782836587 Law
June 30, 2026
FINRA Signals Stronger Enforcement Focus on Reg BI, Excessive Trading, and Best Execution

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) plans to intensify its enforcement efforts against Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) violations, excessive trading, options trading, churning, and best execution failures after bringing a record number of retail investor protection cases in 2025, according to ThinkAdvisor.