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

FINRA Arbitrators Order Morgan Stanley and Former Advisor to Pay Damages to Mexican Farmer

Posted on June 15th, 2022 at 1:10 PM
FINRA Arbitrators Order Morgan Stanley and Former Advisor to Pay Damages to Mexican Farmer

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law:

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration panel has ordered Morgan Stanley and a former advisor with the firm to each pay $160,000 in damages to a Mexican farmer for allegedly making improper recommendations. 

The Mexican farmer, Carlos Ramon Tapia Sanchez, sold his farming operation in 2015 before investing the proceeds in junk bonds pursuant to the recommendation of his financial advisor. However, the junk bonds allegedly were unsuitable as they fell outside of Sanchez’s risk tolerance. Sanchez, who is now 70, worked with Morgan Stanley advisor Francisco Javier Valenzuela and lost nearly $368,000 on the investments. Sanchez filed an arbitration claim against Morgan Stanley in 2020 alleging elder abuse, misrepresentation and failure to supervise. 

A three-person FINRA arbitration panel determined that Valenzuela was liable for misrepresentation and fraud. Additionally, the panel found Morgan Stanley liable for negligence and failure to supervise. According to the award, Morgan Stanley and Valenzuela jointly were ordered to pay Sanchez $160,000 in compensatory damages. 

According to BrokerCheck, Valenzuela departed Morgan Stanley in 2018 and received an industry bar from FINRA that same year. 

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

Tags: eccleston law, finra, morgan stanley

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

If you are being bothered by the Regulators, call Eccleston Law, you won't regret it.

Rick R.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1791390362 Law
October 7, 2026
SEC Charges Investment Fund Operators in Alleged $8.7 Million Fraud Scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Christopher Kenji Dinelli and Jacob David "Kobe" Frankel with allegedly defrauding 35 investors of more than $8.7 million through Beyond Alpha Ventures LLC and investment advisory firm Beyond Equity LLC.

1791220249 Law
October 5, 2026
House Passes Bill to Restore Tax Deduction for Financial Fraud Victims

Victims of financial fraud may soon receive additional tax relief under legislation that overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives.

1790960250 Law
October 2, 2026
FINRA Arbitrators Award Schwab Client $1.34 Million in Cryptocurrency Scam Dispute

A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Dispute Resolution Services arbitration panel awarded nearly $1.34 million in compensatory damages to a Charles Schwab & Co.