Unregistered Advisors Perpetrate Scheme While Concealing Disciplinary Histories

Posted on April 22nd, 2022 at 1:48 PM
Unregistered Advisors Perpetrate Scheme While Concealing Disciplinary Histories

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law:

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed suit against two unregistered advisors for hiding their disciplinary records from investors while engaging in a scheme that generated at least $9 million. 

Joseph DeVito and Dean Esposito allegedly solicited investments in Property Income Investors LLC, which purportedly was created to purchase and renovate multifamily properties. However, the SEC alleges that the sales were completed in violation of orders entered after past SEC enforcement actions, according to the suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. DeVito and Esposito allegedly failed to inform potential investors about their disciplinary records, “including that they were enjoined from violating the offering and broker-dealer registration provisions and the antifraud provisions of both the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and had full associational and penny stock bars entered against them”, according to the SEC. 

The SEC further alleged that the unregistered advisors referred to themselves as “Dean Anthony” and “Salvatore DeVito” when talking to potential investors in an effort to hide their true identities and disciplinary histories. Property Income Investors paid Esposito and DeVito commissions of $245,750 and $246,750, respectively, according to the SEC. 

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

 

Tags: eccleston law, sec, financial advisors

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

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

February 23, 2026
Drive Planning Founder Pleads Guilty to $380 Million Ponzi Scheme

Todd Burkhalter, founder and chief executive officer of Drive Planning LLC, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he orchestrated a $380 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 2,000 investors.

February 20, 2026
Edward Jones Expands Equity-Style Awards to Thousands More Advisors

Edward D. Jones & Co. has expanded eligibility for its “profits interest” award, extending the equity-style incentive to thousands more advisors, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing reviewed by AdvisorHub.

February 19, 2026
Wall Street Journal Analysis Questions Investor Gains Following DuPont's Decade-Long Breakup

A Wall Street Journal analysis has raised questions about investor returns following DuPont’s multi-year corporate restructuring, which divided the historic conglomerate into multiple independent companies.