FINRA suspended Paul Frederick Valencia, formerly of World Equity Group, Inc. in Temecula, California, for effecting several discretionary trades in a customer's security account without proper approval or written authorization from the customer or firm.
The report states that Valencia used discretion in a securities account that World Equity Group had not authorized or designated as discretionary, and that Valencia's client had verbally authorized the purchase and sale of particular securities, but that this authorization concerned earlier transactions: FINRA wrote that Valencia improperly exercised discretion in executing those transactions on future dates.
Furthermore, according to investigators, Valencia's failure to obtain prior written authorization from the customer or approval from the firm constituted an explicit violation of FINRA/NASD rules.
Valencia's BrokerCheck report indicates two previous settlements concerning unauthorized trades, lack of suitability, and breach of fiduciary duty.
If you have invested with Paul Frederick Valencia, who left World Equity Group (Temecula, CA), or with any broker or financial adviser whose use of discretion in a non-discretionary account or without your prior written authorization, knowledge, or consent has proven harmful to your investments or interests, please call The Law Offices of Jonathan W. Evans & Associates at (800) 699-1881 for investigation and consultation.