Our firm is investigating Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC broker and investment adviser representative Shalom Azar (CRD# 7125424) of Fort Lee, New Jersey for potential investment-related misconduct.

Shalom Azar’s Stockbroker Career History

Shalom Azar is currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC as a broker and with Wells Fargo Advisors as an investment adviser representative, working from the firm’s Fort Lee, New Jersey office. He has been registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC since July 22, 2025.

Before joining Wells Fargo, Azar was registered with Morgan Stanley from July 2021 through August 2025 in Paramus, New Jersey. He was also registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated from August 2019 through July 2021 as a broker and from September 2019 through July 2021 as an investment adviser representative in Stamford, Connecticut.

Azar’s reported employment history includes Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC as a registered representative beginning in July 2025, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC as a financial advisor from July 2021 to July 2025, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. as a financial advisor from August 2021 to July 2025, Bank of America, N.A. as a financial advisor trainee from June 2019 to July 2021, and Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor trainee from May 2019 to July 2021.

Our firm is investigating Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC broker and investment adviser representative Shalom Azar (CRD# 7125424) of Fort Lee, New Jersey for potential investment-related misconduct.

Shalom Azar’s Stockbroker Career History

Shalom Azar is currently registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC as a broker and with Wells Fargo Advisors as an investment adviser representative, working from the firm’s Fort Lee, New Jersey office. He has been registered with Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC since July 22, 2025.

Before joining Wells Fargo, Azar was registered with Morgan Stanley from July 2021 through August 2025 in Paramus, New Jersey. He was also registered with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated from August 2019 through July 2021 as a broker and from September 2019 through July 2021 as an investment adviser representative in Stamford, Connecticut.

Azar’s reported employment history includes Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC as a registered representative beginning in July 2025, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC as a financial advisor from July 2021 to July 2025, Morgan Stanley Private Bank, N.A. as a financial advisor from August 2021 to July 2025, Bank of America, N.A. as a financial advisor trainee from June 2019 to July 2021, and Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor trainee from May 2019 to July 2021.

Our firm is investigating Emerson Equity LLC broker and Ridgegate Advisors, LLC investment adviser representative Alexander Staverosky (CRD# 7171282) of Englewood, Colorado for potential investment-related misconduct.

Stockbroker Alexander Staverosky’s Career History

Alexander Staverosky is currently registered as a broker with Emerson Equity LLC and as an investment adviser representative with Ridgegate Advisors, LLC. His current office location is 8310 S Valley Highway, Suite 480, Englewood, Colorado 80112.

According to FINRA BrokerCheck, Staverosky has been registered with Emerson Equity LLC as a broker since April 29, 2021. He became registered with Ridgegate Advisors, LLC as an investment adviser representative on September 12, 2025.

His prior registration history includes J.P. Morgan Securities LLC in Aurora, Colorado from September 2019 to December 2020; Emerson Equity LLC in Greenwood Village, Colorado from July 2021 to September 2022 as an investment adviser representative; and AE Wealth Management, LLC in Englewood, Colorado from December 2022 to December 2025.

Staverosky has passed the Securities Industry Essentials Examination, the Series 6 Investment Company Products/Variable Contracts Representative Examination, the Series 7 General Securities Representative Examination, and the Series 66 Uniform Combined State Law Examination.

Our firm is investigating Bankers Life Securities broker Emmanuel Edward Jacobs (CRD# 7257412) of Modesto, California for potential investment-related misconduct.

Stockbroker’s Career History

Emmanuel Edward Jacobs is currently registered with Bankers Life Securities, Inc. at the firm’s Modesto, California branch office located at 3600 Sisk Road, Suite 5B. Jacobs has been registered with Bankers Life Securities since June 13, 2022, and is registered with FINRA as an Investment Company Products/Variable Contracts representative and with California as an agent.

According to his reported employment history, Jacobs has worked as a financial representative with Bankers Life Securities, Inc. in Salida, California since August 2021. He has also worked for Bankers Life & Casualty, Inc. as a unit supervisor since October 2014. From June 2020 through July 2022, he was an investment advisor representative with Bankers Life Advisory Services, Inc. No prior securities firm registration history was reported.

Our firm is investigating Principal Securities, Inc. broker and investment adviser representative Cassidy Layne Bearinger (CRD# 8137209) of Lincoln, Nebraska for potential investment-related misconduct.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Cassidy Layne Bearinger is currently registered with Principal Securities, Inc. as a broker and investment adviser representative at the firm’s Lincoln, Nebraska branch office located at 1128 Lincoln Mall, Suite 200, Lincoln, NE 68508.

According to her FINRA BrokerCheck report, Bearinger has been registered with Principal Securities, Inc. as a General Securities Representative since September 2, 2025, and as a Nebraska investment adviser representative since November 24, 2025. She is licensed through Principal Securities, Inc. in several states, including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Bearinger’s reported employment history includes Principal Securities, Inc. as a registered representative beginning in August 2025, Principal Life Insurance Company as an agent beginning in August 2025, and Midlands Financial as a financial advisor beginning in January 2026. Her prior non-investment-related employment includes Cornerstone Bank, Bearinger Tax & Accounting LLC, and Lincoln Children’s Zoo.

Securities Industry Examinations

Our firm is investigating WealthForge Securities stockbroker David Andrew Kangas (CRD# 6591398) of Richmond, Virginia for potential investment-related misconduct.

David Andrew Kangas’s Stockbroker Career History

David Andrew Kangas is currently registered with WealthForge Securities, LLC, where he has been registered as a General Securities Representative since November 1, 2019. His listed branch office is located at 3015 W Moore Street, Suite 102, Richmond, Virginia 23230.

Kangas was previously registered with Cabot Lodge Securities LLC from March 2019 to November 2019 in Orange, California, and with Sandlapper Securities, LLC from January 2016 to March 2019 in Orange, California. His reported employment history also lists Cornerstone Real Estate Investment Services in Orange, California, beginning in December 2015.

According to FINRA, Kangas has passed the Securities Industry Essentials Examination, the Series 7 General Securities Representative Examination, and the Series 63 Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination.

Our firm is investigating Hornor, Townsend & Kent, LLC financial advisor and registered representative Carl Anthony DeMarco Jr. (CRD# 2671924) of Tinton Falls, New Jersey for potential investment-related misconduct.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Based on the BrokerCheck report, Carl Anthony DeMarco Jr. has been registered in the securities industry since October 1995 and has worked at the following firms:

HORNOR, TOWNSEND & KENT, LLC (CRD# 4031) — Registered 01/2002–Present (branch listed: Tinton Falls, NJ; main office shown: Conshohocken, PA).

1717 Capital Management Company (CRD# 4082) — 01/1999–01/2002 (Newark, DE).

EQ Financial Consultants, Inc. (CRD# 6627) — 10/1995–01/1999 (New York, NY).

The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (CRD# 4039) — 10/1995–01/1999 (New York, NY).

The report also reflects a professional designation of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC).

Our firm is investigating PHX Financial, Inc. financial advisor Richard James Jirinec (CRD# 2580370) of Jupiter, Florida for potential investment-related misconduct.

Financial Advisor’s Career History

Based on his FINRA registration history, Richard J. Jirinec has been registered with the following firms:

PHX Financial, Inc. (Jupiter, FL) — 03/2015 to Present

Securities America, Inc. (Jupiter, FL) — 06/2014 to 03/2015

Dalton Strategic Investment Services Inc. (Jupiter, FL) — 06/2013 to 07/2014

America’s Choice Equities LLC (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) — 09/2005 to 06/2013

GunnAllen Financial, Inc. (Tampa, FL) — 05/2003 to 09/2005

Harrison Securities, Inc. (Port Washington, NY) — 01/2001 to 06/2003

Whitehall Wellington Investments, Inc. (Port Washington, NY) — 02/1998 to 12/2000

Gaines, Berland Inc. (Bethpage, NY) — 07/1997 to 02/1998

HGI (Jericho, NY) — 06/1996 to 07/1997

Our firm is investigating The Leaders Group, Inc. financial advisor John Michael Pulliam (CRD# 2224237) of Summit, New Jersey for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
According to his FINRA BrokerCheck report, John Michael Pulliam has worked in the securities industry with the following firms, among others:
The Leaders Group, Inc. (Summit, NJ) — Registered since 12/01/2025
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. / Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. (Crested Butte, CO) — 09/2019 to 09/2025
UBS Financial Services Inc. (Plano, TX) — 11/2011 to 09/2019
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Plano, TX) — 05/2006 to 12/2011
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (Plano, TX) — 03/1994 to 05/2006
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (New York, NY) — 06/1992 to 08/1993

Our firm is investigating LPL Financial LLC broker and investment adviser Roosevelt Emanual Grayson (CRD# 1328135) of Farmington Hills, Michigan for potential investment-related misconduct.
Financial Advisor’s Career History
Based on his FINRA BrokerCheck report, Roosevelt Emanual Grayson has worked in the securities industry for decades and has been registered with multiple firms, including IDS Financial Services Inc. and IDS Marketing Corporation (starting in March 1985), Pruco Securities Corporation, Great Lakes Equities Co., Pamco Securities and Insurance Services, Liberty Securities Corporation, Independence One Brokerage Services, Inc., Essex National Securities, Inc., First Chicago NBD Investment Services, Inc., Banc One Securities Corporation, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
From January 2007 through October 2012, he was registered with Chase Investment Services Corp., followed by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC from October 2012 through January 2015. He has been registered with LPL Financial LLC since December 2014 (reported as “Present”) and lists Farmington Hills, Michigan as his employment location.