The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. has spent decades representing investors who lost money to broker misconduct, securities fraud, and financial firm negligence in Portland and across Oregon. Our attorneys know Oregon securities law inside and out. We have spent years going up against Wall Street firms on behalf of everyday investors who trusted the wrong people with their money. If you believe your broker or investment advisor cost you money through fraud or negligence, call us today at (800) 732-2889 or send us a secure message online. We offer a free initial consultation and work on contingency, meaning there is no cost to you unless we recover.
What is investment fraud?
Investment fraud occurs when a financial professional deceives clients for personal gain, breaching the duty they owe you as an investor. It can take many forms: false statements about an investment’s performance, omitted facts that would have changed your decision, unauthorized trades placed without your consent, and outright schemes designed to funnel your money into a fraudster’s pocket.
What makes these cases so damaging is how long they go undetected. Many Portland investors don’t realize what happened until the losses have already compounded over months or years. Under Oregon law, specifically ORS § 59.135, it is unlawful for any person connected to the sale of securities to employ any device or scheme to defraud, making both federal and state securities laws available to victims seeking justice.
Types of investment fraud we handle in Portland
Our securities fraud attorneys handle a wide range of investment fraud cases in Portland, including Ponzi schemes, churning, broker negligence, and unauthorized trading. If any of the following sound familiar, you may have a viable claim worth pursuing.
Ponzi schemes
A Ponzi scheme pays returns to early investors using money collected from new investors rather than from any legitimate profit. There are no real investments generating returns. Promoters keep the scheme alive by producing fake account statements and promising unusually high returns, giving victims every reason to stay in and even invest more. The Bernie Madoff case is the most well-known example, where investors received convincing statements for years while their money was never actually invested. Portland investors caught in securities fraud schemes like these often lose their entire retirement savings before anyone suspects a problem.
Churning and broker negligence
Churning happens when a broker makes excessive trades in your account not because the trades benefit you, but because each transaction generates a commission for them. FINRA industry rules require brokers to act in your best financial interest and to have a reasonable basis for every trade they recommend. When they don’t, that’s broker negligence, and it can quietly drain an account over time. Many victims don’t notice until they compare their account’s performance against a rising market and realize something doesn’t add up. We have recovered millions for Portland investors harmed by exactly this type of misconduct.
Unauthorized trading
If your brokerage statement shows trades you never asked for or agreed to, you may be a victim of unauthorized trading, which occurs when a broker executes transactions in your account without your knowledge or consent. Oregon law under ORS § 59.135(2) explicitly prohibits brokers from placing trades without obtaining consent from the client first, and violations can result in fines, license revocation, and civil liability. Brokers who engage in this misconduct often bury the activity inside lengthy account statements, relying on the fact that most clients never review every line. If you noticed trades you never approved, that is not a clerical error. You have the right to pursue a FINRA claim to recover those losses.
How can a Portland investment fraud lawyer help you?
A Portland investment fraud lawyer investigates your case, gathers evidence, builds your claim, and goes up against the brokerage firm on your behalf so you don’t have to fight alone. Having an experienced attorney representing investors on your side levels that playing field. Attorney Robert Wayne Pearce and his team dig into your account records, trade confirmations, and communications to build a case that documents exactly what happened and who is responsible. We know how large brokerage firms construct their defenses, and we know how to dismantle them.
Most securities fraud attorneys, including ours, work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. You focus on moving forward, and we handle the fight.
What is FINRA arbitration?
Most brokerage agreements contain a clause requiring investors to resolve disputes through FINRA arbitration rather than traditional court litigation. FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the self-regulatory organization that oversees broker-dealers and administers the arbitration process. A neutral arbitrator, or in larger cases a panel of three, reviews the evidence and issues a binding decision. Arbitration typically moves faster and costs less than going to court, but it comes with real tradeoffs, including a very limited appeals process if the decision goes against you. For Oregon investors, FINRA holds arbitration hearings right here in Portland.
What are Oregon’s statute of limitations for investment fraud claims?
Oregon investors have three years from the date of purchase or two years from the date of discovering the fraud to file a claim, whichever comes later. Under ORS § 59.115, once that window closes, your right to file is permanently gone regardless of how strong your case might be. FINRA adds its own separate deadline, requiring claims to be filed within six years of the event that gave rise to the dispute. If you suspect something went wrong with your investments, do not wait to get an attorney involved.
Can you recover the money you lost to investment fraud in Portland?
If you lost money to a fraudulent broker or financial advisor in Portland, recovery through securities arbitration is often possible, and Oregon’s legal framework makes it more achievable here than in many other states. Oregon law can hold secondary parties liable for your losses. Even if the original fraudster has no money left, other parties who participated in or aided the scheme may still be on the hook. The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. has recovered over $185 million for victims across the country. Recovery can include your full principal, accrued interest, compensation for additional damages, and in some cases punitive damages depending on the circumstances of your claim.
Investigations of Portland, Oregon Brokers by the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce
The Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. has investigated several Portland, Oregon-based brokers with multiple customer disputes on their FINRA BrokerCheck records. Daniel Patrick Corey (CRD #6319568), registered with Bankers Life Securities, has three customer dispute disclosures alongside a criminal disclosure; two of the customer complaints resulted in monetary settlements and involve alleged unsuitable investment recommendations. Scott Sideras (CRD #1050462) of D.A. Davidson & Co. has been the subject of 3 customer complaints seeking to recover investment losses, with one proceeding to arbitration and resulting in an award of over $329,000 for the investor. Eric Davidson (CRD #2731195), now with Aegis Capital Corp, has been the subject of 3 customer complaints, two of which were settled by his prior firm, Paulson Investment Company, in favor of the investors. Andrew Murdoch (CRD #4348536), also with Somerset Securities, has at least one complaint alleging unsuitable recommendations to purchase an iCap Equities private placement. Across these cases, common allegations include unsuitable investment recommendations, misrepresentation, and broker negligence in violation of Oregon Securities Law and FINRA rules
Contact the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. to learn more about investment fraud in Portland
Portland investors who have been defrauded deserve experienced representation, and the time to act is now. Call the Law Offices of Robert Wayne Pearce, P.A. today at (800) 732-2889 or send us a secure message online for a free initial consultation. We work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we recover for you.