FINRA Suspends Kenneth Savino For Selling Away

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) records indicate that Kenneth Savino, a former LPL broker, was suspended from the industry for 15 days and fined $5,000. He allegedly purchased shares of a security for $100,000 without providing prior notice to his member firm and inaccurately indicated on an annual compliance questionnaire that he had not participated in any private securities transactions. He was discharged from LPL in October 2015 for allegedly entering into a loan transaction with another company, receiving shares of the company in return, with no pre-approval by the firm. He also allegedly made private securities transactions that he did not have pre-approved by the firm and introduced a client to a potential outside investment opportunity that was not approved by the firm. These are all against securities laws and internal firm rules. Selling away refers to when a financial advisor solicits investments in promissory notes or companies that are not pre-approved by his member firm. He does this in order to not have to share the commissions he earns from the sale with his member firm. The firm can be held liable for losses in this case.

According to FINRA records, Mr. Savino was previously registered with Manequity Inc. from May 1983 until December 1988, Lincoln Financial Securities Corp in Windsor Locks, Connecticut from December 1988 until July 2010 and LPL Financial in West Hartford, Connecticut from July 2010 until November 2015. He is currently registered with FSC Securities in East Hartford, Connecticut, and has been since December 2015.