Aurora Investment Fraud Lawyers & FINRA Attorneys
Investment fraud in Aurora and the southeastern Denver metro
Aurora occupies a distinctive position in the Colorado investment fraud landscape. Its combination of military and veteran households, healthcare professionals, and a rapidly growing technology and aerospace workforce creates a diverse investor profile that is targeted by different categories of misconduct than those prevalent in Denver proper. Military and veteran investors face specific vulnerability to TSP rollover mismanagement and unsuitable annuity recommendations — brokers who target service members transitioning out of active duty with complex products whose costs far outweigh any stated benefit. The Anschutz Medical Campus creates a significant concentration of healthcare professionals with equity compensation and substantial retirement savings that require careful management.
Aurora’s rapid population growth has also attracted significant real estate investment activity, making the city a consistent market for non-traded REIT fraud and private placement real estate fund misrepresentation. The broader Arapahoe County corridor — including Centennial, Englewood, and Greenwood Village — extends the Aurora investor community into some of the most affluent suburbs in the Denver metro area.
Common investment fraud claims in Aurora
- Military and veteran TSP rollover fraud: service members transitioning out of Buckley Space Force Base and other Colorado military installations are frequently targeted by brokers recommending unsuitable rollovers of Thrift Savings Plan assets into variable annuities or complex alternative investments. The tax-deferred status of a TSP provides no incremental benefit from an annuity placement — making these recommendations presumptively unsuitable in most circumstances.
- Healthcare professional equity compensation mismanagement: physicians, researchers, and administrators with equity compensation from hospital systems and biotechnology companies in the Anschutz corridor are frequent targets for concentrated position mismanagement and unsuitable private placement recommendations.
- Unsuitable investment recommendations: brokers who recommend securities inconsistent with an investor’s financial profile, risk tolerance, or time horizon violate FINRA Rule 2111 and Regulation Best Interest — the enhanced standard that has applied to all retail broker recommendations since June 2020.
- Real estate investment fraud: Aurora’s active real estate market and its large community of real estate investors creates consistent exposure to non-traded REIT misrepresentation and private placement real estate fund fraud targeting accredited investors.
- Churning and excessive commissions: systematic overtrading to generate broker compensation at the expense of investor returns is actionable under FINRA’s suitability rules regardless of whether individual transactions were suitable in isolation.
- Failure to supervise: broker-dealers are independently liable under FINRA Rule 3110 when inadequate oversight allows broker misconduct to persist — making the employing firm a defendant in addition to the individual broker.
- Elder financial fraud: Aurora’s substantial senior population faces enhanced risk from brokers who exploit trust relationships to recommend unsuitable products or misappropriate assets. Federal and Colorado state elder financial protection statutes provide additional remedies.
Why choose Bakhtiari & Harrison for your Aurora investment fraud claim
- $250 million+ recovered for investors. Four decades of results in FINRA arbitration and securities litigation — including complex cases against major Wall Street broker-dealers.
- Institutional knowledge from inside the industry. Ryan Bakhtiari’s service as FINRA NAMC Chairman gives the firm a direct understanding of how FINRA’s arbitration rules operate. David Harrison’s years as Morgan Stanley in-house counsel give the firm insight into how brokerage firms defend investor claims.
- Colorado federal court experience. The firm’s landmark $54.1 million Citigroup arbitration award was confirmed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado — giving Bakhtiari & Harrison a direct connection to Colorado’s federal judiciary.
- FINRA hearings near you. FINRA arbitration hearings are held at the venue nearest the claimant’s residence — Aurora investors are not required to travel.
- No upfront cost. Investor cases are handled on a contingency fee basis — no recovery, no fee.
For a full overview of Colorado investment fraud representation, visit the Colorado Investment Fraud Lawyers page. For Denver-specific information visit the Denver Investment Fraud Lawyers page.
Frequently asked questions — Aurora investment fraud lawyers
What is the difference between FINRA arbitration and court litigation for investment fraud claims?
Most investor claims against FINRA-registered broker-dealers are resolved through FINRA arbitration rather than court litigation because virtually all brokerage account agreements contain mandatory arbitration clauses. FINRA arbitration is generally faster — typically 12 to 18 months from filing to award — and less expensive than federal court litigation. Awards are binding and enforceable in federal court. Unlike court litigation, there is no jury and limited appellate review. Bakhtiari & Harrison handles both FINRA arbitration and federal court securities litigation and can advise on which forum is appropriate for each claim.
What if the fraud involved my IRA or 401(k)?
Retirement account investment fraud is among the most serious forms of broker misconduct because the losses directly impact financial security in retirement. Broker-dealers who recommend unsuitable investments for retirement accounts — including variable annuities, non-traded REITs, and complex alternative products — face the same FINRA arbitration liability as for taxable accounts. The tax-advantaged status of an IRA or 401(k) does not limit the investor’s legal rights. If your retirement account was managed by a FINRA-registered broker-dealer, FINRA arbitration is available regardless of account type.
What is Regulation Best Interest and how does it affect my claim?
Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), effective June 30, 2020, requires broker-dealers to act in the best interest of retail customers when making investment recommendations — a higher standard than the prior suitability rule. Under Reg BI, a broker must consider reasonably available alternatives and cannot place the broker’s financial interest ahead of the customer’s. For Aurora investors with claims arising after June 2020, Reg BI provides an additional basis for liability when the broker’s recommendation prioritized commissions or other compensation over the investor’s best interest.
My broker left the firm — can I still bring a claim?
Yes. When a broker leaves a firm, the broker-dealer that employed them at the time of the misconduct remains liable for its own supervisory failures under FINRA Rule 3110. Claims are typically brought against both the individual broker and the firm. Even if the broker is no longer registered or cannot be located, the firm’s independent supervisory liability remains intact. Bakhtiari & Harrison evaluates all defendants — individual broker and employing firm — in every Aurora investment fraud claim.
Contact our investment fraud lawyers — free consultation
Contact Bakhtiari & Harrison for a free, confidential consultation. Our FINRA attorneys evaluate every potential investor claim at no charge. Investor cases are handled on a contingency fee basis — no recovery, no fee.
Investor cases are handled on a contingency fee basis — no recovery, no fee.
Call: (800) 382-7969 | Contact Us