Two North Carolina investors have filed an arbitration claim with FINRA against Morgan Stanley over unsuitable investments involving the firm’s Cushing MLP High Income Exchange Traded Note. The married couple, who are retirees in their sixties, are accusing the brokerage firm of common law fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent supervision, and failure to adequately disclose the risks associated with their investment.
The Claimants assert that they have lost of $100,000. According to them, the Morgan Stanley broker invested about $150,000 of their money in the Exchange Traded Note, which is connected to master limited partnerships with shipping and energy assets. According to their attorneys, the couple did not understand the extent of the risks involved in that they could potentially lose their principal. Rather, Claimants were told they would make money.
The Cushing MLP High Income Exchange Traded Note seeks to give investors cash upon maturity or early repurchase, as well as variable coupon payments every quarter (depending on how the underlying index, performs). The claimants believe that Morgan Stanley recommended the exchange traded note to investors who were seeking to make money but may not have understood or been fully apprised of all the risks.
It is a broker’s responsibility to tell a customer of the risks involved in any recommended investments. The broker and his/her firm must also make sure that their recommendation is suitable for the investor according to his/her net worth, age, investment goals, and portfolio.
If you or someone you know has lost money as a result of a broker’s wrongdoing, please contact Richard Frankowski at 888-741-7503 to discuss your potential legal remedies or complete the contact form.