The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Business

September 1, 2006

Ex-local broker disciplined by stock exchange board for misappropriation

HERMITAGE — A former Hermitage stock broker has been disciplined by the New York Stock Exchange for misappropriating customer funds and failing to respond to requests seeking information on the matter.

Jeffrey L. Stainbrook, 43, no address given, a former financial consultant at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. was censured and permanently barred membership from the exchange, according to a NYSE hearing board decision dated June 29. Edwards has a Hermitage office.

According to the NYSE, in March 2005 a Sharon bank contacted Edwards’ office manager to alert him of unusual activity involving wire transfers from customers’ brokerage accounts at the firm to Stainbrook’s personal bank account. Stainbrook was the customers’ registered representative and serviced their account.

From November 2004 through March 2005 the customers’ transferred about $29,780 into Stainbrook’s personal bank account, based on misrepresentations he made to them regarding an investment opportunity in a coin-counting machine company and precious metals trust investment. Rather than invest the funds, Stainbrook admitted he used the money to pay off personal debts, including credit card bills and to pay his mortgage, the NYSE said.

Edwards suspended Stainbrook on March 9, 2005 after learning he may have misappropriated clients funds and following an investigation fired him on April 8, 2005, NYSE said.

The NYSE said it notified Stainbrook of its investigation in April 2005 and requested he provide a detailed written explanation and informed him that failure to do so may result in disciplinary action against him based on his failure to cooperate. A second letter was sent May 27, 2005, and another letter on Oct. 7, 2005, requesting detailed information. To date, Stainbrook has not provided a written detailed explanation nor contacted the NYSE’s enforcement department on the matter, the NYSE said.

A message was left on Stainbrook’s cell phone and another under a local home phone listed under his name.

A spokesman at Edwards St. Louis headquarters on Thursday acknowledged Stainbrook was employed at its Hermitage office.

“In March 2005 we learned of an instance of potential improper conduct involving Mr. Stainbrook and immediately launched an internal investigation and placed him on administrative leave. He was later discharged in April 2005 for misappropriation of customer funds from accounts outside of A.G. Edwards,’’ according to a written statement issued by Edwards.

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