Investors Allege Darien Bonney Misrepresented Private Securities Offerings

Darien Bonney (CRD #: 4899007), a broker formerly registered with MML Investors Services, allegedly misrepresented investments, according to his BrokerCheck record, accessed on July 10, 2023. He has also been recently barred by FINRA. Keep reading to learn more about his alleged conduct as a broker. 

Investor Disputes 

On April 18, 2023, several investors filed a dispute alleging that Darien Bonney misrepresented two unsuitable private securities (MERCO & Spyglass), which they invested in from approximately April 2019 through October 2020. One client allegedly signed a promissory note related to their Spyglass investment.

In the same dispute, one client also alleged that they gave Darien Bonney money for a down payment on a home in about November 2018. This dispute is currently pending.

On February 8, 2023, multiple investors filed a similar dispute alleging that they gave Darien Bonney money for a down payment on a home in approximately November 2018, and then later invested in two private securities (MERCO & Spyglass) on or around April 2, 2019, and October 15, 2020.

The clients allege that these investments were unsuitable and misrepresented by Darien Bonney. The dispute is currently pending.

According to allegations filed on July 12, 2022, Darien Bonney solicited a client for an investment in Spyglass Financial Strategies, a business he owned. He allegedly told his customer that this oil investment came with no risk.

The investor further alleged that the terms of the promissory note were not met. They sought $1,053,250 and received a settlement of $105,000.

FINRA Rule 2020

FINRA Rule 2020 bans the use of manipulation, deception, and other fraudulent methods to influence investors’ decisions. The misrepresentation or omission of material facts violates this rule.

FINRA Rule 2111

FINRA Rule 2111 requires brokers to recommend securities that sufficiently suit an investor’s financial goals. Brokers must examine the information contained in an investor’s profile, such as their tax status, risk tolerance, and age.

Investors who rely on brokers for investment recommendations can potentially recover their losses by pursuing FINRA arbitration.

FINRA Rule 3240

FINRA Rule 3240 describes the circumstances under which brokers may borrow from or lend to clients.

Regulatory Action 

On May 6, 2022, FINRA barred Darien Bonney from the securities industry after allegedly failing to respond to FINRA requests for information.

FINRA Rule 8210

FINRA Rule 8210 requires members to provide documents, information, and testimony upon request by FINRA.

Termination Details

On January 20, 2022, MML Investors Services fired Darien Bonney following an inquiry into alleged unauthorized investment activities and undisclosed outside business activity.

FINRA Rule 3270

FINRA Rule 3270 requires brokers to inform their firm and receive approval for any business activities they engage in beyond their firm.

FINRA Rule 3280

FINRA Rule 3280 requires brokers to provide written notice to their firm before engaging in private securities transactions.

FINRA Rule 2010

FINRA Rule 2010 holds brokers to high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade.

Other Business Activities

Darien Bonney has three businesses listed in the Outside Business Activity section of his detailed BrokerCheck report:

• Individual Life/Health Sales Agent 
• Sales for Universal Life Policies 
• Sales for DFG Casualty and Benefits 

Background Information

Darien Bonney has passed the following exams:

• Series 63 – Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
• SIE – Securities Industry Essentials Examination
• Series 6 – Investment Company Products/Variable Contracts Representative Examination

In the past, he worked for MML Investors Services and NYLIFE Securities (CRD#:5167).

Kurta Law Can Help

If you have worked with Darien Bonney and have concerns about your investments, don’t hesitate to contact us today at 877-600-0098 or info@kurtalawfirm.com for a free consultation.

For nearly 20 years, Kurta Law has advocated for investors to recover their investment losses from brokers and brokerage firms. Kurta Law is a nationally recognized law firm and exclusively represents investors against brokers and brokerage firms on a contingency basis. This means that the firm only earns a fee if our securities attorneys recover money on your behalf.