Michael Mashak Involved in a REIT Dispute

Michael Mashak (CRD #: 4031888), a broker registered with Equitable Advisors, is the subject of an investor dispute. This is according to his BrokerCheck record, accessed on February 28, 2024. Details concerning this dispute are provided below. 

Investor Dispute 

On November 21, 2023, an investor alleged that Michael Mashak recommended an unsuitable Real Estate Investment Trust. 

What is an Unsuitable Investment? 

FINRA Rule 2111 requires brokers to evaluate whether an investment fits their investor’s financial goals.

Some common violations of this rule include:

• Recommendations of unsuitable investment strategies. For instance, overconcentration of securities in a certain stock or sector is typically unsuitable due to the degree of risk.
• Recommendations of high-risk or illiquid investments. These investments may lead to high fees for the investor.

Investors who rely on brokers for recommendations may be able to recover their losses by pursuing FINRA arbitration.

What Are REITs?

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) allow investors to generate returns from a portfolio of real estate without being directly involved in property management. However, REITs tend to be illiquid, which makes them unsuitable for many investors. Non-traded REITs are especially risky because they are not traded on the public exchange, making them difficult or impossible to sell. 

Background Information 

Michael Mashak has passed the following exams: 

• Series 66 Uniform Combined State Law Examination
• SIE – Securities Industry Essentials Examination 
• Series 7 General Securities Representative Examination 
• Series 24 General Securities Representative Examination 

He is a registered investment adviser in six states and is a registered broker in five states. 

Kurta Law Can Help 

If you have worked with Michael Mashak and have concerns about your investments, do not hesitate to contact us 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 that 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. Do not let securities fraud go unchecked. Start your recovery process today.