Lanny Howarter: $1MM Complaint Against Crown Capital Rep

San Diego, California-based broker and investment adviser Lanny Howarter (CRD# 813591) has received a pending investor complaint alleging losses of $1.12 million. According to records provided by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Howarter is currently a registered representative of Crown Capital Securities.

Lanny Howarter’s FINRA-maintained BrokerCheck report lists a total of six customer complaints, three pending and three settled.

A complaint filed in April 2021 alleges that as a representative of Crown Capital Securities, Lanny Howarter made unsuitable investment recommendations, made material misrepresentations, and failed to conduct reasonable due diligence with regard to alternative investments. The pending complaint alleges damages of $1,120,000.

Another complaint filed in April 2021 alleges that as a representative of Crown Capital Securities, Lanny Howarter recommended unsuitable alternative investments, misrepresented material facts, and failed to conduct adequate due diligence. The pending complaint alleges damages of $300,000.

A complaint filed in November 2020 alleges that as a representative of Crown Capital Securities, Lanny Howarter recommended unsuitable investments, engaged in negligence, omitted material facts regarding the illiquid nature of the investments, and breached his fiduciary duty. The pending complaint alleges damages of $624,616.

A complaint filed in 2017 alleged that as a representative of Crown Capital Securities, he committed fraud, breached his fiduciary duty, acted negligently, made unsuitable recommendations, and failed in his supervisory duties with regards to “various alternative investments.” The complaint reached a settlement of $122,000.

A 2010 complaint alleged that as a representative of Equity Services, he made untrue statements, committed fraud, made misrepresentations, and breached his fiduciary duty. The complaint reached a settlement in 2012 of $250,000.

A complaint filed in 2004 alleged he misrepresented and recommended an unsuitable variable annuity product. The complaint reached a settlement of $95,000.

According to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority records, Lanny Howarter holds 35 years of securities industry experience. He has been a registered broker and investment adviser with Crown Capital Securities since 2009. His previous registrations include Signator Investors in San Diego, California; ESI Financial Advisors in San Diego, California; Equity Services in San Diego, California; the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company; and Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation. He has passed seven securities industry qualifying examinations: the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, or Series 66; the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, or Series 63; the Securities Industry Essentials Examination, or SIE; the General Securities Representative Examination, or Series 7; the Direct Participation Programs Representative Examination, or Series 22; the Investment Company Products/Variable Contracts Representative Examination, or Series 6; and the Registered Representative Examination, or Series 1. He holds securities registrations in nine states. (Information current as of June 10, 2021.)