Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor Matthew J. Gorelik Lied About Having a College Degree?

According to settlement papers signed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Mr. Gorelik, a financial advisor with a long career, has been misrepresenting his educational background.

Mr. Matthew J. Gorelik told his brokerage firm, Merrill Lynch, and others that he graduated from a university in Massachusetts. While the settlement papers do not state which university, we all know that the most prestigious university in Massachusetts is Harvard.

The truth is that Mr. Gorelik has never graduated from any university, much less Harvard. When his firm asked for documentation, Mr. Gorelik created and gave them a fake diploma, according to FINRA.

As a result of this revelation, FINRA suspended Mr. Gorelik from working for any brokerage firm, but he is still in the investment world, working at a boutique real estate finance firm called Township Capital.

Mr. Gorelik did not just work at Merrill Lynch, having had stints at J.P. Morgan Securities, Citigroup, and other reputable brokerage firms. One wonders how so many firms missed this.

Prior to FINRA’s suspension of Mr. Gorelik from the securities industry, Merrill Lynch terminated him, not only for falsifying his education, but also for preparing marketing materials that were not approved by Merrill Lynch’s compliance department, according to Merrill Lynch.

If you have questions about investment losses, the securities litigation attorneys at Investor Defense Law LLP may be able to help, and offer free consultations.

Investor Defense Law LLP is a law firm dedicated to helping investors in California, Georgia, and Washington State recover investment losses. We understand investment fraud and know how to sue investment advisors, brokerage firms, and financial advisors. To learn more, contact an investment fraud attorney at 800.487.4660.