Fiduciary, Trust/Estate & RIA Broker-Dealer Expert

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Testifying expert witness with 35+ years of experience in fiduciary matters, trust and estate disputes, securities regulation, banking and lending, portfolio management, and complex financial reconstructions. Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). Provides clear, standards-based expert opinions and sworn work product for courts and arbitration forums, including expert reports, declarations, affidavits, depositions, and trial testimony. Frequently engaged in complex matters requiring emergency response and forensic account and portfolio reconstruction. Fiduciary Governance and Trust Disputes — Fiduciary standards of care, private and corporate trustee conduct, executor duties, contested trust and estate administration, beneficiary disputes, self-dealing, conflicts of interest, misappropriation of assets, and decision-making frameworks in complex family and entity structures, trust-owned real estate transactions. Securities, RIA, and Broker-Dealer Matters — Investment advisory standards, fiduciary obligations, Regulation BI compliance, suitability and risk management, portfolio construction and analysis, conflicts of interest, incentive compensation plans, disclosure failures, supervision and compliance, FINRA arbitration matters involving dual RIA/broker-dealer, and complex products including private equity, hedge funds, cryptocurrency and digital assets. Banking, Lending, and Wealth Management — Multiple lines of banking operations including retail, business banking, mortgage lending, loan portfolios, private banking, loan underwriting, credit-risk evaluation, coordination across distinct business lines, oversight of ultra-high-net-worth advisory platforms, and delivery of integrated lending, trust, business advisory, and investment services, including oversight of highest standard of care. Complex Assets and Structures — Cryptocurrency and digital assets, private equity and hybrid securities, hedge funds, Delaware Statutory Trusts (DST), Section 1031 transactions, advanced insurance and annuity strategies, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, captive insurance, and offshore or multi-jurisdictional arrangements. Financial Investigations and Forensic Reconstructions — Cash-flow tracing, multi-entity financial mapping, reconstruction of incomplete or disputed records, offshore account disclosure and tax compliance analysis, fraud and misappropriation pattern recognition, reconciliation across currencies and international jurisdictions. Institutional Governance and Employment Matters — Corporate culture analysis, incentive compensation structures, supervisory and compliance program adequacy, internal investigations, fraud detection, operational controls during organizational stress, wrongful and justified termination, employment disputes involving advisors, bankers, and wealth management teams. Direct knowledge from 26 years at Wells Fargo in senior leadership roles during critical periods including the 2008 financial crisis and institutional failures, providing a unique background for governance and employment disputes. Professional Background — President of Esoteric Advisors, a dedicated expert witness firm serving both plaintiffs and defendants. President, Chief Investment Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer of Wealth Innovation, a Registered Investment Adviser. Ongoing RIA work grounds opinions in current market, product, and regulatory practices. The two firms operate independently with no shared clients, referrals, cross-marketing, or overlapping engagements. Licenses and Memberships — FINRA Series 7TO (MQP) and Series 66; California Real Estate License; California Health, Life, and Disability Licenses; Voting Member, Securities Experts Roundtable; Member, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (Board Member, Central Coast Chapter). Contact — eric@esotericadvisors.com | 805.886.6126