According to FINRA, Antonio Molinos was suspended for three months for willfully violating Regulation Best Interest by recommending excessive and unsuitable trades to a retired customer. No monetary sanctions were imposed due to Molinos' financial status.

Molinos recommended a series of trades that were excessive, unsuitable, and not in the customer's best interest. The retired customer relied on Molinos' advice and routinely followed his recommendations, giving Molinos de facto control over the accounts.

Molinos' trading generated $91,617 in commissions while causing $87,920 in realized losses in the customer's accounts.

The suspension was in effect from September 15, 2025, through December 14, 2025.

Retired investors are often particularly vulnerable to excessive trading. They typically have fixed income, limited ability to recover from losses, and may rely heavily on their investment accounts for living expenses. When a retired customer's accounts generate nearly identical amounts in commissions and losses, it strongly suggests the trading benefited the broker rather than the customer.

The finding that the customer routinely followed Molinos' recommendations, giving him de facto control, is significant. When customers trust their broker to the point of following all recommendations without question, the broker has heightened responsibility to ensure recommendations truly serve the customer's interests.

For retired investors, be especially cautious about active trading recommendations. Consider whether your portfolio turnover makes sense for your circumstances. A buy-and-hold strategy may be more appropriate than frequent trading for many retirees. If your broker recommends frequent trades, ask specifically how each trade benefits your retirement goals.