Ladenburg not dependent on ex-chairman’s capital for growth, CEO says
October 1, 2018 By Tobias Salinger, Financial Planning The SEC charges against Ladenburg Thalmann’s primary shareholder will not affect access to capital for its 4,300-advisor independent broker-dealer network, CEO Dick Lampen says. Phillip Frost retired from the Miami-based firm’s board on Sept. 20, two weeks after the SEC accused him of involvement with a $27 million pump-and-dump scheme. In addition to the network of five IBDs, Ladenburg’s subsidiaries also include its 139-year old investment bank, an asset management unit, an insurance brokerage and a trust division. The company’s various entities hold $250 million in cash with a book value above $390 million, Lampen noted in a statement. Ladenburg is “very pleased about how well-positioned our company is today for continued industry leadership,” he said, noting it also has $600 million “in permanent capital and long-term...