A former broker who also served as a Connecticut lawmaker has pleaded guilty to felony charges for making payments to a state official to interfere with an audit of his fianceé’s optometry practice, as well as a separate bank fraud offense, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.
Christopher Ziogas served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 2017 to 2022. On Nov. 26, he pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to:
- Conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum 20-year prison term, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office
- Making false statements, punishable by up to five years in prison
- Bank fraud, which carries a maximum 30-year prison term
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority barred Ziogas, a former Kestra Investment Services rep, the same day for not producing information or documents in connection with the felony indictment.
Ziogas pleaded guilty "for his part in pressuring state employees to cancel a 2020 audit that was examining his fianceé’s Medicaid and Medicare billing at her Bristol optometry practice," according to The Hartford Business Journal.
According to FINRA's order, Ziogas was registered as a general securities representative, among other capacities, with Kestra Investment Services LLC in Bristol, Connecticut, from October 2021 to March 2025.
Ziogas was employed by LPL Financial from December 1989 to May 2011 and again from December 2012 to January 2022. He has 41 years of experience and worked at five firms, according to his BrokerCheck profile, including at MetLife Securities from April 2011 to December 2012.
False Statement, Bank Fraud
The U.S. Attorney's Office said that Ziogas also made a false statement when interviewed by federal agents during the investigation and that he committed bank fraud.
Ziogas pleaded guilty to bank fraud "for taking $5,500 out of an account that he was the trustee of without the client’s knowledge," The Hartford Business Journal reported.
He paid that money to the state official, prosecutors said.
Ziogas was released on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 18 before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.
FINRA Bar
BrokerCheck shows Ziogas failed to provide information or documents concerning charges of extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, illegal monetary transaction, false statements, bribery, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery and filing a false tax return.
On March 28, Kestra Investment Services submitted a Form U5 on behalf of Ziogas disclosing that he had voluntarily terminated his association with the firm, FINRA said.
The matter originated from FINRA’s review of a FINRA Rule 4530 filing and an amendment to Ziogas’ Form U4, both of which disclosed that Ziogas was subject to a felony indictment, the order states.
On May 6, FINRA sent a request to Ziogas for the production of information or documents pursuant to FINRA Rule 8210.
"FINRA made this request in connection with an investigation concerning, among other things, the allegations in the felony indictment filed against Ziogas," the order states. "As stated during his counsel’s phone call with FINRA on July 1, 2025, and by this agreement, Ziogas acknowledges that he received FINRA’s request and will not produce the information or documents requested."
Ziogas' failure to provide requested documents and information violated FINRA Rules 8210 and 2010, which resulted in him being barred from associating with any FINRA member firm in all capacities.
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