Joshua Cook: FINRA Suspends Ex-LPL Financial Advisor

Vernal, Utah financial advisor Joshua Cook (CRD# 4277525) allegedly forged customer signatures, according to a disciplinary action suspending him from acting as a broker. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority records show that the former LPL Financial broker is currently registered as an investment advisor with Cook Financial.

A Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (No. 2022074655901) released by FINRA on March 4, 2024 describes its findings concerning Mr. Cook. According to the Letter, he “electronically signed the names of at least 160 customers… on a total of 373 account documents without the customers’ prior permission.” As the findings note, some of these customers were senior citizens. The account documents in question “included new account applications, money transfer forms, and IRA contribution and distribution forms.” As FINRA notes, the transactions in question were authorized and the signatures did not lead to customer complaints; however, it states, he also “falsely attested” in compliance forms “that he had not signed or affixed another person’s signature on a document.” Finding that his conduct violates FINRA Rules 2010 and 4511, FINRA issued him a 10-month suspension from associating with any FINRA member firm. It also ordered him to pay a fine of $7,500.

Mr. Cook’s BrokerCheck report discloses his firing from LPL Financial. Filed in March 2022, it states that the firm terminated him in connection with allegations that he “Electronically signed account documents on behalf of customers.” In a statement included with the disclosure, he wrote that the signatures “were completed under the clients[’] directions and to their satisfaction,” adding that his “track record speaks for itself.”

According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Joshua Cook holds 19 years of securities industry experience. Based in Vernal, Utah, he was registered with LPL Financial from 2016 until 2022 and has been registered with Cook Financial since September 2023. His past registrations include Cetera Advisor Networks (Vernal, Utah; 2007-2016) and Zions Direct (Taylorsville, Utah; 2002-2007). His credentials include the passage of four securities industry qualifying exams: the General Securities Representative Examination, or Series 7; the Securities Industry Essentials Examination, or SIE; the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, or Series 63; and the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, or Series 65. He is not currently registered as a broker, though he is registered as an investment advisor with Cook Financial. (Information current as of March 5, 2024.)

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