According to a FINRA disciplinary action announcement, Florlena Cortez (CRD #4339441, Registered Principal, El Paso, Texas) recently submitted a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent in which she was barred from association with any FINRA member in any capacity.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Cortez consented to the described sanction and to the entry of findings that she participated in private securities transactions by soliciting customers to invest in securities that were outside the regular course and scope of her association with her member firm. The findings stated that Cortez did not provide prior written notice to the firm describing in detail the proposed transactions and her proposed role in them, including whether she had received or would receive selling compensation in connection with the transactions. The findings also stated that in the course of FINRA’s investigation into whether Cortez engaged in undisclosed private securities transactions and outside business activities while registered with the firm, FINRA sought on-the-record testimony from her. Cortez informed FINRA that she would not appear to testify at an on-the-record interview.

Full the full findings, see FINRA Case #2012031460902.

According to his FINRA Broker Report, Cortez was registered with Chase Investment Services Corp from May 2002 through February 2012.  Her broker report also indicates that she has been the broker of record for 3 customer complaints, including a complaint related to an investment in EPT Capital Securities.  She also appears to have been terminated from Chase in February 2012.

The foregoing information, which is all publicly available on FINRA’s website, is being provided by The White Law Group.  The White Law Group, LLC is a national securities fraud, securities arbitration, investor protection, and securities regulation/compliance law firm with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Franklin, Tennessee.

For a free consultation with a securities attorney, call The White Law Group at 312/238-9650.  For more information on the firm, visit http://whitesecuritieslaw.com.