Cooke only admitted in testimony to electronically forging one of the customer’s signatures on one variable annuity application, Finra said. She denied forging the other customer’s signature on the other variable annuity application, Finra said.
However, DocuSign audit trail data provided by New York Life after Cooke’s interview “reflected that the other variable annuity application was also accessed and signed using a fake email address Cooke created,” according to Finra.
Cooke received about $68,000 in advanced commissions for the four applications, all of which was eventually recovered by the firm when the applications were not funded, according to Finra.
As part of Cooke’s settlement, she consented to Finra's findings and an industry bar. Cooke signed the agreement on Friday.