Cortez Wealth Management review: Financial services

On October 10, 2025, I scheduled a consultation with an advisor from Cortez Wealth Management (Tampa Bay, FL area) to discuss options for protecting my retirement portfolio amid market uncertainty. The session lasted about 45 minutes, starting at 2 PM ET, and involved no financial commitment from me—just an initial discussion. No order number or contract was issued, as I did not proceed.

The advisor began positively, describing the firm as "America First" and focusing on high-return strategies for everyday families. However, the conversation quickly turned to their Green Money Solutions platform (launched 2020), promoting "guaranteed" 29% upfront bonuses, 7-15% compounded annual returns, and full principal protection as better than options from Fidelity or Vanguard.

To encourage quick action, they shared concerns about economic challenges, external influences on savers, and the need to shift from traditional brokers soon, suggesting I divest my funds by November 1, 2025.

This felt overly urgent and included references to personal beliefs, using interpretations of Christian teachings and Bible verses to suggest the move as important for family security. It came across as more persuasive than neutral, raising questions about balance.

To verify, I contacted three independent financial advisors in the Tampa Bay area on October 11-12, 2025. All advised that such guarantees are not typical for SEC-registered products and seemed like high-pressure approaches.

I then reviewed public records on FINRA's BrokerCheck and SEC filings, finding multiple disputes from [protected]: Clients reported over $2 million in losses from unregulated cryptocurrency products, with some seeking more than $300,000; only partial resolutions occurred, and many cases remain open.

Specific issues included recommendations for BCCOMM, an Austria-based cryptocurrency that failed as fraudulent (contradicting the firm's domestic focus) and JProof in early 2025, which declined sharply after reported insider activity (per blockchain data), affecting many participants.

Further, the advisor's style aligned with content on the firm's associated "Scriptures and Wallstreet" podcast (on Stew Peters Network), where the principal discusses personal assets like homes and vehicles but not client challenges, often blending advice with urgent warnings similar to the call.

A review of linked social media showed concerning posts mixing financial topics with strong opinions on various groups, including references to LGBT, Jewish, and Mormon communities, and symbols like the Star of David in unrelated contexts, which seemed unprofessional for advisors.

One post example stated: "The evil Luciferian bankers want to kill you—literally—they want to plant their evil seed into you... they want to hurt your children and children's children... and they want you to die and own nothing," combining motivational language with calls to act, which echoed the session's tone and felt aimed at emotional concerns.

Ongoing complaints are filed with the SEC, FINRA, and regulators in Florida, Arizona, and Louisiana, with no final decisions yet.

I chose not to engage further, viewing this as a helpful warning. I have supporting notes from the call (no recordings) and screenshots of public filings.

I request that ComplaintsBoard highlight this for consumer awareness and urge regulators to investigate these practices fully to protect others from similar experiences. No refund is needed, as no transaction occurred, but transparency would help future clients. Thank you for your attention.

(Attached: Screenshots of BrokerCheck entries and relevant public filings—available upon request for verification.)

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