CIRO issues Notice of Settlement Hearing in respect of Mei-Hui Bobb

November 17, 2023 (Toronto, Ontario) – The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (“CIRO”) announced that it has issued a Notice of Settlement Hearing dated August 11, 2023 regarding the presentation, review and consideration of a proposed settlement agreement by a Hearing Panel of the CIRO’S Pacific District Hearing Committee.

The proposed settlement agreement is between Staff of CIRO and Mei-Hui Bobb (the “Respondent”) and involves matters for which the Respondent may be disciplined by a Hearing Panel pursuant to Rules 7.3 and 7.4.1.1 of the Mutual Fund Dealer Rules.

The proposed settlement agreement concerns allegations that the Respondent:

1. between November 2020 and April 2021, photocopied signature pages from account forms that had previously been signed by clients and re-used the signature pages to complete seven additional account forms in respect of five clients, contrary to Mutual Fund Dealer Rule 2.1.1 (formerly MFDA Rule 2.1.1);
2. between May 2019 and March 2021, altered and used to process transactions 18 account forms in respect of 15 clients by altering information on the account forms without having the client initial the alterations, contrary to Mutual Fund Dealer Rule 2.1.1 (formerly MFDA Rule 2.1.1); and
3. between November 2020 and September 2021, obtained, possessed and used to process transactions, 17 pre-signed account forms in respect of six clients, contrary to Mutual Fund Dealer Rule 2.1.1 (formerly MFDA Rule 2.1.1).

As a result of the proposed settlement agreement entered into between Staff of CIRO and the Respondent, a settlement hearing will take place electronically by videoconference before a Hearing Panel of CIRO’s Pacific District Hearing Committee on December 12, 2023, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific), or as soon thereafter as the matter can be held. Members of the public who would like to obtain further particulars should contact hearings@ciro.ca.

CIRO settlement hearings are typically held in the absence of the public pursuant to Mutual Fund Dealer Rule 7.3.5 and Rule 15.2(2) of the MFDA Rules of Procedure. If the Hearing Panel accepts the settlement agreement, then the proceeding will become open to the public and a copy of the decision of the Hearing Panel and the settlement agreement will be made available at www.mfda.ca.

A copy of the Notice of Settlement Hearing is available on the MFDA website at www.mfda.ca. During the period described in the Notice of Settlement Hearing, the Respondent conducted business in the Surrey, British Columbia area.

The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) is the national self-regulatory organization that oversees all investment dealers, mutual fund dealers and trading activity on Canada’s debt and equity marketplaces. CIRO is committed to the protection of investors, providing efficient and consistent regulation, and building Canadians’ trust in financial regulation and the people managing their investments. For more information, visit www.ciro.ca.

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