MFDA issues Notice of Settlement Hearing in respect of Leslie Colin Bell

TORONTO, May 29, 2018 /CNW/ - The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada ("MFDA") announced that it has issued a Notice of Settlement Hearing dated April 5, 2018 regarding the presentation, review and consideration of a proposed settlement agreement by a Hearing Panel of the MFDA's Central Regional Council.

The settlement agreement will be between Staff of the MFDA and Leslie Colin Bell ("Respondent") and involves matters for which he may be disciplined by a Hearing Panel pursuant to MFDA By-laws. The proposed settlement agreement concerns allegations that the Respondent:

1. on or about August 1, 2016, falsified, and used to process a transaction, one account form by altering information on the account form without having the client initial the alterations, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1;
2. between September 2006 and October 2016, obtained and possessed, four pre-signed account forms in respect of three clients, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1; and
3. on or about October 21, 2014, made a false statement to the Member about his use of pre-signed forms when completing the Member's annual registration questionnaire, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1.

The settlement hearing will take place on August 30, 2018, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern), or as soon thereafter as the matter can be held, in the hearing room at the offices of the MFDA, located at 121 King Street West, Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario.

MFDA settlement hearings are typically held in the absence of the public pursuant to section 20.5 of MFDA By-law No. 1 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 carried on business in Bracebridge, Ontario.

The MFDA is the self-regulatory organization for Canadian mutual fund dealers, regulating the operations, standards of practice and business conduct of its Members and their approximately 82,000 Approved Persons with a mandate to protect investors and the public interest. For more information about the MFDA's complaint and enforcement processes, as well as links to 'Check an Advisor' and other Investor Tools, visit the For Investors page on the MFDA website.

SOURCE Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada