Enforcement Notice - Decision - IIROC Fines Toronto Investment Advisor Paul Barreca

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2020 /CNW/ - On January 15, 2020, a Hearing Panel of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) accepted a Settlement Agreement, with sanctions, between IIROC staff and Paul Barreca.

Mr. Barreca admitted that he failed to disclose a referral arrangement to Dealer Member IPC Securities Corporation.

Specifically, Mr. Barreca admitted to the following violation:

(a) Between January 2015 and May 2017, Mr. Barreca failed to disclose a referral arrangement to his Dealer Member IPC Securities Corporation, contrary to Dealer Member Rule 29.1 (prior to September 1, 2016) and Consolidated Rule 1400 (after September 1, 2016).

Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, Mr. Barreca agreed to the following penalty:

(a) A fine in the amount of $15,000; and

(b) Successfully re-write the Conduct and Practices Handbook examination within six months of the date of acceptance of the Settlement Agreement.

Mr. Barreca also agreed to pay costs in the amount of $1,500.

The Settlement Agreement is available at:

http://www.iiroc.ca/documents/2020/4b6082f0-f309-47d5-b5ff-a1eead5c386d_en.pdf

The Hearing Panel's decision will be available at www.iiroc.ca.

IIROC formally initiated the investigation into Mr. Barreca's conduct in April 2018. The conduct occurred while he was a Registered Representative with a Toronto branch of IPC Securities Corporation, an IIROC-regulated firm.  Mr. Barreca is still currently registered with the firm.

Documents related to ongoing IIROC enforcement proceedings ? including Reasons and Decisions of Hearing Panels ? are posted on the IIROC website as they become available. Click here to search and access all IIROC enforcement documents.

IIROC is the pan-Canadian self-regulatory organization that oversees all investment dealers and their trading activity in Canada's debt and equity markets. IIROC sets high quality regulatory and investment industry standards, protects investors and strengthens market integrity while supporting healthy Canadian capital markets. IIROC carries out its regulatory responsibilities through setting and enforcing rules regarding the proficiency, business and financial conduct of more than 170 Canadian investment dealer firms and their more than 29,000 registered employees, the majority of whom are commonly referred to as investment advisors. IIROC also sets and enforces market integrity rules regarding trading activity on Canadian debt and equity marketplaces.

IIROC investigates possible misconduct by its member firms and/or individual registrants. It can bring disciplinary proceedings which may result in penalties including fines, suspensions, permanent bars, expulsion from membership, or termination of rights and privileges for individuals and firms.

All information about disciplinary proceedings relating to current and former member firms is available in the Enforcement section of the IIROC website. Background information regarding the qualifications and disciplinary history, if any, of advisors currently employed by IIROC-regulated firms is available free of charge through the IIROC AdvisorReport service. Information on how to make investment dealer, advisor or marketplace-related complaints is available by calling 1 877 442-4322.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) - General News