MFDA Hearing Panel accepts settlement agreement with MD Shakirul Alam

TORONTO, June 30, 2020 /CNW/ - A settlement hearing in the matter of MD Shakirul Alam ("Respondent") was held on June 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario by electronic hearing before a three-member Hearing Panel of the Central Regional Council of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada ("MFDA").

The Hearing Panel accepted the settlement agreement dated February 16, 2020 ("Settlement Agreement") between Staff of the MFDA and the Respondent, as a consequence of which the following sanctions were imposed on the Respondent:

• a prohibition from conducting securities related business in any capacity while in the employ of or associated with any MFDA Member for a period of 6 months;
• a fine in the amount of $7,500;
• costs in the amount of $3,750; and
• shall in the future comply with MFDA Rules 2.1.4, 2.1.1, 2.10, 2.5.1 and 1.1.2.

In the Settlement Agreement, the Respondent admitted that on February 14, 2018, he engaged in personal financial dealings with a client by:

1. soliciting and borrowing $15,000 from the client; and
2. engaging in a transaction with the client whereby the client paid $17,000 to the Respondent and at approximately the same time a third party paid the equivalent of $17,000 CAD to the client's brother outside of Canada;

and that this conduct gave rise to a conflict or potential conflict of interest that the Respondent failed to disclose to the Member or address by the exercise of responsible business judgment influenced only by the best interests of the client, contrary to the policies and procedures of the Member and MFDA Rules 2.1.4, 2.1.1, 2.10, 2.5.1 and 1.1.2.

A copy of the Settlement Agreement is available on the MFDA website at www.mfda.ca. During the period described in the Settlement Agreement, the Respondent carried on business in the Greater Toronto, Ontario area.

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 81,000 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