MFDA announces settlement hearing to take place in the matter of George Yamamoto

TORONTO, Dec. 9, 2022 /CNW/ - The Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada ("MFDA") commenced a disciplinary proceeding in respect of George Yamamoto (the "Respondent") by Notice of Hearing dated October 7, 2022 (the "Notice of Hearing").

As the result of a settlement agreement entered into between Staff of the MFDA and the Respondent, a settlement hearing will take place electronically by videoconference before a Hearing Panel of the MFDA's Central Regional Council on December 15, 2022, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern), or as soon thereafter as the matter can be held. Members of the public who would like to obtain further particulars should contact [email protected].

The subject matter of the proposed settlement agreement concerns matters for which the Respondent may be disciplined pursuant to ss. 20 and 24.1.1 of By-law No. 1 of the MFDA. In particular, the settlement agreement concerns the allegations that:

a)	between November 2018 and August 2020, the Respondent was aware that he was or would be named as the recipient of legacies in the wills of clients A and B, which gave rise to conflicts or potential conflicts of interest that the Respondent failed to disclose to the Member or otherwise address by the exercise of responsible business judgment influenced only by the best interests of the clients, contrary to the Member's policies and procedures and MFDA Rules 2.1.4[1], 2.1.1 and 1.1.2 (as it relates to Rule 2.5.1);
b)	between July 29, 2020 and August 6, 2020, the Respondent solicited monies from clients A and B, which gave rise to conflicts or potential conflicts of interest that the Respondent failed to disclose to the Member or otherwise address by the exercise of responsible business judgment influenced only by the best interests of the clients, contrary to the Member's policies and procedures and MFDA Rules 2.1.4, 2.1.1 and 1.1.2 (as it relates to Rule 2.5.1); and
c)	on or about August 7, 2020, the Respondent disclosed information regarding the business and affairs of clients A and B to client A's son, without the consent of the clients, thereby failing to maintain the clients' information in confidence, contrary to the Member's policies and procedures and MFDA Rules 2.1.3, 2.1.1 and 1.1.2 (as it relates to Rule 2.5.1).

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 Hearing is available on the MFDA website at www.mfda.ca. During the period described in the Notice of Hearing, the Respondent conducted business in the 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 76,695 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.

________________________________

^1 On June 30, 2021, MFDA Rule 2.1.4 was amended to conform with client focused reform amendments to National Instrument 31-103 that came into effect on the same day.  As the conduct addressed in this Settlement Agreement pre-dated the amendment to this Rule, all contraventions set out in the Settlement Agreement that make reference to that Rule concern the version of the Rule that was in effect between February 27, 2006 and June 30, 2021.

SOURCE Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada

Charles Toth, Vice-President, Enforcement, 416-943-4619, [email protected]