OSC Announces Additional Sentences in Hospital Privacy Breach Case

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2016 /CNW/ - The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) announced today that Polina (Poly) Edry and Subramaniam Sulur were each sentenced in the Ontario Court of Justice at Old City Hall by Justice Malcolm McLeod.

Edry was sentenced to two years of probation, including 300 hours of community service, and a fine of $36,000. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25 per cent ($9,000) victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act.  The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Sulur was sentenced to two years of probation, including 150 hours of community service, and a fine of $3,000.  In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25 per cent ($750) victim fine surcharge.

The terms of probation also prohibit Edry and Sulur from engaging in any securities-related business until the completion of their community service hours to the satisfaction of their Probation Officers, and only in accordance with any terms and conditions imposed by the OSC.

Following an investigation by the OSC's Joint Serious Offences Team (JSOT), Edry and Sulur each pleaded guilty to one count of participating in an improper referral arrangement with another person or company contrary to National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations and contrary to s. 122(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario).

Edry was formerly a Branch Manager for Knowledge First Financial Inc. and Sulur was formerly an Assistant Branch Manager for C.S.T. Consultants Inc. Both were registered dealers.

Edry acknowledged in court that between January 1, 2012 and May 1, 2014, she purchased names from Shaida Bandali (a former employee of the Rouge Valley Health System), who she knew worked in a medical facility. The names were those of new parents of children that came from that medical facility. Edry also admitted that she was wilfully blind to the fact that not all of the patients had agreed to have their personal information shared. Edry admitted to paying Bandali $10,513.25 or approximately $2.50-2.75 per name. She purchased the names from Bandali to use as sources of potential Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) investment sales leads.

For a copy of the sentencing decision for this matter, contact Old City Hall - Ontario Court of Justice, referencing the Court file numbers 999-15-12001474-01 and
999-15-12001474-02.

JSOT was established by the OSC as an enforcement partnership between the OSC, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Financial Crime program and the Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets Branch. The primary objective of JSOT is to protect investors and further enhance confidence in the Canadian capital markets through effective enforcement. This is accomplished through collaborative investigations of serious violations of the law using the provisions of the Securities Act or the Criminal Code. 

The mandate of the OSC is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices and to foster fair and efficient capital markets and confidence in the capital markets. Investors are urged to check the registration of any persons or company offering an investment opportunity and to review the OSC investor materials available at http://www.osc.gov.on.ca

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SOURCE Ontario Securities Commission

For Media Inquiries: [email protected]; For Investor Inquiries: OSC Contact Centre, 416-593-8314, 1-877-785-1555 (Toll Free)