Enforcement Notice - Decision - IN THE MATTER OF Zhenyu Li - Settlement Accepted

TORONTO, July 27, 2015 /CNW/ - On July 20, 2015, a Hearing Panel of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) accepted a Settlement Agreement, with sanctions, between IIROC staff and Zhenyu Li.

Mr. Li admitted that between August 2012 and November 2012, while a proprietary trader at National Bank Financial Inc., he entered orders that he ought reasonably to have known would create, or could reasonably be expected to create, a false or misleading appearance of trading activity in or interest in the purchase or sale of the securities or an artificial sale price for the securities, contrary to UMIR 2.2(2) and UMIR Policy 2.2.

Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, Mr. Li agreed to the following penalties:

(a)    A fine in the amount of $10,000; and

(b)    A suspension of access to all IIROC-regulated marketplaces for one month effective July  20, 2015.

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

The Settlement Agreement is available at http://docs.iiroc.ca/DisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=0F5FD1BD234549299B1D4C6818E7CAA8&Language=en,

and the Hearing Panel's decision will be made available at www.iiroc.ca. 

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 formally initiated the investigation into Mr. Li's conduct in June 2013.  The conduct occurred while he was a Trader with National Bank Financial Inc., an IIROC-regulated firm.  Mr. Li is no longer a registrant with an IIROC-regulated firm.  

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IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada. Created in 2008 through the consolidation of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada and Market Regulation Services Inc., IIROC sets high quality regulatory and investment industry standards, protects investors and strengthens market integrity while maintaining efficient and competitive capital markets.

IIROC carries out its regulatory responsibilities through setting and enforcing rules regarding the proficiency, business and financial conduct of dealer firms and their registered employees and through setting and enforcing market integrity rules regarding trading activity on Canadian 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

For further information: Enforcement Contact: Elsa Renzella, Vice President, Enforcement, 416 943-5877, [email protected]; Media Contact: Karen Archer, Manager, Media Relations, 416 865-3046, [email protected]