Settlement agreements approved for respondents who provided false statements to OSC Staff during an investigation.
The Ontario Securities Commission held a hearing to consider whether to approve settlement agreements between Staff and the respondents, Gregory and Walter Hryniw.
The respondents admitted to providing false and misleading statements to Staff during an investigation into trading in a Bermuda account.
The Commission approved the settlement agreements, which included a three-year trading ban, a three-year prohibition on acting as an officer or director, a reprimand, and a payment of $2,500 each towards costs.
The Commission also permitted the hearing to proceed electronically via telephone conference, despite the reprimand sanction, due to the respondents' out-of-province residency and impecuniosity.
Settlement agreement approved; $20,000 administrative penalty imposed for late filing of prospectus supplements.
Staff of the Ontario Securities Commission brought a settlement hearing regarding Wells Fargo Financial Canada Corporation's failure to file prospectus supplements on time on four occasions.
The Commission approved the settlement agreement, noting that inadvertence and reliance on outside counsel were not valid excuses for late filings.
The Commission imposed an administrative penalty of $20,000, emphasizing that this novel use of an administrative penalty serves as a specific deterrent to the respondent and a general warning to market participants about the importance of timely filings.