Settlement Agreement

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Staff of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (“Staff”) and the Respondent, Cindy Lorraine Makonin (the “Respondent”), consent and agree to settlement of this matter by way of this agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”).
2. Staff conducted an investigation of the Respondent’s activities which disclosed activity for which the Respondent could be penalized on the exercise of the discretion of the Hearing Panel pursuant to section 24.1 of By-law No.1.

II. JOINT SETTLEMENT RECOMMENDATION

3. Staff and the Respondent jointly recommend that the Hearing Panel accept the Settlement Agreement.
4. The Respondent admits to the following violations of the By-laws, Rules or Policies of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (“MFDA”):
   1. Between September 2014 and February 2018, the Respondent copied and pasted the signatures of 4 clients from account forms previously signed by the clients onto 11 new account forms, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1.; and
   2. In December 2015, the Respondent obtained, possessed, and in some instances, used to process transactions, 9 pre-signed account forms in respect of one client, contrary to MFDA Rule 2.1.1.
5. Staff and the Respondent agree and consent to the following terms of settlement:
   1. The Respondent shall be prohibited from conducting securities related business in any capacity while in the employ or associated with any Member of the MFDA for a period of five months commencing from the date the settlement agreement is accepted by the Hearing Panel, pursuant to section 24.1.1(e) of MFDA By-law No. 1;
   2. The Respondent shall pay a fine in the amount of $7,500 in certified funds upon acceptance of the Settlement Agreement, pursuant to section 24.1.1(b) of By-law No. 1;
   3. The Respondent shall pay costs in the amount of $2,500 in certified funds upon acceptance of the Settlement Agreement, pursuant to section 24.2 of By-law No. 1;
   4. The Respondent shall in the future comply with Rules 2.1.1; and
   5. The Respondent will attend the Settlement Hearing in person (via videoconference).
6. Staff and the Respondent agree to the settlement on the basis of the facts set out in Part III herein and consent to the making of an Order in the form attached as Schedule “A”.

IV. AGREED FACTS

Registration History

7. From March 26, 2012 to October 2, 2018, the Respondent was registered in British Columbia as a dealing representative with De Thomas Wealth Management Corp. (the “Member”), a Member of the MFDA.
8. On October 2, 2018, the Member terminated the Respondent, and she is not currently registered in the securities industry in any capacity.
9. At all material times, the Respondent carried on business in the Chilliwack, British Columbia area.

Copied and pasted client signatures

10. Between September 2014 and February 2018, the Respondent copied and pasted the signatures of 4 clients from account forms previously signed by the clients onto 11 new account forms, and submitted them to the Member for processing.
11. The account forms consisted of Purchase Ticket, Redemption Ticket and Know Your Client Update

Pre-signed account forms

12. At all material times, the Member’s policies and procedures prohibited its Approved Persons from holding, obtaining, or using pre-signed account forms.
13. In December 2015, the Respondent obtained, possessed, and in some instances, used to process transactions, 9 pre-signed account forms in respect of one client.
14. The pre-signed account forms consisted of Custom Fund Portfolios Rebalancing forms.

Member’s Investigation

15. In March 2018, the Member identified one of the copy and pasted account forms that is the subject of this Settlement Agreement during an onsite branch review. The Member subsequently commenced a review of all the client files serviced by the Respondent and identified the remaining account forms.
16. In March 2018, the Member placed the Respondent under close supervision until October 2, 2018, at which time the Member terminated the Respondent.
17. As part of its investigation, the Member contacted or attempted to contact the affected clients to address the deficiencies in the account forms it identified, including to ensure there were no unauthorized transactions in their accounts. No clients complained or reported any concerns to the Member.

Additional Factors

18. The Respondent has not previously been the subject of an MFDA disciplinary proceeding.
19. There is no evidence that the Respondent received any financial benefit from engaging in the misconduct described above beyond any commissions and fees that she would ordinarily be entitled to receive had the transactions been carried out in the proper manner.
20. There is no evidence of any client loss or that the transactions were unauthorized.
21. By entering into this Settlement Agreement, the Respondent has saved the MFDA the time, resources, and expenses associated with conducing a full hearing of the allegations.

  V. ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SETTLEMENT

22. This settlement is agreed upon in accordance with section 24.4 of MFDA By-law No. 1 and Rules 14 and 15 of the MFDA Rules of Procedure.
23. The Settlement Agreement is subject to acceptance by the Hearing Panel which shall be sought at a hearing (the “Settlement Hearing”). At, or following the conclusion of, the Settlement Hearing, the Hearing Panel may either accept or reject the Settlement Agreement. 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 mfda.ca.
24. The Settlement Agreement shall become effective and binding upon the Respondent and Staff as of the date of its acceptance by the Hearing Panel. Unless otherwise stated, any monetary penalties and costs imposed upon the Respondent are payable immediately, and any suspensions, revocations, prohibitions, conditions or other terms of the Settlement Agreement shall commence, upon the effective date of the Settlement Agreement.
25. Staff and the Respondent agree that if this Settlement Agreement is accepted by the Hearing Panel:
    1. the Settlement Agreement will constitute the entirety of the evidence to be submitted respecting the Respondent in this matter;
    2. the Respondent waives any rights to a full hearing, a review hearing before the Board of Directors of the MFDA or any securities commission with jurisdiction in the matter under its enabling legislation, or a judicial review or appeal of the matter before any court of competent jurisdiction;
    3. Staff will not initiate any proceeding under the By-laws of the MFDA against the Respondent in respect of the facts and contraventions described in this Settlement Agreement. Nothing in this Settlement Agreement precludes Staff from investigating or initiating proceedings in respect of any facts and contraventions that are not set out in this Settlement Agreement. Furthermore, nothing in this Settlement Agreement shall relieve the Respondent from fulfilling any continuing regulatory obligations;
    4. the Respondent shall be deemed to have been penalized by the Hearing Panel pursuant to section 24.1.2 of By-law No. 1 for the purpose of giving notice to the public thereof in accordance with section 24.5 of By-law No. 1; and
    5. neither Staff nor the Respondent will make any public statement inconsistent with this Settlement Agreement. Nothing in this section is intended to restrict the Respondent from making full answer and defence to any civil or other proceedings against the Respondent.
26. If, for any reason, this Settlement Agreement is not accepted by the Hearing Panel, each of Staff and the Respondent will be entitled to any available proceedings, remedies and challenges, including proceeding to a disciplinary hearing pursuant to sections 20 and 24 of By-law No. 1, unaffected by the Settlement Agreement or the settlement negotiations.
27. Staff and the Respondent agree that the terms of the Settlement Agreement, including the attached Schedule “A”, will be released to the public only if and when the Settlement Agreement is accepted by the Hearing Panel.
28. The Settlement Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts which together shall constitute a binding agreement. A facsimile copy of any signature shall be effective as an original signature.