ASIC lays 13 dishonesty charges on former planner
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has charged former Melbourne financial planner, Bradley Grimm, with 13 dishonesty offences while running a financial services business.
The regulator alleged that Grimm, who appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court today, engaged in dishonest conduct on six occasions when he transferred funds between his clients’ self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) to three companies of which he was the sole director, and a superannuation fund of which Grimm’s business was the administrator.
ASIC also alleged that on a further seven occasions, Grimm dishonestly transferred shares owned by his clients’ SMSFs to Equity Capital Partners Hedge Fund, a company of which he was also the sole director.
The charges followed ASIC’s successful action in the Federal Court for the winding up of several companies including the companies in question, Thrive Lending, Trade BTC, Beta Pharmacology and Equity Capital Partners Hedge Fund, and Grimm’s other companies, Ostrava Equities, Ostrava Asset Management, Ostrava Securities and Ostrava Wealth Management.
The matter was adjourned for committal mention on 31 January, 2019.
Recommended for you
Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones has shared further details on the second tranche of the Delivering Better Financial Outcomes reforms including modernising best interests duty and reforming Statements of Advice.
The Federal Court has found a company director guilty of operating unregistered managed investment schemes and carrying on a financial services business without holding an AFSL.
The Governance Institute has said ASIC’s governance arrangements are no longer “fit for purpose” in a time when financial markets are quickly innovating and cyber crime becomes a threat.
Compliance professionals working in financial services are facing burnout risk as higher workloads, coupled with the ever-changing regulation, place notable strain on staff.