Australian regulator ASIC has just announced that it has permanently banned Bee Chin Lim, also known as Vicky Bee Chin Lim of Yagoona in New South Wales, from providing financial services.
Ms Lim was the sole director of JJ Global Network Pty Ltd (JJ Global), which was closely associated with Malaysian-based entity called JJ Global Network Holdings BHD which offered foreign exchange investments under the business name, JJPTR.
Ms Lim was banned after she and JJ Global engaged in certain activities without holding an Australian financial services licence (AFSL) or being authorised representatives of an AFSL holder.
In particular, ASIC found that between July 2016 and April 2017, Ms Lim:
- set up JJ Global as an Australian office of JJPTR and was the only contact person in Australia for JJPTR investors;
- received more than $2.2 million worth of deposits from 1,400 investors into JJ Global’s bank accounts and her personal accounts;
- misused investor funds for her own purposes; and,
- engaged in dishonest conduct by creating false investor accounts to by-pass JJPTR investment amount restrictions and increase referral commissions she received.
The order to permanently ban Ms Lim was made on the grounds that she:
- provided financial services in Australia without an AFSL in contravention of s911A of the Corporations Act (the Act);
- engaged in dishonest conduct in contravention of s1041G of the Act; and
- was not of good fame or character.
Ms Lim has the right to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of ASIC’s decision.