Section 10-04-11 - Suspension or revocation of broker-dealer's, agent's, investment adviser's, and investment adviser representative's registration1. The commissioner may censure, place limitations on the activities of, suspend for a period not exceeding twelve months, or revoke the registration of any broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative or any partner, officer, or director, any person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions, or any person directly or indirectly controlling the broker-dealer or investment adviser if, after a hearing or opportunity for hearing as provided in section 10-04-12, the commissioner finds that such registered broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative: a. Has violated or failed to comply with any provisions of this chapter or any order or rule of the commissioner under this chapter;b. Is, in the case of a broker-dealer or investment adviser, insolvent;c. Has engaged in dishonest, fraudulent, or unethical practices in the securities business;d. Conducts business in purchasing or selling securities at such variations from current market prices as, in light of all the circumstances, are unconscionable or unfair to the purchasing public, or if such variance, including commissions on sales, unreasonably exceeds the price quoted by a recognized national quotation list as prescribed by the commissioner;e. Has failed to file with the department any financial record required pursuant to section 10-04-10.3, or has refused to permit or has otherwise impeded an examination into the person's affairs as provided by section 10-04-10.3 and subsection 3;f. Has filed an application for registration which, as of its effective date or as of any date after filing in the case of an order denying effectiveness, was incomplete in any material respect or contained any statement which was, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, false or misleading with respect to any material fact;g. Has been convicted of an offense determined by the commissioner to have a direct bearing upon a person's ability to serve the public as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative, or the commissioner finds that a person, following conviction of any offense, is not sufficiently rehabilitated under section 12.1-33-02.1;h. Is permanently or temporarily enjoined by any court of competent jurisdiction from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice involving any aspect of the securities business;i. Is the subject of an order of the commissioner denying, suspending, or revoking registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative;j. Is the subject of an order entered by the securities administrator of any other state or by the securities and exchange commission denying or revoking registration as a broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative, or the substantial equivalent of those terms as defined in this chapter, or is the subject of an order suspending or expelling membership in or association with a member of a self-regulatory organization registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Commodity Exchange Act, or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; or is the subject of a United States post-office fraud order;k. Has, in connection with the offer, sale, or purchase of any security, directly or indirectly, effected a series of transactions creating actual or apparent active trading in any security, or to raise or depress the price of a security, for the purpose of inducing the purchase or sale of the security;l. Is not qualified on the basis of such factors as training, experience, and knowledge of the securities business;m. Has failed reasonably to supervise the person's agents if the person is a broker-dealer or the person's employees or investment adviser representatives if the person is an investment adviser; orn. Is the subject of an order entered by the insurance administrator of any state denying or revoking registration as an insurance producer, consultant, or the substantial equivalent of those terms as defined in section 26.1-26-02. It is a violation for any person to engage in any conduct described in subdivisions a, c, d, e, f, and k and any administrative rules promulgated under any of those subdivisions, if the activities occurred in this state, or with respect to a resident of this state, or has caused or could have caused harm to investors in this state.
2. It is sufficient cause for revocation of registration of a broker-dealer or investment adviser as provided in this section, in case of a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or any unincorporated association, if any member of a partnership or any officer or director of the corporation or association or any manager or governor of a limited liability company has been guilty of any act or omission which would be sufficient grounds for revoking the registration of an individual broker-dealer or investment adviser.3. If the commissioner has reasonable grounds to believe that the registration of any registered broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative should be censured, suspended, or revoked upon any grounds specified in this section, the commissioner or the commissioner's agent may conduct an examination into the affairs of any such registered broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative. In making any such examination, the commissioner or the commissioner's agent shall have access to and may compel the production of all the books and papers of a registered broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative, and may administer oaths to and examine the officers and employees of such broker-dealer or investment adviser as to the broker-dealer's or investment adviser's business and affairs.4. If the commissioner makes written findings of fact to support the conclusion that grounds exist pursuant to subsection 1 for the commissioner to suspend or revoke any registration, the commissioner may by order summarily suspend registration pending final determination of any proceeding under this section. Upon the entry of the summary order, the commissioner shall promptly notify the applicant, as well as the employer or prospective employer if the applicant is an agent or investment adviser representative, that it has been entered and the reasons. The person subject to the order, if desiring a hearing, must make a written request for a hearing to the commissioner within fifteen days after receipt of the notice. Within fifteen days after receipt by the commissioner of a written request, the matter will be set for hearing to determine if the order should be modified, vacated, or extended pending a final determination. If a hearing is not requested and none is ordered by the commissioner, the order will remain in effect until modified or vacated by the commissioner.5. If the commissioner finds, after affording a registered broker-dealer, a registered agent, a registered investment adviser, or a registered investment adviser representative a hearing or opportunity for hearing as provided in section 10-04-12, that there are grounds to censure, suspend, or revoke the registration of such broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative, the commissioner may enter an order in the register of broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers, and investment adviser representatives censuring, suspending, or revoking the registration of such broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative. Such order shall state specifically the grounds for its issuance. A copy of such order shall be sent by registered mail to the broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative whose registration is censured, suspended, or revoked thereby at the person's business address and, if the censure, suspension, or revocation is of the registration of an agent or investment adviser representative, to the registered broker-dealer or registered investment adviser who employs such person. Suspension or revocation of the registration of a broker-dealer shall also suspend or revoke the registration of all of the broker-dealer's agents. Suspension or revocation of the registration of an investment adviser also suspends or revokes the registration of all of the investment adviser's investment adviser representatives. Suspension or revocation of the registration of an agent or investment adviser representative solely because of employment by a broker-dealer or investment adviser whose registration was suspended or revoked shall not prejudice subsequent applications for registration by such person.6. No action may be brought under this section by the commissioner after ten years from the date of the alleged violation.