Financial professional faces multi-year industry ban
The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) has sanctioned former dealing representative James Benjamin Peddle following a settlement agreement that cited conflicts of interest, unapproved outside business activities, and misleading statements.
On Sept. 11, 2025, a CIRO hearing panel accepted the agreement between enforcement staff and Peddle, imposing a five-year prohibition on conducting securities-related business with any CIRO dealer member. He was also ordered to pay a $45,000 fine and $5,000 in costs.
According to the settlement documents, Peddle engaged in personal financial dealings with clients that created conflicts of interest which he failed to disclose to his firm, Investors Group Financial Services Inc. Peddle also operated two bowling alley businesses – Paradise Bowl and Plaza Bowl – with direct involvement from clients as investors, creditors, and guarantors.
At Paradise Bowl, which Peddle co-owned beginning in 2010, clients became shareholders and creditors. In 2021, Peddle sold his shares in the business to a client-owned company for $150,000 without informing the dealer member.
Separately, Peddle purchased Plaza Bowl in 2021 through his holding company, JRJA Holdings Ltd., with financing tied to clients. He obtained a $500,000 loan from one client and had another guarantee an $800,000 bank loan. CIRO found he did not disclose these dealings until questioned by compliance staff later that year.
The agreement further stated that during the dealer member’s investigation, Peddle “made false or misleading statements” about the source of funds used to acquire Plaza Bowl, initially claiming he used personal resources and family loans. He later admitted the money came from a client loan and a client loan guarantee.
Peddle had been registered with Investors Group from 2010 until his termination in November 2021. He also served as a branch manager from 2013 to 2018. CIRO noted that Peddle is not currently registered in the securities industry.
The regulator emphasized that the settlement avoided the costs of a contested hearing. “By entering into this Settlement Agreement, the Respondent has saved CIRO the time, resources, and expenses associated with conducting a contested hearing,” the panel decision stated.
CIRO is Canada’s national self-regulatory body overseeing investment dealers, mutual fund dealers, and trading activity on the country’s debt and equity markets. It said the decision will be made available on its website.
