The Insurance Council of British Columbia has cancelled a rep’s license after discovering he had omitted a prior criminal conviction, which occurred in Hong Kong, from his licence application.
According to the decision, the council granted Wai Kiong Raymond Lee a life licence based on his disclosure that he did not have any prior convictions or pending charges, along with an undertaking that he would obtain a criminal record check from the Hong Kong police because he had lived there in the previous five years.
However, the council says that it subsequently learned that Lee had been convicted of a criminal offence in Hong Kong. He later admitted that he “intentionally failed to disclose a prior criminal conviction in an attempt to mislead council because he believed that such disclosure may make him unsuitable” to hold a life licence.
Having discovered the omission, the council determined that the effort at misleading the council “brought into question his trustworthiness and his ability to act in good faith.” It ruled that his actions make him unsuitable to hold a licence.
The council also found that the length of time required to make a decision on Lee’s suitability would be detrimental to the public interest. So, it cancelled his licence on July 29. Lee has the right to require a hearing on the order by appealing in writing within 14 days of the council’s order.