ACRSD issues final decision on imposing SAR 1.7 mln fine on Capital Market Law violator

Logo of the General Secretariat of Committees for Resolution of Securities Disputes

The General Secretariat of Committees for Resolution of Securities Disputes announced today, Dec. 5, that the Appeal Committee for Resolution of Securities Disputes (ACRSD) issued a resolution on Oct. 3, 2022, on the public penal case filed by the Public Prosecution against Abdullah Almutairi, according to the Capital Market Authority's (CMA) website.

Almutairi was convicted of violating the Capital Market Law as well as the Market Conduct Regulations, when trading the shares of Middle East Paper Co. (MEPCO), Astra Industrial Group, Bawan Co., Electrical Industries Co., Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co., Saudi Steel Pipe Co., National Gypsum Co., AYYAN Investment Co., National Metal Manufacturing and Casting Co. (Maadaniyah), Saudi Chemical Holding Co. (SCCH), Al Abdullatif Industrial Investment Co., Sinad Holding Co., Fitaihi Holding Group, Red Sea International Co., Alandalus Property Co., Jazan Energy and Development Co., Saudi Arabian Cooperative Insurance Co. (SAICO), Buruj Cooperative Insurance Co. and Al Alamiya for Cooperative Insurance Co., from March 30, 2020, to Sept. 13, 2020.

Such acts and practices constituted manipulation and fraud. They created a false and misleading impression regarding the securities of the abovementioned companies.

The violation includes entering purchase orders on shares of these firms and then promoting them through Almutairi's account on Twitter and Telegram. The purpose of this is to influence the prices of these shares before reselling them.

The decision included imposing a fine worth SAR 720,000 on the investor, and ordering him to pay SAR 994,300 to the CMA against the illegal gains achieved in his investment portfolio.

In addition, some investors were ordered to pay SAR 128,220 to the CMA against the illegal gains achieved in their investment portfolios, which resulted from the violations committed by the convicted person.

Furthermore, any person affected by these violations in this case is entitled to file a compensation claim (as an individual or class action) with the ACRSD for the damage affecting him from these violations, provided that such a claim is preceded by a complaint filed with the CMA in this regard.