Norbert Robin Ma, of Burnaby, British Columbia, has been the subject of a disciplinary proceeding commenced against him by the Organization of Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (“CPABC”) before a Panel of the Disciplinary Committee concerning alleged professional misconduct.
While on August 1, 2024, the Registrar of CPABC cancelled Mr. Ma’s membership in CPABC as a result of his failure to pay fees and dues established by the Board of CPABC, the disciplinary proceeding is currently ongoing.
The professional misconduct alleged against Mr. Ma involves numerous breaches of the CPABC Code of Professional Conduct, in particular: between November, 2021 and October, 2023, misappropriation of approximately $506,687.00 from a former employer through the use of numerous surreptitious electronic funds transfer payments that he authorized and transferred to two personal bank accounts that he owned to fund a gambling addiction; and manipulating corporate records of the former employer to conceal his misappropriation. Mr. Ma has not repaid the stolen funds.
Mr. Ma has irrevocably admitted to all the allegations that CPABC has made against him, and has undertaken not to apply for reinstatement of his membership in CPABC before, at the earliest, November 1, 2030.
As Mr. Ma is no longer a member of CPABC, he cannot use or display the designations “Chartered Professional Accountant”, “Certified Management Accountant”, or “Professional Accountant”, use or display the initials “CPA”, “CMA”, “CPA, CMA”, or “PA”, or imply, suggest, or hold out that he is a Chartered Professional Accountant or Professional Accountant.