Mr William Keith Grant, of Glen Iris, Victoria, has been permanently banned from providing any financial service, following enquiries by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The banning order was made after ASIC found that Mr Grant had previously been convicted of criminal charges involving fraud and dishonesty.

Between 1986 and 1996, Mr Grant acted as an agent for a number of insurance companies. In March 2001, Mr Grant was convicted of five counts of theft, two counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and one count of attempting to obtain property by deception. The offences related to his conduct as an insurance agent and occurred between 1992 and 1997. Mr Grant was sentenced to two years and three months jail, with one year and six months suspended for a period of three years.

ASIC took this action following Mr Grant’s release from jail.