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7 U.S. Code § 12a. Registration of commodity dealers and associated persons; regulation of registered entities
The Commission is authorized—(1)
to register futures commission merchants, associated persons of futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, associated persons of introducing brokers, commodity trading advisors, associated persons of commodity trading advisors, commodity pool operators, associated persons of commodity pool operators, floor brokers, and floor traders upon application in accordance with rules and regulations and in the form and manner to be prescribed by the Commission, which may require the applicant, and such persons associated with the applicant as the Commission may specify, to be fingerprinted and to submit, or cause to be submitted, such fingerprints to the Attorney General for identification and appropriate processing, and in connection therewith to fix and establish from time to time reasonable fees and charges for registrations and renewals thereof: Provided, That notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the Commission may grant a temporary license to any applicant for registration with the Commission pursuant to such rules, regulations, or orders as the Commission may adopt, except that the term of any such temporary license shall not exceed six months from the date of its issuance;
(2) upon notice, but without a hearing and pursuant to such rules, regulations, or orders as the Commission may adopt, to refuse to register, to register conditionally, or to suspend or place restrictions upon the registration of, any person and with such a hearing as may be appropriate to revoke the registration of any person—
(A)
if a prior registration of such person in any capacity has been suspended (and the period of such suspension has not expired) or has been revoked;
(B)
if registration of such person in any capacity has been refused under the provisions of paragraph (3) of this section within five years preceding the filing of the application for registration or at any time thereafter;
(C)
if such person is permanently or temporarily enjoined by order, judgment, or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction (except that registration may not be revoked solely on the basis of such temporary order, judgment, or decree), including an order entered pursuant to an agreement of settlement to which the Commission or any Federal or State agency or other governmental body is a party, from (i) acting as a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, floor broker, floor trader, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, associated person of any registrant under this chapter, securities broker, securities dealer, municipal securities broker, municipal securities dealer, transfer agent, clearing agency, securities information processor, investment adviser, investment company, or affiliated person or employee of any of the foregoing or (ii) engaging in or continuing any activity where such activity involves embezzlement, theft, extortion, fraud, fraudulent conversion, misappropriation of funds, securities or property, forgery, counterfeiting, false pretenses, bribery, gambling, or any transaction in or advice concerning contracts of sale of a commodity for future delivery, concerning matters subject to Commission regulation under section 6c or 23 of this title, or concerning securities;
(D)
if such person has been convicted within ten years preceding the filing of the application for registration or at any time thereafter of any felony that (i) involves any transactions or advice concerning any contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery, or any activity subject to Commission regulation under section 6c or 23 of this title, or concerning a security, (ii) arises out of the conduct of the business of a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, floor broker, floor trader, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, associated person of any registrant under this chapter, securities broker, securities dealer, municipal securities broker, municipal securities dealer, transfer agent, clearing agency, securities information processor, investment adviser, investment company, or an affiliated person or employee of any of the foregoing, (iii) involves embezzlement, theft, extortion, fraud, fraudulent conversion, misappropriation of funds, securities or property, forgery, counterfeiting, false pretenses, bribery, or gambling, or (iv) involves the violation of section 152, 1001, 1341, 1342, 1343, 1503, 1623, 1961, 1962, 1963, or 2314, or chapter 25, 47, 95, or 96 of title 18, or section 7201 or 7206 of title 26;
(E)
if such person, within ten years preceding the filing of the application or at any time thereafter, has been found in a proceeding brought by the Commission or any Federal or State agency or other governmental body, or by agreement of settlement to which the Commission or any Federal or State agency or other governmental body is a party, (i) to have violated any provision of this chapter, the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.], the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.], the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935,[1] the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 [15 U.S.C. 77aaa et seq.], the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80b–1 et seq.], the Investment Company Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.], the Securities Investors [2] Protection Act of 1970 [15 U.S.C. 78aaa et seq.], the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, chapter 96 of title 18, or any similar statute of a State or foreign jurisdiction, or any rule, regulation, or order under any such statutes, or the rules of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board where such violation involves embezzlement, theft, extortion, fraud, fraudulent conversion, misappropriation of funds, securities or property, forgery, counterfeiting, false pretenses, bribery, or gambling, or (ii) to have willfully aided, abetted, counseled, commanded, induced, or procured such violation by any other person;
(F)
if such person is subject to an outstanding order of the Commission denying privileges on any registered entity to such person, denying, suspending, or revoking such person’s membership in any registered entity or registered futures association, or barring or suspending such person from being associated with a registrant under this chapter or with a member of a registered entity or with a member of a registered futures association;
(G)
if, as to any of the matters set forth in this paragraph and paragraph (3), such person willfully made any materially false or misleading statement or omitted to state any material fact in such person’s application or any update thereto; or
(H)
if refusal, suspension, or revocation of the registration of any principal of such person would be warranted because of a statutory disqualification listed in this paragraph:
Provided, That such person may appeal from a decision to refuse registration, condition registration, suspend, revoke or to place restrictions upon registration made pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph in the manner provided in section 9 of this title; and
Provided, further, That for the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3) of this section, “principal” shall mean, if the person is a partnership, any general partner or, if the person is a corporation, any officer, director, or beneficial owner of at least 10 per centum of the voting shares of the corporation, and any other person that the Commission by rule, regulation, or order determines has the power, directly or indirectly, through agreement or otherwise, to exercise a controlling influence over the activities of such person which are subject to regulation by the Commission;