Brandon's CCO acknowledgment to the Zakirs — 2026-09-07

Brandon wrote directly to Raya and Rob Zakir on the FORMAL NOTICE thread at 11:53 AM ET, copying JT and Derek. This is the first time the Chief Compliance Officer has contacted the clients himself, which is what Derek promised them in writing on 2026-09-03.

Summary

• Brandon confirmed receipt of the Zakirs' formal notice and told them he is personally reviewing the matter alongside the Compliance Department.
• He said a detailed review of the fees charged to their accounts is already underway, including the applicable advisory agreement and internal records.
• He committed to providing the requested information, the results of the review, an appropriate resolution, and next steps once the review is complete, and called it a top priority.
• He offered his direct contact and invited them to reach him with anything further.
• He did not restate Derek's dates (2026-09-11 for the document package, 2026-10-02 for the reconciliation) and did not name a figure, a date of his own, or a position on the credit.
• The message is an acknowledgment, not a resolution: the credit decision that has been sitting with Brandon as CCO since 2026-09-03 remains unmade.

Decisions

• Brandon: the CCO makes direct contact with the clients himself rather than continuing to route through Derek. This closes the commitment Derek made to the Zakirs in his 2026-09-03 reply.

They asked me for

• Nothing raised.

I asked them for

• Nothing raised.

Concerns and frustrations raised

• Nothing raised in this message. The clients' underlying concerns stand as stated in their 2026-09-02 notice.

What they are focused on

• Brandon Drespling: getting the firm's acknowledgment in writing and in his own name, with the fee review positioned as already underway.

Doable / not doable / needs a decision

• Brandon's acknowledgment → done, and it discharges Derek's written promise of CCO contact.
• The credit decision → still needs a decision, and it is now more urgent: the clients have a CCO-signed commitment to "an appropriate resolution" ahead of the 2026-09-11 package.

Action items

Mine

• Log the Zakir complaint formally now that the CCO has made contact, and file the review package where Brandon directed it — target 2026-09-08 — (Notion: not pushed)

Theirs

• Decide the credit basis before the 2026-09-11 package — Brandon Drespling — target 2026-09-11

Suggestions for me

• Brandon's letter promises "an appropriate resolution" in the CCO's own name. That raises the cost of arriving at 2026-09-11 without a decided credit basis; the four scenarios have been in his hands since 2026-09-04 and the DocuSign timeline since 2026-09-06.
• Update the open item that tracked Derek's promise of CCO contact — it is satisfied as of this message.
• Crossover to Derek: he owns the 2026-09-11 package and the 2026-10-02 reconciliation; Brandon's letter does not move either date.

Notable quotes

"I wanted to confirm that your email has been received and that I am personally reviewing the matter alongside our Compliance Department." — Brandon Drespling

"Once our review is complete, we will provide you with the information you requested, along with the results of our review, an appropriate resolution, and next steps." — Brandon Drespling