FDIC Obtains Jury Verdict and Settlement in Separate Actions in California District Court Against Former Bank Officers and Prohibition Order Against Bank CEO

FDIC

On December 7, the FDIC, as receiver of a failed bank, obtained a jury verdict in its favor in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against a group of former bank officers. FDIC v. Van Dellen, No. 10-CV-04915, Doc. 596 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 7, 2012). On December 12, the former chief executive officer of the same bank settled a separate FDIC civil action and consented to an order of prohibition from further participation in the banking industry. FDIC v. Perry, No. CV 11-5561 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 12, 2012); In re Perry, No. FDIC-12-642e. In the first case, the FDIC sued the group of former officers, alleging that, in pursuit of bonuses for high loan origination volumes, the officers approved homebuilder loans to unqualified borrowers. The jury found that the former officers breached their duty of care and acted negligently in approving 23 loans and awarded approximately $169 million in damages to the FDIC. In a separate action against the former CEO of the same bank, the FDIC alleged that the CEO was negligent in allowing the bank to generate mortgage loans in 2007 which the bank was then unable to sell, allegedly resulting in $600 million in losses to the bank. The CEO settled the FDIC’s claims for $12 million, $1 million of which is to be paid from personal funds and the remainder from insurance funds. In addition, the CEO consented to an FDIC order prohibiting him from further participation in the conduct of any financial institution or organization.