InfoBytes Blog
SEC charges bank execs over sales-compensation practices
On November 13, the SEC announced charges against a national bank’s former CEO and Chairman, as well as against the former head of the national bank’s community bank (community bank) for their roles in allegedly misleading investors in connection with the bank’s incentive compensation sales program. As previously covered by InfoBytes, in connection with the same misconduct, the SEC announced a Cease and Desist order with the bank for allegedly violating the antifraud provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The bank agreed to cease and desist from committing any future violations of the antifraud provisions and to a civil penalty of $500 million.
According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California against the former head of the community bank, from mid-2014 through mid-2016, the former head publicly endorsed the bank’s incentive compensation program as a measurement of the bank’s success, when in reality, the metrics were allegedly inflated by unused and unauthorized accounts. Moreover, the complaint alleges that the former head signed sub-certifications that attested to the accuracy of the bank’s public disclosures, when she “knew or was reckless in not knowing” that the incentive compensation program depicted in the disclosures were materially false or misleading. The complaint seeks a permanent injunction, disgorgement, and civil penalties.
Additionally, the SEC issued a cease and desist order against the bank’s former CEO and Chairman, alleging that in 2015 and 2016 he certified statements filed with the SEC regarding the community bank’s incentive compensation program, after being put on notice that the bank was misleading the public about the program. The order issues a $2.5 million civil penalty against the former CEO and Chairman.