§ 1828. Regulations governing insured depository institutions
(a)
Representations of deposit insurance
(1)
Insured depository institutions
(2)
Regulations
The Corporation shall prescribe regulations to carry out this subsection, including regulations governing the substance of signs required by paragraph (1) and the manner of display or use of such signs.
(3)
Penalties
For each day that an insured depository institution continues to violate paragraph (1) or any regulation issued under paragraph (2), it shall be subject to a penalty of not more than $100, which the Corporation may recover for its use.
(4)
False advertising, misuse of FDIC names, and misrepresentation to indicate insured status
(A)
Prohibition on false advertising and misuse of FDIC names
No person may represent or imply that any deposit liability, obligation, certificate, or share is insured or guaranteed by the Corporation, if such deposit liability, obligation, certificate, or share is not insured or guaranteed by the Corporation—
(i)
by using the terms “Federal Deposit”, “Federal Deposit Insurance”, “Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation”, any combination of such terms, or the abbreviation “FDIC” as part of the business name or firm name of any person, including any corporation, partnership, business trust, association, or other business entity; or
(B)
Prohibition on misrepresentations of insured status
No person may knowingly misrepresent—
(C)
Authority of the appropriate Federal banking agency
The appropriate Federal banking agency shall have enforcement authority in the case of a violation of this paragraph by any person for which the agency is the appropriate Federal banking agency, or any institution-affiliated party thereof.
(D)
Corporation authority if the appropriate Federal banking agency fails to follow recommendation
(i)
Recommendation
The Corporation may recommend in writing to the appropriate Federal banking agency that the agency take any enforcement action authorized under section
1818 of this title for purposes of enforcement of this paragraph with respect to any person for which the agency is the appropriate Federal banking agency or any institution-affiliated party thereof.
(ii)
Agency response
If the appropriate Federal banking agency does not, within 30 days of the date of receipt of a recommendation under clause (i), take the enforcement action with respect to this paragraph recommended by the Corporation or provide a plan acceptable to the Corporation for responding to the situation presented, the Corporation may take the recommended enforcement action against such person or institution-affiliated party.
(E)
Additional authority
In addition to its authority under subparagraphs (C) and (D), for purposes of this paragraph, the Corporation shall have, in the same manner and to the same extent as with respect to a State nonmember insured bank—
(b)
Payment of dividends by defaulting depository institutions
No insured depository institution shall pay any dividends on its capital stock or interest on its capital notes or debentures (if such interest is required to be paid only out of net profits) or distribute any of its capital assets while it remains in default in the payment of any assessment due to the Corporation; and any director or officer of any insured depository institution who participates in the declaration or payment of any such dividend or interest or in any such distribution shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both: Provided, That, if such default is due to a dispute between the insured depository institution and the Corporation over the amount of such assessment, this subsection shall not apply if the insured depository institution deposits security satisfactory to the Corporation for payment upon final determination of the issue.
(c)
Merger transactions; consent of banking agencies; emergency approval; notice; uniform standards; antitrust actions; review de novo; limitations; report to Congress; money laundering; applicability
(1)
Except with the prior written approval of the responsible agency, which shall in every case referred to in this paragraph be the Corporation, no insured depository institution shall—
(2)
No insured depository institution shall merge or consolidate with any other insured depository institution or, either directly or indirectly, acquire the assets of, or assume liability to pay any deposits made in, any other insured depository institution except with the prior written approval of the responsible agency, which shall be—
(A)
the Comptroller of the Currency if the acquiring, assuming, or resulting bank is to be a national bank;
(B)
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System if the acquiring, assuming, or resulting bank is to be a State member bank;
(3)
Notice of any proposed transaction for which approval is required under paragraph (1) or (2) (referred to hereafter in this subsection as a “merger transaction”) shall, unless the responsible agency finds that it must act immediately in order to prevent the probable default of one of the banks or savings associations involved, be published—
(4)
Reports on competitive factors.—
(A)
Request for report.—
In the interests of uniform standards and subject to subparagraph (B), before acting on any application for approval of a merger transaction, the responsible agency shall—
(B)
Furnishing of report.—
The report requested under subparagraph (A) shall be furnished by the Attorney General to the responsible agency—
(5)
The responsible agency shall not approve—
(A)
any proposed merger transaction which would result in a monopoly, or which would be in furtherance of any combination or conspiracy to monopolize or to attempt to monopolize the business of banking in any part of the United States, or
(B)
any other proposed merger transaction whose effect in any section of the country may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly, or which in any other manner would be in restraint of trade, unless it finds that the anticompetitive effects of the proposed transaction are clearly outweighed in the public interest by the probable effect of the transaction in meeting the convenience and needs of the community to be served.
In every case, the responsible agency shall take into consideration the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the existing and proposed institutions, and the convenience and needs of the community to be served.
(6)
The responsible agency shall immediately notify the Attorney General of any approval by it pursuant to this subsection of a proposed merger transaction. If the agency has found that it must act immediately to prevent the probable failure of one of the insured depository institutions involved, or if the proposed merger transaction is solely between an insured depository institution and 1 or more of its affiliates, and the report on the competitive factors has been dispensed with, the transaction may be consummated immediately upon approval by the agency. If the agency has advised the Attorney General under paragraph (4)(B)(ii) of the existence of an emergency requiring expeditious action and has requested a report on the competitive factors within 10 days, the transaction may not be consummated before the fifth calendar day after the date of approval by the agency. In all other cases, the transaction may not be consummated before the thirtieth calendar day after the date of approval by the agency or, if the agency has not received any adverse comment from the Attorney General of the United States relating to competitive factors, such shorter period of time as may be prescribed by the agency with the concurrence of the Attorney General, but in no event less than 15 calendar days after the date of approval.
(7)
(A)
Any action brought under the antitrust laws arising out of a merger transaction shall be commenced prior to the earliest time under paragraph (6) at which a merger transaction approved under paragraph (5) might be consummated. The commencement of such an action shall stay the effectiveness of the agency’s approval unless the court shall otherwise specifically order. In any such action, the court shall review de novo the issues presented.
(B)
In any judicial proceeding attacking a merger transaction approved under paragraph (5) on the ground that the merger transaction alone and of itself constituted a violation of any antitrust laws other than section
2 of title
15, the standards applied by the court shall be identical with those that the banking agencies are directed to apply under paragraph (5).
(C)
Upon the consummation of a merger transaction in compliance with this subsection and after the termination of any antitrust litigation commenced within the period prescribed in this paragraph, or upon the termination of such period if no such litigation is commenced therein, the transaction may not thereafter be attacked in any judicial proceeding on the ground that it alone and of itself constituted a violation of any antitrust laws other than section
2 of title
15, but nothing in this subsection shall exempt any bank or savings association resulting from a merger transaction from complying with the antitrust laws after the consummation of such transaction.
(D)
In any action brought under the antitrust laws arising out of a merger transaction approved by a Federal supervisory agency pursuant to this subsection, such agency, and any State banking supervisory agency having jurisdiction within the State involved, may appear as a part of its own motion and as of right, and be represented by its counsel.
(8)
For the purposes of this subsection, the term “antitrust laws” means the Act of July 2, 1890 (the Sherman Antitrust Act), the Act of October 15, 1914 (the Clayton Act), and any other Acts in pari materia.
(9)
Each of the responsible agencies shall include in its annual report to the Congress a description of each merger transaction approved by it during the period covered by the report, along with—
(10)
Until June 30, 1976, the responsible agency shall not grant any approval required by law which has the practical effect of permitting a conversion from the mutual to the stock form of organization, including approval of any application pending on the date of enactment of this subsection, except that this sentence shall not be deemed to limit now or hereafter the authority of the responsible agency to grant approvals in cases where the responsible agency finds that it must act in order to maintain the safety, soundness, and stability of an insured depository institution. The responsible agency may by rule, regulation, or otherwise and under such civil penalties (which shall be cumulative to any other remedies) as it may prescribe take whatever action it deems necessary or appropriate to implement or enforce this subsection.
(d)
Branch banks
(1)
No State nonmember insured bank shall establish and operate any new domestic branch unless it shall have the prior written consent of the Corporation, and no State nonmember insured bank shall move its main office or any such branch from one location to another without such consent. No foreign bank may move any insured branch from one location to another without such consent. The factors to be considered in granting or withholding the consent of the Corporation under this subsection shall be those enumerated in section
1816 of this title.
(2)
No State nonmember insured bank shall establish or operate any foreign branch, except with the prior written consent of the Corporation and upon such conditions and pursuant to such regulations as the Corporation may prescribe from time to time.
(3)
Exclusive authority for additional branches.—
(A)
In general.—
Effective June 1, 1997, a State nonmember bank may not acquire, establish, or operate a branch in any State other than the bank’s home State (as defined in section
1831u
(f)(4) [1] of this title) or a State in which the bank already has a branch unless the acquisition, establishment, or operation of a branch in such State by a State nonmember bank is authorized under this subsection or section
1823
(f),
1823
(k), or
1831u of this title.
(B)
Retention of branches.—
In the case of a State nonmember bank which relocates the main office of such bank from 1 State to another State after May 31, 1997, the bank may retain and operate branches within the State which was the bank’s home State (as defined in section
1831u
(f)(4) [1] of this title) before the relocation of such office only to the extent the bank would be authorized, under this section or any other provision of law referred to in subparagraph (A), to acquire, establish, or commence to operate a branch in such State if—
(4)
State “opt-in” election to permit interstate branching through de novo branches.—
(A)
In general.—
Subject to subparagraph (B), the Corporation may approve an application by an insured State nonmember bank to establish and operate a de novo branch in a State (other than the bank’s home State) in which the bank does not maintain a branch if—
(B)
Conditions on establishment and operation of interstate branch.—
(i)
Establishment.—
An application by an insured State nonmember bank to establish and operate a de novo branch in a host State shall be subject to the same requirements and conditions to which an application for a merger transaction is subject under paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of section
1831u
(b) of this title.
(ii)
Operation.—
Subsections (c) and (d)(2) of section
1831u of this title shall apply with respect to each branch of an insured State nonmember bank which is established and operated pursuant to an application approved under this paragraph in the same manner and to the same extent such provisions of such section apply to a branch of a State bank which resulted from a merger transaction under such section
1831u of this title.
(C)
“De novo branch” defined.—
For purposes of this paragraph, the term “de novo branch” means a branch of a State bank which—
(e)
Indemnity insurance
The Corporation may require any insured depository institution to provide protection and indemnity against burglary, defalcation, and other similar insurable losses. Whenever any insured depository institution refuses to comply with any such requirement the Corporation may contract for such protection and indemnity and add the cost thereof to the assessment otherwise payable by such bank.[2]
(f)
Publication of reports
Whenever any insured depository institution (except a national bank), after written notice of the recommendations of the Corporation based on a report of examination of such insured depository institution by an examiner of the Corporation, shall fail to comply with such recommendations within one hundred and twenty days after such notice, the Corporation shall have the power, and is authorized, to publish only such part of such report of examination as relates to any recommendation not complied with: Provided, That notice of intention to make such publication shall be given to the insured depository institution at least ninety days before such publication is made.
(g)
Interest or dividend on demand deposits; definitions; regulation of interest rates
(1)
The Board of Directors shall by regulation prohibit the payment of interest or dividends on demand deposits in insured nonmember banks and in insured branches of foreign banks and for such purpose it may define the term “demand deposits”; but such exceptions from this prohibition shall be made as are now or may hereafter be prescribed with respect to deposits payable on demand in member banks by section 19 of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended, or by regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Board of Directors may from time to time, after consulting with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision, prescribe rules governing the advertisement of interest or dividends on deposits by insured nonmember banks (including insured mutual savings banks) on time and savings deposits. The Board of Directors is authorized for the purposes of this subsection to define the terms “time deposits” and “savings deposits”, to determine what shall be deemed a payment of interest, and to prescribe such regulations as it may deem necessary to effectuate the purposes of this subsection and to prevent evasions thereof. The provisions of this subsection and of regulations issued thereunder shall also apply, in the discretion of the Board of Directors, to obligations other than deposits that are undertaken by insured nonmember banks or their affiliates. As used in this subsection, the term “affiliate” has the same meaning as when used in section
221a
(b) of this title, except that the term “member bank”, as used in such section
221a
(b), shall be deemed to refer to an insured nonmember bank. During the period commencing on October 15, 1962, and ending on October 15, 1968, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the rate of interest which may be paid by insured nonmember banks on time deposits of foreign governments, monetary and financial authorities of foreign governments when acting as such, or international financial institutions of which the United States is a member. The authority conferred by this subsection shall also apply to noninsured banks in any State if the total amount of time and savings deposits held in all such banks in the State, plus the total amount of deposits, shares, and withdrawable accounts held in all building and loan, savings and loan, and homestead associations (including cooperative banks) in the State which are not members of a Federal home loan bank, is more than 20 per centum of the total amount of such deposits, shares, and withdrawable accounts held in all banks, and building and loan, savings and loan, and homestead associations (including cooperative banks) in the State. Such authority shall only be exercised by the Board of Directors with respect to such noninsured banks prior to July 31, 1970, to limit the rates of interest or dividends which such banks may pay on time and savings deposits to maximum rates not lower than 51/2 per centum per annum. Whenever it shall appear to the Board of Directors that any noninsured bank or any affiliate thereof is engaged or has engaged or is about to engage in any acts or practices which constitute or will constitute a violation of the provisions of this subsection or of any regulations thereunder, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, bring an action in the United States district court for the judicial district in which the principal office of the noninsured bank or affiliate thereof is located to enjoin such acts or practices, to enforce compliance with this subsection or any regulations thereunder, or for a combination of the foregoing, and such courts shall have jurisdiction of such actions, and, upon a proper showing, an injunction, restraining order, or other appropriate order may be granted without bond.
(2)
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), an insured nonmember bank may permit withdrawals to be made automatically from a savings deposit that consists only of funds in which the entire beneficial interest is held by one or more individuals through payment to the bank itself or through transfer of credit to a demand deposit or other account pursuant to written authorization from the depositor to make such payments or transfers in connection with checks or drafts drawn upon the bank, pursuant to terms and conditions prescribed by the Board of Directors.
(h)
Penalty for failure to timely pay assessments
(1)
In general
Subject to paragraph (3), any insured depository institution which fails or refuses to pay any assessment shall be subject to a penalty in an amount of not more than 1 percent of the amount of the assessment due for each day that such violation continues.
(2)
Exception in case of dispute
Paragraph (1) shall not apply if—
(3)
Special rule for small assessment amounts
If the amount of the assessment which an insured depository institution fails or refuses to pay is less than $10,000 at the time of such failure or refusal, the amount of any penalty to which such institution is subject under paragraph (1) shall not exceed $100 for each day that such violation continues.
(i)
Reduction or retirement of capital stock, notes, or debentures; conversion of insured Federal depository institutions to insured State banks or noninsured institutions; consent of banking agencies; applicability
(1)
No insured State nonmember bank shall, without the prior consent of the Corporation, reduce the amount or retire any part of its common or preferred capital stock, or retire any part of its capital notes or debentures.
(2)
No insured Federal depository institution shall convert into an insured State depository institution if its capital stock or its surplus will be less than the capital stock or surplus, respectively, of the converting bank at the time of the shareholder’s meeting approving such conversion, without the prior written consent of—
(3)
Without the prior written consent of the Corporation, no insured depository institution shall convert into a noninsured bank or institution.
(j)
Restrictions on transactions with affiliates and insiders
(3)
Avoiding extraterritorial application to foreign banks
(A)
Transactions with affiliates
Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to a foreign bank solely because the foreign bank has an insured branch.
(k)
Authority to regulate or prohibit certain forms of benefits to institution-affiliated parties
(1)
Golden parachutes and indemnification payments
The Corporation may prohibit or limit, by regulation or order, any golden parachute payment or indemnification payment.
(2)
Factors to be taken into account
The Corporation shall prescribe, by regulation, the factors to be considered by the Corporation in taking any action pursuant to paragraph (1) which may include such factors as the following:
(A)
Whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that the institution-affiliated party has committed any fraudulent act or omission, breach of trust or fiduciary duty, or insider abuse with regard to the depository institution or covered company that has had a material affect on the financial condition of the institution.
(B)
Whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that the institution-affiliated party is substantially responsible for—
(C)
Whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that the institution-affiliated party has materially violated any applicable Federal or State banking law or regulation that has had a material affect on the financial condition of the institution.
(D)
Whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that the institution-affiliated party has violated or conspired to violate—
(E)
Whether the institution-affiliated party was in a position of managerial or fiduciary responsibility.
(3)
Certain payments prohibited
No insured depository institution or covered company may prepay the salary or any liability or legal expense of any institution-affiliated party if such payment is made—
(4)
“Golden parachute payment” defined
For purposes of this subsection—
(A)
In general
The term “golden parachute payment” means any payment (or any agreement to make any payment) in the nature of compensation by any insured depository institution or covered company for the benefit of any institution-affiliated party pursuant to an obligation of such institution or covered company that—
(i)
is contingent on the termination of such party’s affiliation with the institution or covered company; and
(ii)
is received on or after the date on which—
(I)
the insured depository institution or covered company, or any insured depository institution subsidiary of such covered company, is insolvent;
(III)
the institution’s appropriate Federal banking agency determines that the insured depository institution is in a troubled condition (as defined in the regulations prescribed pursuant to section
1831i
(f) of this title);
(B)
Certain payments in contemplation of an event
Any payment which would be a golden parachute payment but for the fact that such payment was made before the date referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be treated as a golden parachute payment if the payment was made in contemplation of the occurrence of an event described in any subclause of such subparagraph.
(C)
Certain payments not included
The term “golden parachute payment” shall not include—
(i)
any payment made pursuant to a retirement plan which is qualified (or is intended to be qualified) under section
401 of title
26 or other nondiscriminatory benefit plan;
(5)
Other definitions
For purposes of this subsection—
(A)
Indemnification payment
Subject to paragraph (6), the term “indemnification payment” means any payment (or any agreement to make any payment) by any insured depository institution or covered company for the benefit of any person who is or was an institution-affiliated party, to pay or reimburse such person for any liability or legal expense with regard to any administrative proceeding or civil action instituted by the appropriate Federal banking agency which results in a final order under which such person—
(B)
Liability or legal expense
The term “liability or legal expense” means—
(i)
any legal or other professional expense incurred in connection with any claim, proceeding, or action;