Skip Header

Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation

Each depositor insured to at least $250,000 per insured bank



Home > Regulation & Examinations > Bank Examinations > FDIC Enforcement Decisions and Orders




FDIC Enforcement Decisions and Orders

ED&O Home | Search Form | ED&O Help



{{3-31-00 p.C-4727}}
   [11,616] In the Matter of Brentwood Bank of California, Los Angeles, California, Docket No. 99-062b (5-24-99)

   A cease and desist order was issued, based on findings by the FDIC that it had reason to believe that respondent had engaged in unsafe and unsound practices. (This order was terminated by order of the FDIC dated 1-26-00; see ¶16,250).

   [.1] Cease and Desist Orders—Management, Qualifications Specified
   [.2] Cease and Desist Orders—Capital, Tier I Capital, Increase/Maintain
   [.3] Cease and Desist Orders—Assets—Adversely Classified Assets, Reduction Required
   [.4] Cease and Desist Orders—Loans, Extensions of Credit, To Borrowers With Existing Adversely Classified Credits
   [.5] Cease and Desist Orders—Banking Practices Unsafe and Unsound—Loan and Lease Losses, Adequate Allowance Required
   [.6] Cease and Desist Orders—Profit Plan, Develop/Adopt
   [.7] Cease and Desist Orders—Violations of Law—Eliminate, Correct
   [.8] Cease and Desist Orders—Written Liquidity and Funds Management Policy
   [.9] Cease and Desist Orders—Dividends—Dividends Restricted
{{3-31-00 p.C-4728}}
   [.10] Cease and Desist Orders—Shareholders—Disclosure of Cease and Desist Order Required
   [.11] Cease and Desist Orders—Written Progress Report Required

In the Matter of

BRENTWOOD BANK OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
(Insured State Nonmember Bank)
ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST
FDIC-99-062b

   Brentwood Bank of California, Los Angeles, California("Bank"), having been advised of its right to a Notice of Charges and of Hearing detailing the unsafe or unsound banking practices and violations of laws and/or regulations alleged to have been committed by the Bank and of its right to a hearing on the alleged charges under section 8(b)(1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("Act"), 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(1), and having waived those rights, entered into a STIPULATION AND CONSENT TO THE ISSUANCE OF AN ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST ("CONSENT AGREEMENT") with counsel for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), dated May 20, 1999, whereby solely for the purpose of this proceeding and without admitting or denying the alleged charges of unsafe or unsound banking practices and violations of laws and/or regulations, the Bank consented to the issuance of an ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST ("ORDER") by the FDIC.
   The FDIC considered the matter and determined that it had reason to believe that the Bank had engaged in unsafe or unsound banking practices and had committed violations of laws and/or regulations. The FDIC, therefore, accepted the CONSENT AGREEMENT and issued the following:

ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST

   IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, that the Bank, its institution-affiliated parties, as that term is defined in section 3(u) of the Act, 12 U.S.C. §1813(u), and its successors and assigns cease and desist from the following unsafe and unsound banking practices and violations of laws and/or regulations:
   (a) operating with inadequate management;
   (b) operating with inadequate equity capital and reserves in relation to the volume and quality of assets held by the Bank;
   (c) operating with a large volume of poor quality loans;
   (d) operating with an inadequate allowance for loan and lease losses;
   (e) following inadequate lending and lax collection practices;
   (f) operating with inadequate provisions for liquidity and funds management;
   (g) operating in such a manner as to produce operating losses;
   (h) operating in violation of the following laws and/or regulations:

       (i) section 323.3 of the FDIC's Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. §323.3, as more fully described on page(s) 34-36 of the Report of Examination as of January 11, 1999;
       (ii) Part 359 of the FDIC's Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. Part 359, as more fully described on page(s) 34-36 of the Report of Examination as of January 11, 1999;
       (iii) section 541 of the California Financial Code, Cal. Fin. Code §541 (West 1997), as more fully described on page(s) 34-36 of the Report of Examination as of January 11, 1999;
       (iv) section 1221 of the California Financial Code, Cal. Fin. Code §1221, (West 1997), as more fully described on page(s) 34-36 of the Report of Examination as of January 11, 1999; and
   (h) operating in contravention of the FDIC's Statement of Policy on Risk-Based Capital, 12 C.F.R. Part 325, Appendix A, as more fully described on page(s) 34-36 of the Report of Examination as of January 11, 1999.
   IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the Bank, its institution-affiliated parties, and its successors and assigns, take affirmative action as follows:

   [.1] 1. The Bank shall have and retain qualified management.
   (a) Each member of management shall have qualifications and experience commensurate with his or her duties and responsibilities at the Bank. Management shall in- {{7-31-99 p.C-4729}}clude a chief executive officer with proven ability in managing a Bank of comparable size, improving earnings, and other matters needing particular attention. Management shall also include a senior lending officer with significant appropriate lending, collection, and loan supervision experience and experience in upgrading a low quality loan portfolio. Management shall also include a chief financial officer with experience in maintaining a bank's books and records in accordance with GAAP principles and Call Report instructions. Each member of management shall be provided appropriate written authority from the Bank's board of directors to implement the provisions of this ORDER.
   (b) The qualifications of management shall be assessed on its ability to:

       (i) comply with the requirements of this ORDER;
       (ii) operate the Bank in a safe and sound manner;
       (iii) comply with applicable laws and regulations; and
       (iv) restore all aspects of the Bank to a safe and sound condition, including asset quality, capital adequacy, earnings, management effectiveness, and liquidity.

   (c) During the life of this ORDER, the Bank shall notify the Regional Director of the FDIC's San Francisco Regional Office ("Regional Director") and the Commissioner of Financial Institutions ("Commissioner") in writing when it proposes to add any individual to the Bank's board of directors or employ any individual to the Bank's board of directors or employ any individual as a senior executive officer. The term "senior executive officer" shall have the same meaning as the definition set forth in section 303.101(b) of the FDIC's Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. §303.101(b). The notification must be received at least 30 days before such addition or employment is intended to become effective and should include a description of the background and experience of the individual or individuals to be added or employed.
   (d) The Bank may not add any individual to its board of directors or employ any individual as a senior executive officer if the Regional Director issues a notice of disapproval pursuant to section 32 of the Act, 12 U.S.C. §1831i.

   [.2] 2. (a) On or before August 31, 1999, the Bank shall increase Tier 1 capital by no less than $2,500,000, and shall have Tier 1 capital in such an amount as to equal or exceed seven (7.0) percent of the Bank's total assets. Thereafter, during the life of this ORDER, the Bank shall maintain Tier 1 capital in such an amount as to equal or exceed seven (7.0) percent of the Bank's total assets.
   (b) Within 60 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall develop and adopt a plan to meet and maintain the minimum risk-based capital requirements as described in the FDIC Statement of Policy on Risk-Based Capital contained in Appendix A to Part 325 of the FDIC Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. Part 325, Appendix A. The Plan shall be in a form and manner acceptable to the Regional Director as determined at subsequent examinations.
   (c) The level of Tier 1 capital to be maintained during the life of this ORDER pursuant to Subparagraph 2(a) shall be in addition to a fully funded allowance for loan and lease losses, the adequacy of which shall be satisfactory to the Regional Director and Commissioner as determined at subsequent examinations and/or visitations.
   (d) Any increase in Tier 1 capital necessary to meet the requirements of Paragraph 2 of this ORDER may be accomplished by the following:

       (i) the sale of common stock; or
       (ii) the sale of noncumulative perpetual preferred stock; or
       (iii) the direct contribution of cash by the board of directors and/or shareholders of the Bank; or
       (iv) any other means acceptable to the Regional Director and the Commissioner; or
       (v) any combination of the above means.

Any increase in Tier 1 capital necessary to meet the requirements of Paragraph 2 of this ORDER may not be accomplished through a deduction from the Bank's allowance for loan and lease losses.
   (e) If all or part of the increase in Tier 1 capital required by Paragraph 2 of this ORDER is accomplished by the sale of new securities, the board of directors shall forthwith take all necessary steps to adopt and implement a plan for the sale of such additional securities, including the voting of any {{7-31-99 p.C-4730}}shares owned or proxies held or controlled by them in favor of the plan. Should the implementation of the plan involve a public distribution of the Bank's securities (including a distribution limited only to the Bank's existing shareholders), the Bank shall prepare offering materials fully describing the securities being offered, including an accurate description of the financial condition of the Bank and the circumstances giving rise to the offering, and any other material disclosures necessary to comply with the Federal securities laws. Prior to the implementation of the plan and, in any event, not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the dissemination of such materials, the plan and any materials used in the sale of the securities shall be submitted to the FDIC, Registration and Disclosure Section, 550 - 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20429, for review. Any changes requested to be made in the plan or materials by the FDIC shall be made prior to their dissemination. If the increase in Tier 1 capital is provided by the sale of noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, then all terms and conditions of the issue, including but not limited to those terms and conditions relative to interest rate and convertibility factor, shall be presented to the Regional Director.
   (f) In complying with the provisions of Paragraph 2 of this ORDER, during such period when any capital raising efforts are pending, the Bank shall provide to any subscriber and/or purchaser of the Bank's securities, a written notice of any planned or existing development or other changes which are materially different from the information reflected in any offering materials used in connection with the sale of Bank securities. The written notice required by this paragraph shall be submitted to the FDIC's Registration and Disclosure Section for review within ten (10) days from the date such material development or change was planned or occurred, whichever is earlier, and, upon completion of the FDIC's review, shall be furnished immediately thereafter to every subscriber and/or purchaser of the Bank's securities who received or was tendered the information contained in the Bank's original offering materials.
   (g) For the purposes of this ORDER, the terms "Tier 1 capital" and "total assets" shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Part 325 of the FDIC Rules and Regulations, 12 C.F.R. §§325.2(t) and 325.2(v).

   [.3] 3. (a) Within 10 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall eliminate from its books, by charge-off or collection, all assets classified "Loss" as of January 11, 1999, that have not been previously collected or charged off. Elimination of these assets through proceeds of other loans made by the Bank is not considered collection for the purpose of this paragraph.
   (b) Within 120 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall have reduced the assets classified "Substandard" as of January 11, 1999 that have not previously been charged off to not more than $5.5 Million.
   (c) Within 365 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall have reduced the assets classified "Substandard" as of January 11, 1999 that have not previously been charged off to not more than $4.5 Million.
   (d) Within 545 days from the effective date of the ORDER, the Bank shall have reduced the assets classified "Substandard" as of January 11, 1999 that have not previously been charged off to not more than $4.0 Million.
   (e) Within 730 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall have reduced the assets classified "Substandard" as of January 11, 1999 that have not previously been charged off to not more than $3.5 Million.
   (f) The requirements of subparagraphs 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), and 3(e) of this ORDER are not to be construed as standards for future operations and, in addition to the foregoing, the Bank shall eventually reduce the total of all adversely classified assets. Reduction of these assets through proceeds of other loans made by the Bank is not considered collection for the purpose of this paragraph. As used in subparagraphs 3(b), 3(c), 3(d), and 3(e) the word "reduce" means:

       (i) to collect;
       (ii) to charge-off; or
       (iii) to sufficiently improve the quality of assets adversely classified to warrant removing any adverse classification, as determined by the FDIC at future on-site examinations or visitations.

   [.4] 4. Beginning with the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall not extend, directly or indirectly, any additional credit to, or for the benefit of, any borrower who has a loan or other extension of credit from {{7-31-99 p.C-4731}}the Bank that has been charged off or classified, in whole or in part, "Loss" or "Doubtful" and is uncollected. The requirements of this paragraph shall not prohibit the Bank from renewing (after collection in cash of interest due from the borrower) any credit already extended to any borrower.

   [.5] 5. Within 30 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall establish and thereafter maintain an adequate allowance for loan and lease losses.
   Additionally, within 30 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the board of directors shall revise, adopt and implement a comprehensive policy for determining the adequacy of the allowance for loan and lease losses. For the purpose of this determination, the adequacy of the allowance shall be determined after the charge-off of all loans or other items classified "Loss." The policy shall provide for a review of the allowance at least once each calendar quarter. Said review should be completed prior to the due date for the respective quarterly Report of Condition and Income, in order that the findings of the board of directors with respect to the loan and lease loss allowance may be properly reported in the quarterly Reports of Condition and Income. The review should focus on the results of the Bank's internal loan review, loan and lease loss experience, trends of delinquent and non-accrual loans, an estimate of potential loss exposure of significant credits, concentrations of credit, and present and prospective economic conditions. A deficiency in the allowance shall be remedied in the calendar quarter it is discovered, prior to submitting the Report of Condition, by a charge to current operating earnings. The minutes of the board of directors meeting at which such review is undertaken shall indicate the results of the review. Upon completion of the review, the Bank shall increase and maintain its allowance for loan and lease losses consistent with the allowance on loan and lease loss policy established. Such policy and its implementation shall be satisfactory to the Regional Director and Commissioner as determined at subsequent examinations and/or visitations.

   [.6] 6. Within 60 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall develop and adopt a plan to control overhead and other expenses and otherwise restore the Bank's profitability. The plan shall be in a form and implemented in a manner acceptable to the Regional Director and the Commissioner as determined at subsequent examinations and/or visitations.

   [.7] 7. Within 60 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall eliminate and/or correct all violation of laws which are more fully set out on page(s) 34–36 of the Report of Examination of the Bank as of January 11, 1999. In addition, the Bank shall take all necessary steps to ensure future compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

   [.8] 8. Within 60 days from the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall revise, adopt, and implement a written liquidity and funds management policy. Such policy and its implementation shall be in a form and manner acceptable to the Regional Director and the Commissioner as determined at subsequent examinations and/or visitations.

   [.9] 9. The Bank shall not pay cash dividends without the prior written consent of the Regional Director.

   [.10] 10. Following the effective date of this ORDER, the Bank shall send to its shareholders or otherwise furnish a description of this ORDER in conjunction with the Bank's next shareholder communication and also in conjunction with its notice or proxy statement preceding the Bank's next shareholder meeting. The description shall fully describe the ORDER in all material respects. The description and any accompanying communication, statement, or notice shall be sent to the FDIC, Registration and Disclosure Section, 550 - 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20429, at least fifteen (15) days prior to dissemination to shareholders. Any changes requested to be made by the FDIC shall be made prior to dissemination of the description, communication, notice, or statement.

   [.11] 11. Within 45 days of the end of the first quarter following the effective date of this ORDER, and within forty-five (45) days of the end of each quarter thereafter, the Bank shall furnish written progress reports to the Regional Director and the Commissioner detailing the form and manner of any actions taken to secure compliance with this ORDER and the results thereof. Such reports shall include a copy of the Bank's Report of Condition and the Bank's Report of Income. Such reports may be discontinued when the corrections required by this ORDER have been accomplished and the Re- {{7-31-99 p.C-4732}}gional Director and the Commissioner have released the Bank in writing from making further reports.
   This ORDER shall become effective ten (10) days from the date of its issuance.
   The provisions of this ORDER shall remain effective and enforceable except to the extent that, and until such time as, any provisions of this ORDER shall have been modified, terminated, suspended, or set aside by the FDIC.
   Pursuant to delegated authority.
   Dated at San Francisco, California, this 24th day of May, 1999.

ED&O Home | Search Form | ED&O Help

Last Updated 6/6/2003 legal@fdic.gov

Skip Footer back to content