1. U.S. Code
  2. title 12
  3. chapter 3
  4. subchapter XVI
  5. § 504

Collapse to view only § 504. Civil money penalty

§ 501. Liability of Federal reserve or member bank for certifying check when amount of deposit was inadequate

It shall be unlawful for any officer, director, agent, or employee of any Federal reserve bank, or any member bank as defined in this chapter, to certify any check drawn upon such Federal reserve bank or member bank unless the person, firm, or corporation drawing the check has on deposit with such Federal reserve bank or member bank, at the time such check is certified, an amount of money not less than the amount specified in such check. Any check so certified by a duly authorized officer, director, agent, or employee shall be a good and valid obligation against such Federal reserve bank or member bank; but the act of any officer, director, agent, or employee of any such Federal reserve bank or member bank in violation of this section shall, in the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, subject such Federal reserve bank to the penalties imposed by subsection (h) of section 248 of this title, and shall subject such member banks, if a national bank, to the liability and proceedings on the part of the Comptroller of the Currency provided for in section 192 of this title, and shall, in the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, subject any other member bank to the penalties imposed by subchapter VIII of chapter 3 of this title for the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter.

(R.S. § 5208; Sept. 26, 1918, ch. 177, § 7, 40 Stat. 972; Feb. 25, 1927, ch. 191, § 12, 44 Stat. 1231; Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, title II, § 203(a), 49 Stat. 704.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 501

§ 501a. Forfeiture of franchise of national banks for failure to comply with provisions of this chapter

Should any national banking association in the United States now organized fail within one year after December 23, 1913, to become a member bank or fail to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter applicable thereto, all of the rights, privileges, and franchises of such association granted to it under the national-bank Act [12 U.S.C. 21 et seq.], or under the provisions of this chapter, shall be thereby forfeited. Any noncompliance with or violation of this chapter shall, however, be determined and adjudged by any court of the United States of competent jurisdiction in a suit brought for that purpose in the district or territory in which such bank is located, under direction of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, by the Comptroller of the Currency in his own name before the association shall be declared dissolved. In cases of such noncompliance or violation, other than the failure to become a member bank under the provisions of this chapter, every director who participated in or assented to the same shall be held liable in his personal or individual capacity for all damages which said bank, its shareholders, or any other person shall have sustained in consequence of such violation.

Such dissolution shall not take away or impair any remedy against such corporation, its stockholders, or officers, for any liability or penalty which shall have been previously incurred.

(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 2 (pars.), 38 Stat. 252; Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 614, title II, § 203(a), 49 Stat. 704.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 501a

§ 502. Liability of shareholders of Federal reserve banks on contracts, etc.

The shareholders of every Federal reserve bank shall be held individually responsible, equally and ratably, and not one for another, for all contracts, debts, and engagements of such bank to the extent of the amount of their subscriptions to such stock at the par value thereof in addition to the amount subscribed, whether such subscriptions have been paid up in whole or in part under the provisions of this chapter.

(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 2 (par.), 38 Stat. 252.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 502

§ 503. Liability of directors and officers of member banks

If the directors or officers of any member bank shall knowingly violate or permit any of the agents, officers, or directors of any member bank to violate any of the provisions of sections 375, 375a, 375b, and 376 of this title or regulations of the board made under authority thereof, or any of the provisions of sections 217, 218, 219, 220,1

1 See References in Text note below.
655, 1005, 1014, 1906, or 1909 of title 18, every director and officer participating in or assenting to such violation shall be held liable in his personal and individual capacity for all damages which the member bank, its shareholders, or any other persons shall have sustained in consequence of such violation.

(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 22(f), as added Sept. 26, 1918, ch. 177, § 5, 40 Stat. 971; amended Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1263, § 28, 68 Stat. 1236.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 503

§ 504. Civil money penalty
(a) First tier
(b) Second tierNotwithstanding subsection (a), any member bank which, and any institution-affiliated party (within the meaning of section 1813(u) of this title) with respect to such member bank who 1
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a dash.
(1)
(A) commits any violation described in subsection (a);
(B) recklessly engages in an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the affairs of such member bank; or
(C) breaches any fiduciary duty;
(2) which violation, practice, or breach—
(A) is part of a pattern of misconduct;
(B) causes or is likely to cause more than a minimal loss to such member bank; or
(C) results in pecuniary gain or other benefit to such party,
shall forfeit and pay a civil penalty of not more than $25,000 for each day during which such violation, practice, or breach continues.
(c) Third tierNotwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), any member bank which, and any institution-affiliated party (within the meaning of section 1813(u) of this title) with respect to such member bank who—
(1) knowingly—
(A) commits any violation described in subsection (a);
(B) engages in any unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the affairs of such credit union; 2
2 So in original. Probably should be “such member bank”.
or
(C) breaches any fiduciary duty; and
(2) knowingly or recklessly causes a substantial loss to such credit union 2 or a substantial pecuniary gain or other benefit to such party by reason of such violation, practice, or breach,
shall forfeit and pay a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the applicable maximum amount determined under subsection (d) for each day during which such violation, practice, or breach continues.
(d) Maximum amounts of penalties for any violation described in subsection (c)The maximum daily amount of any civil penalty which may be assessed pursuant to subsection (c) for any violation, practice, or breach described in such subsection is—
(1) in the case of any person other than a member bank, an amount to not exceed $1,000,000; and
(2) in the case of a member bank, an amount not to exceed the lesser of—
(A) $1,000,000; or
(B) 1 percent of the total assets of such member bank.
(e) Assessment; etc.Any penalty imposed under subsection (a), (b), or (c) shall be assessed and collected 3
3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a dash rather than “by”.
by
(1) in the case of a national bank, by the Comptroller of the Currency; and
(2) in the case of a State member bank, by the Board,
in the manner provided in subparagraphs (E), (F), (G), and (I) of section 1818(i)(2) of this title for penalties imposed (under such section) and any such assessment shall be subject to the provisions of such section.
(f) Hearing
(g) Disbursement
(h) “Violate” defined
(i) Regulations
(m)4
4 So in original. No subsecs. (j) to (l) have been enacted.
Notice under this section after separation from service
(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 29, as added Pub. L. 95–630, title I, § 101, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3641; amended Pub. L. 97–320, title IV, § 424(c), (d)(1), (e), Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1523; Pub. L. 101–73, title IX, §§ 905(f), 907(g), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 461, 470.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 504

§ 505. Civil money penalty
(1) First tier
(2) Second tierNotwithstanding paragraph (1), any member bank which, and any institution-affiliated party (within the meaning of section 1813(u) of this title) with respect to such member bank who—
(A)
(i) commits any violation described in paragraph (1);
(ii) recklessly engages in an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the affairs of such member bank; or
(iii) breaches any fiduciary duty;
(B) which violation, practice, or breach—
(i) is part of a pattern of misconduct;
(ii) causes or is likely to cause more than a minimal loss to such member bank; or
(iii) results in pecuniary gain or other benefit to such party,
shall forfeit and pay a civil penalty of not more than $25,000 for each day during which such violation, practice, or breach continues.
(3) Third tierNotwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), any member bank which, and any institution-affiliated party (within the meaning of section 1813(u) of this title) with respect to such member bank who—
(A) knowingly—
(i) commits any violation described in paragraph (1);
(ii) engages in any unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the affairs of such member bank; or
(iii) breaches any fiduciary duty; and
(B) knowingly or recklessly causes a substantial loss to such member bank or a substantial pecuniary gain or other benefit to such party by reason of such violation, practice, or breach,
shall forfeit and pay a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the applicable maximum amount determined under paragraph (4) for each day during which such violation, practice, or breach continues.
(4) Maximum amounts of penalties for any violation described in paragraph (3)The maximum daily amount of any civil penalty which may be assessed pursuant to paragraph (3) for any violation, practice, or breach described in such paragraph is—
(A) in the case of any person other than a member bank, an amount not to exceed $1,000,000; and
(B) in the case of a member bank, an amount not to exceed the lesser of—
(i) $1,000,000; or
(ii) 1 percent of the total assets of such member bank.
(5) Assessment; etc.
(6) Hearing
(7) Disbursement
(8) “Violate” defined
(9) Regulations
(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 19(l), formerly § 19(j), as added Pub. L. 95–630, title I, § 102, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3642; renumbered § 19(l), Pub. L. 96–221, title I, § 105(f), Mar. 31, 1980, 94 Stat. 140; amended Pub. L. 97–320, title IV, § 424(a), (d)(2), (e), Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1522, 1523; Pub. L. 101–73, title IX, § 907(h), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 472.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 505

§ 506. Notice after separation from service

The resignation, termination of employment or participation, or separation of an institution-affiliated party (within the meaning of section 1813(u) of this title) with respect to a member bank (including a separation caused by the closing of such a bank) shall not affect the jurisdiction and authority of the Board to issue any notice and proceed under this section against any such party, if such notice is served before the end of the 6-year period beginning on the date such party ceased to be such a party with respect to such bank (whether such date occurs before, on, or after August 9, 1989).

(Dec. 23, 1913, ch. 6, § 19(m), as added Pub. L. 101–73, title IX, § 905(g), Aug. 9, 1989, 103 Stat. 461.)

CITE AS: 12 USC 506