Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Bank of Am., N.A.

308 F. Supp. 3d 197
CourtCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
DecidedMarch 27, 2018
DocketCivil Action No. 17–36 (EGS)
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 308 F. Supp. 3d 197 (Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Bank of Am., N.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Bank of Am., N.A., 308 F. Supp. 3d 197 (D.C. Cir. 2018).

Opinion

Emmet G. Sullivan, United States District Judge

I. Introduction

Every quarter, insured banking institutions make payments, known as "assessments," into the Deposit Insurance Fund ("Fund"), which insures depositors' accounts up to $250,000. Pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDIA" or "Act"), see 12 U.S.C. § 1817, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") created a "risk-based" system to calculate each institution's assessment based on that institution's self-reported, quarterly data. The FDIC alleges that defendant Bank of America, N.A. ("BANA") improperly reported its quarterly data, thereby underpaying for deposit insurance. According to the FDIC, BANA owes $1.12 billion in deposit insurance assessments, which it refuses to pay.

The FDIC's amended complaint alleges that (1) BANA failed to pay mandatory assessments in violation of the FDIA; and (2) BANA was unjustly enriched when it received deposit insurance without fully paying for it. BANA counterclaimed, challenging the FDIC's regulations, which purportedly set out the method by which regulated institutions must calculate and report their quarterly data. BANA argues that the regulations violate the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 500 et seq. , and are contrary to the FDIA. Pending before the Court is BANA's motion to dismiss the FDIC's amended complaint in part or strike in part. See Def.'s Mot., ECF No. 13.1 After careful consideration of the motion, the response, the reply thereto, and the applicable law, BANA's motion to dismiss or strike the FDIC's amended complaint in part is DENIED .

*200II. Background

The FDIC is a "government corporation and instrumentality of the United States." Am. Compl., ECF No. 10 ¶ 16. It examines and supervises almost 3,800 commercial banks and savings institutions for operational safety and soundness. Id. It also administers the Fund, which provides deposit insurance to over 5,000 banks and savings institutions, insuring accounts of up to $250,000 per depositor. Id. ¶¶ 2, 16. If an institution fails, the FDIC ensures that the depositors are able to access their insured accounts at that institution; if the institution's assets are insufficient to return all insured deposits, the FDIC pays the balance from the Fund. Id. ¶ 21.

As required by the FDIA, the FDIC finances the Fund with assessments collected from FDIC-insured institutions. Id. ¶ 24. To determine the amount that each institution must pay, the FDIC utilizes a "risk-based" assessment system. Id. The system calculates each assessment rate based on that institution's "risk profile." Id. The risk profile captures the probability that the institution will fail and, in the event of failure, the potential amount of loss that the Fund will bear. Id. To determine each institution's risk profile, the FDIC implemented a "regulatory regime" that requires certain institutions to self-report specific data via quarterly "Call Report[s]." Id. ¶¶ 29, 32. This data, which includes the amount, that the institution has lent to other entities, is intended to capture the risk of failure.2 Id. ¶¶ 30-39. Because BANA is one of the largest insured institutions, it is subject to the FDIC's assessment system and must report its quarterly data. Id. ¶ 25.

The FDIC alleges that, from the second quarter of 20113 through the fourth quarter of 2014, BANA improperly reported its quarterly data, thereby understating its risk profile. Am. Compl., ECF No. 10 ¶ 43. As a result, the FDIC underbilled BANA for deposit insurance. Had BANA properly reported its data, it allegedly would have owed the FDIC an additional $1.12 billion in assessment payments. Id. ¶¶ 48, 60. According to the FDIC, BANA knew how to properly report its data but "decided not to [do so]." Id. ¶¶ 57-59. Instead, it "certified as true and correct," pursuant to the FDIA, every Call Report at issue. Id. ¶ 68 (referring to 12 U.S.C. § 1817(a)(3) ). The FDIC purportedly did not "learn[ ] the full extent of [BANA's] reporting failure" until 2016. Id.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
308 F. Supp. 3d 197, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fed-deposit-ins-corp-v-bank-of-am-na-cadc-2018.