Former BankAmerica TellersFined, Banned from Industry

Two former staff members of BankAmerica Corp. were banned from the banking industry and forced to pay their one-time employer nearly $14,000, according to a federal regulator.

In its most recent disclosure of enforcement actions, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said that Delia Barnes and Ammie Oscar agreed to consent orders that prohibit them-at least temporarily-from working in banking.

Ms. Barnes was forced to pay the bank $7,650, and Ms. Oscar, $6,300, according to the regulator. The bans allow for the possibility of reinstatement in the industry.

The OCC would not release any details of the case as is customary in a consent order where the individuals neither admit nor deny wrongdoing. An agency spokeswoman tried to discourage speculation about whether embezzlement was involved.

"It could've been anything that resulted in a loss or cost to the bank," said Janis L. Smith, an OCC spokeswoman. "It's inappropriate to speculate whether or not there could've been some criminal violations."

Other infractions that could lead to such a penalty include exceeding limits on lending to a single borrower and those on lending to insiders, Ms. Smith said.

The OCC does not handle criminal action, such as embezzlement, but refers it to the Department of Justice. But even in those cases, the regulator typically makes a ruling on whether or not the defendant should be banned from the industry, Ms. Smith said.

Ms. Barnes worked as a part-time senior teller at BankAmerica from March 1990 until April 1995. Ms. Oscar was a teller from June 1994 to January 1996, according to a BankAmerica spokesman.

Peter Magnani, a bank spokesman, would not say if the employees were fired. He said it is company policy not to comment on the reasons for an employee's departure.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER