Commercial lending

The Paycheck Protection Program proved successful in providing small-business owners with funds to keep workers employed — but it was also a magnet for criminals. Here is a rundown of fraud probes, prosecutions and potential long-term consequences for commercial lending.

In a new survey, executives at banks and credit unions registered the highest level of anxiety about a forthcoming data-collection rule in small-business lending.

The Small Business Administration must be prepared to effectively oversee any new lenders it allows in its flagship 7(a) loan guarantee program to guard against fraud and other risks, Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Small Business Committee warned.

The institution's Impressia Bank will be dedicated to the professional and financial advancement of women business owners and entrepreneurs.

Citing a congressional report, SBA says it will investigate PPP operations at several fintechs, community banks and other participants. The review raises questions about plans to open up the agency's flagship loan-guarantee program to more nonbanks.

New York and California are among the states that have laws requiring lenders to make certain disclosures to small-business borrowers. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has reached a preliminary determination that a federal statute does not preempt those state laws.

With the final piece of its regulatory puzzle in place, Newtek, a business development company and the nation's No. 3 SBA 7(a) lender, plans to complete its acquisition of National Bank of New York City in January.

The Canadian banking giant reached a five-year deal with community groups that includes $40 billion in investments to underserved groups. BMO aims to close its acquisition of San Francisco-based Bank of the West before the end of the year.

The case involved a customer who was charged $100,000 in legal fees when he tried to pay off a commercial mortgage early. After the borrower waged a nearly decadelong legal fight, a Florida court ordered the bank to reimburse a portion of the fees.