Ameris in Ga. freed from BSA-related consent order

Ameris Bancorp in Moultrie, Ga., has been freed from a consent order tied to Bank Secrecy Act compliance.

The $7.6 billion-asset company had been operating under the order, which also addressed anti-money laundering deficiencies, since December 2016.

The termination "affirms that Ameris Bank has complied with all regulatory requirements and expectations," Edwin Hortman Jr., the company’s president and CEO, said in a press release Thursday.

“We have built a scalable program that is staffed with experts who will be able to meet the demands of a growing bank,” Hortman added. “I am very proud of the work that was accomplished across our bank by virtually every member of our staff in this initiative."

Ameris had recently expressed confidence that it would be released from the order before the end of this year. It even agreed last month to buy Atlantic Coast Financial in Jacksonville, Fla.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Community banking AML M&A Florida
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER