Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Former bank CEO convicted on bribery, fraud charges

Former bank CEO convicted on bribery, fraud charges

A former CEO of Noah Bank in Elkins Park, Pa., has been convicted on charges that he accepted bribes in connection with loans made through the Small Business Administration.A jury found Edward Shin guilty of charges that include bank bribery, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and theft of funds by a bank officer that each carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Two other charges have sentences

June 2, 2022
Esquire Financial forms partnership to bank law firms

Esquire Financial forms partnership to bank law firms

Esquire Financial Holdings in Jericho, N.Y., has signed an agreement to offer financing to a wide swath of commercial law firms. The $1.2 billion-asset Esquire said in a press release Thursday that its arrangement with investment firm B.E. Blank & Co will allow both companies to market products and services to existing and potential clients. Esquire will allow the effort to use its CRM platform and digital marketing technology stack in

June 2, 2022
Judge in Tenn. lifts roadblock to credit union-bank deal

Judge in Tenn. lifts roadblock to credit union-bank deal

Orion Federal Credit Union’s pending purchase of Financial Federal Bank in Memphis is back on track after a judge in Tennessee lifted a temporary injunction that had blocked the transaction. The $1 billion-asset Orion, which is also based in Memphis, agreed in August to buy the $774 million-asset Financial Federal. Greg Gonzalez, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, raised concerns about the deal’s legality, arguing that state law only

June 2, 2022
Sandy Spring sells insurance business to Hub

Sandy Spring sells insurance business to Hub

Sandy Spring Bancorp in Olney, Md., has sold it insurance business to Hub International. The $12.7 billion-asset company said in press release Thursday that the transaction closed on June 1. The pricing wasn’t disclosed. “Our clients will now have access to an expanded offering of insurance solutions through Hub,” Lou Caceres, an executive vice president of Sandy Spring Bank, said in the release. “All of the Sandy Spring Insurance … employees have been

June 2, 2022
Eagle in Md. to pay $13M to resolve SEC probe

Eagle in Md. to pay $13M to resolve SEC probe

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., will pay nearly $13 million to resolve a longstanding probe by the Securities and Exchange Commission into its ties to a former Washington councilman.The $11 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that it will pay a $10 million civil money penalty and $2.6 million in disgorgement as part of the settlement. Eagle, which did not admit or deny the SEC's allegations, agreed to enter into

June 1, 2022
Heritage in Washington hires 25 bankers

Heritage in Washington hires 25 bankers

Heritage Financial in Olympia, Wash., has hired 25 bankers in a number of key markets. The $7.5 billion-asset company said in a press release Wednesday that it added personnel in Vancouver, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; and Eugene, Ore. The bankers’ focus will be commercial, small business and nonprofit clients. "We are excited to have this talented group of bankers join the bank," Bryan McDonald Heritage Bank’s president and chief operating officer, said in

June 1, 2022
Retired ABA exec launches lobbying firm

Retired ABA exec launches lobbying firm

James Ballentine, who retired in May from the American Bankers Association, has formed his own lobbying and consulting firm. Ballentine Strategies will also handle government relations in areas such as financial services and small business. The "boutique lobbying firm" said on its website that it can help clients develop strategies and advance issues through Congress.“This firm is built on two concepts – integrity and results,” Ballentine said in a LinkedIn post

June 1, 2022
F.N.B. to buy bank in eastern North Carolina

F.N.B. to buy bank in eastern North Carolina

F.N.B. in Pittsburgh has agreed to buy UB Bancorp in Greenville, N.C. The $42 billion-asset F.N.B. said in a press release Wednesday that it will pay $117 million in stock for the $1.2 billion parent of Union Bank. The deal, which is expected to close late this year, priced UB Bancorp at 154% of its tangible book value. Union, which once was known as little bank, has 15 branches, $1 billion of

June 1, 2022