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For immediate release
December 16, 1998
The Federal Reserve Board announced the issuance of a
Final Decision and Order of Prohibition and Restitution against
Ricardo Carrasco, former employee of the New York Branch of
BankBoston International, Coral Gables, Florida.
The Order
prohibits Mr. Carrasco from participating in the conduct of the
affairs of any financial institution or holding company and
requires him to make restitution of $73 million to reimburse
BankBoston International for losses he caused in connection with
certain overdraft accounts.
A copy of the Final Decision and Order is attached.
Attachments
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
___________________________________
In the Matter of
)
)
RICARDO CARRASCO
)
)
An Institution-Affiliated Party of
)
)
BANKBOSTON INTERNATIONAL,
)
Coral Gables, Florida
)
___________________________________
Docket Nos.
98-013-E-I
98-013-B-I
)
FINAL DECISION
This is an administrative proceeding pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDI
Act”) stemming from the actions of respondent Ricardo Carrasco (“Respondent”) while an
employee of the New York branch (the “Branch”) of BankBoston International, Coral Gables,
Florida (“BBI”), an Edge corporation subject to the Board's supervision under section 25(a) of
the Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. 611 et seq. On May 13, 1998, the Board issued a Notice of
Intent to Prohibit from Participation and a Notice of Charges and of Hearing in which it alleged
that Respondent violated the law, breached his fiduciary duty, and engaged in unsafe or unsound
banking practices in connection with certain overdraft accounts he opened in the name of a BBI
customer, Oldemar Carlos Barriero (“Barriero”). Despite a number of efforts at service of the
Notice, Respondent failed to file an answer. Accordingly, he has waived his right to appear and
contest the allegations, and the Board has determined to issue the attached Order of Prohibition
and Restitution.
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I. STATEMENT OF THE CASE
A. Statutory and Regulatory Framework
The Board's regulations governing administrative hearings specify that if a respondent
does not file an answer within 20 days of service of the notice, the respondent is deemed to have
waived the right to appear and contest the allegations in the notice. 12 C.F.R. § 263.19(c). The
Board's regulations also identify how service of a notice must be made. Papers required to be
served by the Board, including the initial notice, upon an individual who has not yet appeared in
the proceeding must be served by (i) personal service; (ii) delivery to a person “of suitable age and
discretion” at the respondent's residence or place of employment; (iii) registered or certified mail
addressed to the person's last known address; or (iv) “any other method reasonably calculated to
give actual notice.” 12 C.F.R. § 263.11(c)(2).
The FDI Act sets forth the substantive basis upon which a federal banking agency may
issue against a bank official an order of prohibition from further participation in banking. In order
to issue such an order, the Board must make each of three findings: 1) that the respondent
engaged in identified conduct, including a violation of law or regulation, an unsafe or unsound
banking practice, or a breach of fiduciary duty; 2) that the conduct had a specified effect,
including financial loss to the institution or gain to the respondent; and 3) that the respondent’s
conduct involved either personal dishonesty or a willful or continuing disregard for the safety or
soundness of the institution. 12 U.S.C. § 1818(e)(1).
The FDI Act also provides the substantive basis for a cease and desist order requiring
restitution. Among other things, a cease and desist order may be entered if the Board finds that a
respondent has engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice or has violated any law, rule, or
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regulation. 12 U.S.C. § 1818(b)(1). The cease and desist order may require restitution if the
respondent was unjustly enriched by the violation or practice, or if the violation or practice
involved reckless disregard for the law or regulations. 12 U.S.C. § 1818(b)(6)(A).
B.
Procedural History
As noted above, the Notice was issued by the Board on May 13, 1998. On May 21 and
again on June 23, 1998, the Notice was mailed by first-class mail to Respondent's last known
address. A copy of the Notice was also taped to the door of his apartment on June 22, 1998.
Respondent was a citizen of Uruguay and a fugitive from justice, having failed to respond
to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant filed against him in the Southern District of New York.
The Board therefore took additional steps to restrain dissipation of his property in the United
States pending the outcome of this administrative proceeding. In May 1998 the Board filed an
action in Federal district court pursuant to section 8(i)(4) of the FDI Act, 12 U.S.C. § 1818(i)(4),
to obtain a preliminary injunction to prevent Respondent from withdrawing or transferring assets
pending the outcome of the administrative action against him. As part of that suit, and pursuant
to the direction of the district court judge, the Board published notice of a hearing in district court
on the Board's motion for a temporary restraining order in the New York Times, the Wall Street
Journal, the Miami Herald, and the Los Angeles Times. Respondent failed to appear at the
hearing, and the district court entered a preliminary injunction restraining Respondent's use of his
property on May 26, 1998.
On July 23, 1998, Board Enforcement Counsel filed a Motion for Default in this
administrative action. The motion was sent by certified mail to Respondent's last known address.
No opposition was filed. Subsequently, on September 8, 1998, the ALJ issued an Order to Show
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Cause requiring Respondent to respond and provide good reason as to why he failed to file a
timely answer to the Notice. That Order was sent to Respondent's last known address by
registered mail, return receipt requested. No response was received.
On October 8, 1998, the ALJ granted Enforcement Counsel's Motion for Default, finding
that Respondent had failed to file a timely answer and that no good cause had been shown.
Accordingly, the ALJ issued a recommended decision that incorporated the findings and relief set
out in the Notice, including the order of prohibition and the cease and desist order calling for
restitution to BBI in the amount of $73 million.
II. DISCUSSION
The scope of the Board’s review in a case where an uncontested finding of default has
been made by an administrative law judge is limited to a determination that the record supports a
finding of default and that the allegations in the notice support the relief sought.
In the circumstances here under review, the Board finds that the allegations contained in
the Notice meet the statutory criteria for the issuance of an order of prohibition and a cease and
desist order including restitution. According to the Notice, Respondent opened at least 26
accounts for and in the name of Oldemar Carlos Barriero over a three-year period without
preparing necessary documentation evidencing Barriero's relationship to and control over the
accounts. During this period, Respondent caused the accounts to accumulate approximately $73
million in overdrafts. BBI policy required all overdraft lines of credit to be fully secured, and
Respondent obtained his supervisor's authorization for the overdrafts by falsely documenting that
the overdraft lines were fully collateralized by liquid assets. The assets identified as security for
the Barriero accounts were assets in the accounts of other Branch customers who had not given
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Respondent authority to pledge those assets as collateral for the Barriero accounts. Respondent
used the proceeds from the overdrafts for his own use, and BBI has not been able to collect any
of the $73 million in overdrafts.
Respondent's conduct alleged in the Notice constituted a violation of law, an unsafe or
unsound banking practice, and a breach of Respondent's fiduciary duty. He put his interests
before the Branch's and cause substantial and unreimbursed losses to the Branch by creating and
using overdrafts in the Barriero accounts. He obtained approval for the overdraft accounts by
submitting false documentation indicating that the overdrafts were secured by liquid assets. This
conduct demonstrated personal dishonesty as well as a willful disregard for the safety or
soundness of the Branch. In addition, his actions constituted violations of several criminal
provisions, including misapplication of bank funds and making false entries in the books of a bank,
and showed a reckless disregard for the law. Finally, the Branch lost $73 million as a result of
Respondent's actions, and Respondent was unjustly enriched by the use of the proceeds of the
overdraft accounts.
Moreover, the Board finds that record establishes the basis for a default order under the
terms of the statute because Respondent failed to respond either to the Notice or the Order to
Show Cause despite service reasonably calculated to give him notice of the action. In addition to
the copies of the Notice mailed to his last known address and taped to his apartment door,
Respondent was also notified of the charges against him through the notices published in
newspapers of wide circulation as required by the U.S. district court judge. While such
extraordinary measures are by no means required to establish utilization of a “method reasonably
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calculated to give actual notice,” 12 C.F.R. § 263.11(c)(2)(v), they are certainly sufficient to meet
that standard.
CONCLUSION
For these reasons, the Board orders the issuance of the attached Order of Prohibition and
Restitution.
By Order of the Board of Governors, this 16th day of December, 1998.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
(signed)
_______________________________
Jennifer J. Johnson
Secretary of the Board
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
___________________________________
In the Matter of
)
)
RICARDO CARRASCO
)
)
An Institution-Affiliated Party of
)
)
BANKBOSTON INTERNATIONAL,
)
Coral Gables, Florida
)
___________________________________
Docket Nos. 98-013-E-I
98-013-B-I
Order of Prohibition and Order
of Restitution Issued Pursuant to
the Federal Deposit Insurance Act,
as Amended
)
ORDER OF PROHIBITION AND RESTITUTION
WHEREAS, pursuant to sections 8(b) and 8(e) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as
amended, (the "Act")(12 U.S.C. §§ 1818(b) and (e)), the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System ("the Board") is of the opinion, for the reasons set forth in the accompanying
Final Decision, that a final Order of Prohibition and Restitution should issue against RICARDO
CARRASCO (“Carrasco”);
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, pursuant to sections 8(b) and 8(e) of
the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. §§ 1818(b) and 1818(e)), that:
1.
In the absence of prior written approval by the Board, and by any other
Federal financial institution regulatory agency where necessary pursuant to section 8(e)(7)(B) of
the Act (12 U.S.C. § 1818(e)(7)(B)), Carrasco is hereby prohibited:
(a) from participating in any manner in the conduct of the affairs of any
institution or agency specified in subsection 8(e)(7)(A) of the Act (12 U.S.C. § 1818(e)(7)(A)),
including, but not limited to, any depository institution, any bank or savings association holding
company, or any branch or agency of a foreign bank;
(b) from soliciting, procuring, transferring, attempting to transfer, voting or
attempting to vote any proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any voting rights in any
institution described in subsection 8(e)(7)(A) of the Act (12 U.S.C. § 1818(e)(7)(A));
(c) from violating any voting agreement previously approved by the
appropriate Federal banking agency; or
(d) from voting for a director, or from serving or acting as an institutionaffiliated party as defined in section 3(u) of the Act, (12 U.S.C. § 1813(u)), such as an officer,
director, or employee.
2.
(a) Carrasco shall make restitution in the amount of $73 million to BBI;
(b) the restitution shall be remitted in full, payable to the “Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System” and forwarded to Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board, Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, D.C. 20551, who shall make
remittence of the same to BBI.
3.
Any violation of this Order shall separately subject Carrasco to appropriate
criminal or civil penalties or both under section 8 of the Act (12 U.S.C. § 1818).
4.
This Order, and each provision hereof, is and shall remain fully effective and
enforceable until expressly stayed, modified, terminated, or suspended in writing by the Board.
5.
Pursuant to section 263.19(c) of the Board's Rules of Practice for Hearings,
12 C.F.R. § 263.19(c), this Order is deemed to be an order issued upon consent for purposes of
sections 8(b)(2), (e)(4), and (h) of the Act (12 U.S.C. §§ 1818(b)(2), (e)(4), and (h)). The
provisions of this Order are effective immediately.
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By Order of the Board of Governors, this 16th day of December, 1998.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
(signed)
__________________________________
Jennifer J. Johnson
Secretary of the Board
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