TITLE 5

Banking

Other Businesses Under Jurisdiction of State Banking Department

CHAPTER 33. Business and Industrial Development Corporations

Subchapter VI. Enforcement Powers of Commissioner

§ 3351. Investigations.

(a) The Commissioner may make such investigations within or without the State as the Commissioner may consider necessary or appropriate for determining whether to approve an application filed with the Commissioner under this chapter or for determining whether a licensee or other person has violated or is about to violate this chapter, to aid in the enforcement of this chapter or to aid in issuing an order or promulgating a rule or regulation pursuant to this chapter.

(b) Any investigation under this section may be made by any person or persons designated by the Commissioner, and in such case all the powers vested in the Commissioner by this section shall be possessed by such person or persons so designated. When any such investigation is made without the presence of the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall give written authority to the person or persons conducting such investigation, which shall be exhibited to any person contacted in the course of such investigation.

(c) For purposes of an investigation under this section, the Commissioner may administer oaths and affirmations, subpoena witnesses, including but not limited to the officers, directors, trustees, partners, managers and employees of any entity being examined, compel the attendance of witnesses, take evidence and require the production of books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, agreement or other documents or records which the Commissioner considers relevant to such investigation.

(d) If any person fails to comply with a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued by the Commissioner under this section or fails to testify with respect to a matter concerning which the person may be lawfully questioned, the Court of Chancery, upon application of the Commissioner, may issue an order requiring the attendance of such person and the giving of testimony or production of evidence.

66 Del. Laws, c. 344, §  1

§ 3352. False statements, entries or reports; penalty.

Every director, officer, agent, clerk or employee of any entity affected by § 3343 or § 3351 of this title, who wilfully or knowingly subscribes or exhibits any false paper, with intent to deceive any person authorized to investigate or examine as to the condition of such entity, or who wilfully or knowingly subscribes to or makes any false report, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000.

66 Del. Laws, c. 344, §  1

§ 3353. Violations; remedies.

(a) Subject to the State Administrative Procedures Act, the Commissioner may issue an order, setting forth an appropriate remedy, including, without limitation, a cease-and-desist order, an order removing any person from office with a licensee or prohibiting any person from further participating in any manner in the conduct of the business of such licensee, upon a finding by the Commissioner that such licensee, subject person or other person:

(1) Has violated, is violating or is about to violate any provision of this chapter or other applicable law, rule or regulation;

(2) Has engaged or participated, or is engaging or participating or is about to engage or participate detrimentally with respect to the business of such licensee;

(3) Has been indicted or convicted for a crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust; or

(4) Is conducting acts that threaten the interests of such licensee or may threaten to impair public confidence in such licensee.

(b) The licensee, subject person or other person to whom an order is issued under subsection (a) of this section, is entitled to judicial review of such order as set forth in the State Administrative Procedures Act.

66 Del. Laws, c. 344, §  1

§ 3354. Receivership.

(a) If the Commissioner finds that a licensee is insolvent, or such licensee is transacting business without authority or in violation of this chapter or any other law or it is contrary to the purposes of this chapter for such licensee to continue business, the Commissioner shall communicate the facts to the Attorney General of the State who shall file in the Court of Chancery, in any county where such licensee is doing business, a complaint setting forth the facts and applying for an order requiring such licensee to show cause why its business should not be closed.

(b) In a proper case made, the Court of Chancery shall have the power to appoint a receiver to take charge of, settle and wind up the affairs of a licensee under the direction of the Court, to enjoin such licensee from doing business or to make such other order or decree as the circumstances shall warrant and the Court shall deem proper.

66 Del. Laws, c. 344, §  1

§ 3355. Penalties.

(a) Subject to the State Administrative Procedures Act, should the Commissioner find that any person has violated this chapter, other than that prohibited under § 3352 of this title, the Commissioner may order such person to pay to the State a civil penalty in such amount as the Commissioner may specify. However, the amount of any such civil penalty shall not exceed $10,000 for each violation, or in the case of a continuing violation, $10,000 for each day for which the violation continues.

(b) This section shall not apply to any act committed or omitted in good faith in conformity with an order, rule, declaratory ruling or written interpretative opinion of the Commissioner, notwithstanding that such order, rule, declaratory ruling or written interpretative opinion may be later amended, rescinded or repealed, or determined by judicial or other authority to be invalid for any reason.

(c) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section are in addition to, and not an alternative to, other provisions of this chapter which authorize the Commissioner to issue orders or to take other action on account of a violation of this chapter.

(d) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section are in addition to, and not an alternative to, any criminal penalties that may be available under state and federal law.

66 Del. Laws, c. 344, §  1