ARTICLE 4. Penalties [5300. - 5311.]

Cal. Financial Code - FIN 4.

in effect

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5300. Section 5300.

Every person who willfully violates or willfully fails to comply with any of the provisions of this division is guilty of a public offense. Except where the offense is declared to be a felony or a misdemeanor or a different punishment is prescribed, a person convicted under this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5301. Section 5301.

(a) The commissioner may refer such evidence as is available concerning any violation of this division or of any regulation, order issued by the commissioner, or of any condition imposed in writing by the commissioner in connection with any grant of any application or request by the savings association or of a written agreement between the savings association and the commissioner to the Attorney General or to the district attorney of the county in which the violation occurred, who may, with or without such a referral, institute appropriate civil or criminal proceedings under this division. (b) The commissioner and his or her counsel, deputies, or assistants may, upon request of the Attorney General or district attorney, assist the Attorney General or district attorney in presenting law or facts at any trial in these proceedings.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5302. Section 5302.

(a) Whoever knowingly violates subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 6525.5 shall be punished by a fine of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) for each day the violation continues, by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 2, 3, or 4 years, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (b) Any person who is subject to an order issued pursuant to Section 8201 who knowingly violates the order, directly or indirectly, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) for each day violation continues, by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 2, 3, or 4 years, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5303. Section 5303.

Any officer, director, employee, or agent of any association who (a) willfully makes or knowingly concurs in the making or publishing of a false or untrue material entry in any book, record, report, statement concerning the business or affairs of the association, or statement of condition or in connection with any transaction of the association, with intent to deceive any officer or director thereof, or with intent to deceive any agency or examiner, whether private or public, employed or lawfully appointed to examine into the association’s condition or to examine into any of the association’s affairs or transactions, or with intent to deceive any public officer, office, or board to which the association is required by law to report or that has authority by law to examine into the association’s affairs or transactions, (b) with like intent, willfully omits to make a material new entry of any matter particularly pertaining to the business, property, condition, affairs, transactions, assets, or accounts of the association in any appropriate book, record, report, or statement of the association, which entry is required to be made by law or generally accepted accounting principles applicable to a savings institution, or (c) with like intent, willfully alters, abstracts, conceals, refuses to allow to be inspected by the commissioner or the commissioner’s deputies or examiners, or destroys any books, records, reports, or statements of the association made, written, or kept, or required to be made, written, or kept by him or her or under his or her direction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000), by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or four years, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5304. Section 5304.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to corruptly give, offer, or promise anything of value to any other person, with intent to influence or reward any institution-affiliated party in connection with any business or transaction of a savings association. (b) It is unlawful for any institution-affiliated party to corruptly solicit or demand for the benefit of any person, or corruptly accept or agree to accept, anything of value from any person, intending to be influenced or rewarded in connection with any business or transaction of the savings association. (c) Any person who violates subdivision (a) or (b) shall be punished by a fine of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000) or three times the value of the thing given, offered, promised, solicited, demanded, accepted, or agreed to be accepted, whichever is greater, by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 2, 3, or 4 years, or by both that fine and imprisonment. However, if the value of the thing given, offered, promised, solicited, demanded, accepted, or agreed to be accepted does not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), the offense shall instead be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (d) This section does not apply to bona fide salary, wages, fees, or other compensation paid, or expenses paid or reimbursed, in the usual course of business or where the amount of money or monetary worth of the thing of value is one hundred dollars ($100) or less.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5305. Section 5305.

Any institution-affiliated party who abstracts or willfully misapplies any of the money, funds, or property of the savings association, or willfully misapplies its credit, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000), by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 2, 3, or 4 years, or by both that fine and imprisonment. However, if the amount abstracted or willfully misapplied does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250), the offense shall instead be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5306. Section 5306.

Any institution-affiliated party who knowingly executes, or attempts to execute, a scheme or artifice to defraud a savings association or to obtain any of the moneys, funds, credits, assets, securities or other property owned by or under the custody or control of a savings association by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one million dollars ($1,000,000), by imprisonment in state prison for 2, 3, or 4 years, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5307. Section 5307.

Whoever willfully and knowingly makes, issues, circulates, transmits, or causes or knowingly permits to be made, issued, circulated, or transmitted, any statement or rumor which is written, printed, reproduced in any manner, or communicated by word of mouth, that is untrue in fact and is directly or by inference false, or malicious in that it is calculated to injure the reputation or business, financial condition, or standing of any association shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5308. Section 5308.

Whoever knowingly makes or causes to be made, directly or indirectly, or through any agency whatsoever, any false statement or report, or willfully overvalues any land, property, or security, for the purpose of influencing in any way the action of any association upon any application, advance, discount, purchase or repurchase agreement, commitment, or loan or the change or extension of any of these transactions by renewal, deferment of action, or otherwise, or the acceptance, release, or substitution of security for these transactions shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or, by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5309. Section 5309.

(a) A person shall be sentenced to consecutive terms for each violation of Section 5303, 5304, 5305, or 5306 up to a mandatory term of 20 years in state prison if all of the following are charged in the accusatory pleading and admitted by the defendant, or found to be true by the trier of fact: (1) The person is an institution affiliated party. (2) The person engaged in a pattern and practice of activity involving multiple violations of Section 5303, 5304, 5305, or 5306. (3) The person acted with intent to cause substantial harm, or with reckless disregard of the possibility of causing substantial harm, to the savings institution. (4) The violations did in fact result in substantial harm to the savings institution. (b) No part of a consecutive sentence required pursuant to subdivision (a) may be suspended or revoked by the court. (c) Nothing in subdivision (a) shall limit the court’s discretion to sentence the defendant to a consecutive term longer than provided for in that subdivision, if otherwise permitted by law. (d) Nothing in subdivision (a) shall limit the court’s discretion to order consecutive sentences for violations of Section 5303, 5304, 5305, or 5306 under any other provision of law.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5310. Section 5310.

(a) Any person violating or conspiring to violate Sections 5303, 5304, 5305, or 5306 shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount assessed by the court in a civil action under this section. (b) The maximum amount of the penalty which may be imposed under this section shall be determined in accordance with the following: (1) Except as provided by paragraphs (2) and (3), the civil penalty shall not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000). (2) In the case of a continuing violation, the amount of the civil penalty may exceed the amount described in paragraph (1), but may not exceed the lesser of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for each day the violation continues or five million dollars ($5,000,000). (3) If any person derives pecuniary gain from the violation, or if the violation results in pecuniary loss to a person other than the violator, the amount of the civil penalty may exceed the amounts described in paragraphs (1) and (2) but may not exceed the amount of that gain or loss. (c) A civil action to recover a civil penalty under this section shall be brought in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General, who shall be required to establish the right to recovery by a preponderance of the evidence. (d) For the purpose of conducting a civil investigation in contemplation of proceeding under this section, the Attorney General may do all of the following: (1) Administer oaths and affirmations. (2) Take evidence. (3) By subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, summon witnesses and require the production of any books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, or other records which the Attorney General deems relevant or material to the inquiry.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 5311. Section 5311.

(a) Any fine or civil penalty imposed under this chapter shall be based upon the ability of the defendant to pay. In setting the amount of the fine or civil penalty, consideration shall also be given to the seriousness of the offense, the amount of any pecuniary gain by the defendant, and the amount of any pecuniary loss, other than defendant’s own loss, caused by the offense. (b) A civil penalty may not be imposed against a person under this chapter if that person has been punished by a fine or imprisonment for the same violation. (c) A fine may not be imposed under this chapter if a civil penalty has previously been imposed for the same violation.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026