(1) The director may issue and serve upon a licensee or applicant, or any director, officer, sole proprietor, partner, or controlling person of a licensee or applicant, a statement of charges if, in the opinion of the director, any licensee or applicant, or any director, officer, sole proprietor, partner, or controlling person of a licensee or applicant:
(a) Is engaging or has engaged in an unsafe or unsound financial practice in conducting a business governed by this chapter;
(b) Is violating or has violated this chapter, including violations of:
(i) Any rules, orders, or subpoenas issued by the director under any act;
(ii) Any condition imposed in writing by the director in connection with the granting of any application or other request by the licensee; or
(iii) Any written agreement made with the director;
(c) Is about to do the acts prohibited in (a) or (b) of this subsection when the opinion that the threat exists is based upon reasonable cause;
(d) Obtains a license by means of fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, or through mistake or inadvertence of the director;
(e) Provides false statements or omits material information on an application;
(f) Knowingly or negligently omits material information during or in response to an examination or in connection with an investigation by the director;
(g) Fails to pay a fee or assessment required by the director or any multistate licensing system prescribed by the director, or fails to maintain the required bond or deposit;
(h) Commits a crime against the laws of any jurisdiction involving moral turpitude, financial misconduct, or dishonest dealings. For the purposes of this section, a certified copy of the final holding of any court, tribunal, agency, or administrative body of competent jurisdiction is conclusive evidence in any hearing under this chapter;
(i) Knowingly commits or is a party to any material fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, conspiracy, collusion, trick, scheme, or device whereby any other person relying upon the word, representation, or conduct acts to his or her injury or damage;
(j) Converts any money or its equivalent to his or her own use or to the use of his or her principal or of any other person;
(k) Fails to disclose any information within his or her knowledge or fails to produce any document, book, or record in his or her possession for inspection by the director upon demand;
(l) Commits any act of fraudulent or dishonest dealing. For the purposes of this section, a certified copy of the final holding of any court, tribunal, agency, or administrative body of competent jurisdiction is conclusive evidence in any hearing under this chapter;
(m) Commits an act or engages in conduct that demonstrates incompetence or untrustworthiness, or is a source of injury and loss to the public;
(n) Violates any applicable state or federal law relating to the activities governed by this chapter.
(2) The statement of charges must be issued under chapter 34.05 RCW. The director or the director's designee may impose the following sanctions against any licensee or applicant, or any directors, officers, sole proprietors, partners, controlling persons, or employees of a licensee or applicant:
(a) Deny, revoke, suspend, or condition a license or small loan endorsement;
(b) Order the licensee or person to cease and desist from practices that violate this chapter or constitute unsafe and unsound financial practices;
(c) Impose a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars per day for each day's violation of this chapter;
(d) Order restitution or refunds to borrowers or other parties for violations of this chapter or take other affirmative action as necessary to comply with this chapter; and
(e) Remove from office or ban from participation in the affairs of any licensee any director, officer, sole proprietor, partner, controlling person, or employee of a licensee.
(3) The proceedings to impose the sanctions described in subsection (2) of this section, including any hearing or appeal of the statement of charges, are governed by chapter 34.05 RCW. The statute of limitations on actions not subject to RCW 4.16.160 that are brought under this chapter by the director is five years.
(4) Unless the licensee or person personally appears at the hearing or is represented by a duly authorized representative, the licensee is deemed to have consented to the statement of charges and the sanctions imposed in the statement of charges.
(5) Except to the extent prohibited by another statute, the director may engage in informal settlement of complaints or enforcement actions including, but not limited to, payment to the department for purposes of financial literacy and education programs authorized under RCW 43.320.150.
[ 2014 c 36 § 7; 2012 c 17 § 11; 2003 c 86 § 17; 1994 c 92 § 284; 1991 c 355 § 11.]