2019-08-02
Added · Updated
AvidXchange, Inc. must pay a $10,000 civil penalty and cease engaging in unsafe or unsound practices by using an unlicensed entity for money transmission in Connecticut. The company is required to transition all Connecticut customers to its own licensed money transmission platform within 45 days of receiving its license. This resolution waives Avid's right to a hearing and judicial review while allowing it to proceed with its pending license application under specific disclosure conditions.
IN THE MATTER OF: * * AVIDXCHANGE, INC. * CONSENT ORDER NMLS # 1494826 * * (“Avid”) * *
WHEREAS, the Banking Commissioner (“Commissioner”) is charged with the administration of Part V of Chapter 668, Sections 36a-595 to 36a-612, inclusive, of the Connecticut General Statutes, known as the “Money Transmission Act”; WHEREAS, Avid is a Delaware corporation with its main office located at 1210 AvidXchange Lane, Charlotte, North Carolina; WHEREAS, on October 31, 2017, Avid filed an application with the Commissioner on the Nationwide Licensing System and Registry (“NMLS”) to obtain a license to engage in the business of money transmission in Connecticut, which application is currently pending; WHEREAS, the Commissioner, through the Consumer Credit Division of the Department of Banking, has investigated the activities of Avid pursuant to Sections 36a-17, 36a-600 and 36a-608 of the Connecticut General Statutes to determine if it had violated, was violating or was about to violate the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes within the Commissioner’s jurisdiction; WHEREAS, as a result of such investigation, the Commissioner alleges that Avid engaged an entity to perform certain functions that the Commissioner concludes constitute money transmission activities for customers in Connecticut that never obtained or maintained a main office license to engage in the business of money transmission in this state, as required by Section 36a-597(a) of the Connecticut
2 - General Statutes, at any point during which it engaged in such activity, nor was it exempt from such licensure; WHEREAS, as a result of such investigation, the Commissioner alleges that Avid’s engagement of an entity to perform such functions constituting money transmission activities in this state, which entity did not obtain and maintain a money transmission license, caused Avid to engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, in violation of Section 36a-608(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, the Commissioner believes that such allegation would support the initiation of enforcement proceedings against Avid, including, without limitation, proceedings to issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Sections 36a-608(c) and 36a-52(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes, and to impose a civil penalty of up to One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) per violation pursuant to Sections 36a-608(c) and 36a-50(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, initiation of such enforcement proceedings would constitute a “contested case” within the meaning of Section 4-166(4) of the Connecticut General Statutes; WHEREAS, Section 4-177(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 36a-1-55(a) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies provide that a contested case may be resolved by consent order, unless precluded by law; WHEREAS, both the Commissioner and Avid acknowledge the possible consequences of formal administrative proceedings, and Avid voluntarily agrees to consent to the entry of the sanctions imposed below solely for the purpose of obviating the need for formal administrative proceedings concerning the allegation set forth herein; WHEREAS, the Commissioner and Avid now desire to resolve the matters set forth herein; WHEREAS, Avid represents that it is in the process of converting all Connecticut customers from the unlicensed entity to Avid’s money transmission platform, and upon Avid’s receipt of a license under Part V of Chapter 668, Sections 36a-595 to 36a-612, inclusive, of the Connecticut General Statutes, will perform all money transmission activity for Connecticut customers through its own platform on or before
3 - the date certain that is forty-five (45) days following receipt of said license (such period referred to as the “Transition Timeframe”); WHEREAS, subject to the Transition Timeframe, Avid specifically assures the Commissioner that the violation alleged herein shall not occur in the future; WHEREAS, Avid acknowledges that this Consent Order is a public record and is a reportable event for purposes of the regulatory disclosure questions on NMLS, as applicable; AND WHEREAS, Avid, through its execution of this Consent Order, voluntarily agrees to waive its procedural rights, including a right to a notice and an opportunity for a hearing as it pertains to the allegation set forth herein, and voluntarily waives its right to seek judicial review or otherwise challenge or contest the validity of this Consent Order. CONSENT TO ENTRY OF SANCTIONS WHEREAS, Avid, through its execution of this Consent Order, consents to the Commissioner’s entry of a Consent Order imposing the following sanctions: