Consent Order Regarding Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau

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IN THE MATTER OF: *
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SEATTLE SERVICE BUREAU, INC. * CONSENT ORDER d/b/a NATIONAL SERVICE BUREAU * NMLS # 1133332 * * (“Seattle”) * *

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WHEREAS, the Banking Commissioner (“Commissioner”) is charged with the administration of
Part XII of Chapter 669, Sections 36a-800 to 36a-814, inclusive, of the Connecticut General Statutes,
“Consumer Collection Agencies”, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, Sections 36a-809-6 to 36a-809-17, inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (“Regulations”); WHEREAS, Seattle is a Washington corporation with an office located at 18912 North Creek Parkway, Suite 205, Bothell, Washington; WHEREAS, Seattle was licensed to act as a consumer collection agency in Connecticut from November 14, 2006, until its license was surrendered effective July 25, 2018; WHEREAS, on May 15, 2020, Seattle filed an application with the Commissioner on the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (“NMLS”) to act as a consumer collection agency in Connecticut, which application is currently pending; WHEREAS, the Commissioner, through the Consumer Credit Division of the Department of Banking, conducted an investigation pursuant to Section 36a-17 of the Connecticut General Statutes into the activities of Seattle to determine if it had violated, was violating or was about to violate the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes and Regulations within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner;

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  WHEREAS, as a result of such investigation, the Commissioner alleges that, since its license was surrendered in 2018, Seattle acted as a consumer collection agency in Connecticut without a consumer collection agency license, in violation of Section 36a-801(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes in effect at such time; WHEREAS, the Commissioner believes that such allegation would support the initiation of enforcement proceedings against Seattle, including, without limitation, proceedings to issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Sections 36a-804(b) and 36a-52(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes, and an order imposing a civil penalty of up to One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) per violation pursuant to Sections 36a-804(b) 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, the Commissioner and Seattle acknowledge the possible consequences of formal administrative proceedings, and Seattle 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 Seattle now desire to resolve the matters set forth herein; WHEREAS, Seattle represents that it is no longer acting as a consumer collection agency in this state without a license; WHEREAS, Seattle specifically assures the Commissioner that the violation alleged herein shall not occur in the future; WHEREAS, Seattle 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;

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  AND WHEREAS, Seattle, 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, Seattle, through its execution of this Consent Order, consents to the Commissioner’s entry of a Consent Order imposing the following sanctions:
  1. No later than the date this Consent Order is executed by Seattle, it shall remit to the Department
  of Banking by wire transfer, cashier’s check, certified check or money order made payable to “Treasurer, State of Connecticut”, the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) as a civil penalty;
  2. No later than the date this Consent Order is executed by Seattle, it shall remit to the Department
  of Banking by wire transfer, cashier’s check, certified check or money order made payable to “Treasurer, State of Connecticut”, the sum of Eight Hundred Dollars ($800) for back licensing fees; and
  3. Seattle shall cease and desist from acting as a consumer collection agency in this state without a
  license, in violation of Section 36a-801(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes. CONSENT ORDER NOW THEREFORE, the Commissioner enters the following:
  1. The Sanctions set forth above be and are hereby entered;
  2. Upon issuance of this Consent Order by the Commissioner, this matter will be resolved and the
  Commissioner will not take any future enforcement action against Seattle based upon the allegation set forth herein; provided that issuance of this Consent Order is without prejudice to the right of the Commissioner to take enforcement action against Seattle based upon a violation of this Consent Order or the matters underlying its entry, if the Commissioner determines that compliance with the terms herein is not being observed or if any representation made by Seattle and reflected herein is subsequently discovered to be untrue;
  3. Seattle shall not take any action or make or permit to be made any public statement, including
  in regulatory filings or otherwise, denying, directly or indirectly, any allegation referenced in this Consent Order or create the impression that this Consent Order is without factual basis;
  4. Subject to the foregoing, and so long as this Consent Order is promptly disclosed by Seattle and
  its control persons on NMLS, as applicable, nothing in the issuance of this Consent Order shall adversely affect the ability of Seattle to apply for or obtain licenses or renewal licenses under
  Part XII of Chapter 669, Sections 36a-800 to 36a-814, inclusive, of the Connecticut General

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  Statutes, provided that all applicable legal requirements for any such license are satisfied and the terms of this Consent Order are being followed;

5. This Consent Order shall be binding upon Seattle and its successor and assigns; and
6. This Consent Order shall become final when issued.
   /s/_____________________________________
   Issued at Hartford, Connecticut Jorge L. Perez this 7th day of June 2021. Banking Commissioner

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  I, David B. Conyers, state on behalf of Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau, that I have read the foregoing Consent Order; that I know and fully understand its contents; that I am authorized to execute this Consent Order on behalf of Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau; that Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau agrees freely and without threat or coercion of any kind to comply with the sanctions entered herein; and that Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau voluntarily agrees to enter into this Consent Order, expressly waiving the procedural rights set forth herein as to the matters described herein. By: /s/_____________________________________ Name: David B. Conyers Title: CEO Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau State of: Florida County of: Manatee On this the 3rd day of June 2021, before me, David B. Conyers, the undersigned officer, personally appeared David B. Conyers, who acknowledged himself/herself to be the [CEO] of Seattle Service Bureau, Inc. d/b/a National Service Bureau, a corporation, and that he/she as such representative, being authorized so to do, executed the foregoing instrument for the purposes therein contained, by signing the name of the corporation by himself/herself as Chief Executive Officer. In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand. /s/_____________________________________ Notary Public – Kimberly Ann Whitford Date Commission Expires: Oct. 4, 2023