Order to Cease and Desist Issued to Billy Hawkins, Jr. Becomes Final

The Department issues a Final Order to Cease and Desist against Billy Hawkins, Jr.

Atlanta, Georgia - Today, an Order to Cease and Desist ("Order") issued by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance ("Department") to Billy Hawkins, Jr. for engaging in activities in violation of the Georgia Installment Loan Act ("GILA"), O.C.G.A. § 7-3-1 et seq., became final.

The Order provided that the Department had evidence that Mr. Hawkins engaged in unlawful activities during the course of his employment with a licensed installment lender. These activities involved fraudulently executing at thirty-one (31) loan agreements without the customers' knowledge or consent, including reopening paid out "former borrower" customer accounts, opening new accounts on turned down applications, forging signatures on loan documents, falsifying supporting documents used to approve loans, and unlawfully retaining the proceeds from the fraudulently opened customer accounts.

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 7-3-43(d), the Department may revoke the license of an installment lender that employs an individual subject to a final cease and desist order under GILA within the past five (5) years.

Contact:

Oscar B. Fears, III

Senior Deputy Commissioner

Phone: (770) 986-1650

E-mail: [email protected]