Fla. Stat. § 560.114 — Florida Code / Title XXXIII / Chapter 560 / Part I / Section 560.114
560.114 Disciplinary actions; penalties.
Status: in_force

(1) The following actions by a money services business, authorized vendor, or affiliated party constitute grounds for the issuance of a cease and desist order; the issuance of a removal order; the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license; or taking any other action within the authority of the office pursuant to this chapter: (a) Failure to comply with any provision of this chapter or related rule or order, or any written agreement entered into with the office. (b) Fraud, misrepresentation, deceit, or gross negligence in any transaction by a money services business, regardless of reliance thereon by, or damage to, a customer. (c) Fraudulent misrepresentation, circumvention, or concealment of any matter that must be stated or furnished to a customer pursuant to this chapter, regardless of reliance thereon by, or damage to, such customer. (d) False, deceptive, or misleading advertising. (e) Failure to maintain, preserve, keep available for examination, and produce all books, accounts, files, or other documents required by this chapter or related rules or orders, by 31 C.F.R. ss. 1010.306, 1010.311, 1010.312, 1010.340, 1010.410, 1010.415, 1022.210, 1022.320, 1022.380, and 1022.410, or by an agreement entered into with the office. (f) Refusing to allow the examination or inspection of books, accounts, files, or other documents by the office pursuant to this chapter, or to comply with a subpoena issued by the office. (g) Failure to pay a judgment recovered in any court by a claimant in an action arising out of a money transmission transaction within 30 days after the judgment becomes final. (h) Engaging in an act prohibited under s. 560.111 or s. 560.1115. (i) Insolvency. (j) Failure by a money services business to remove an affiliated party after the office has issued and served upon the money services business a final order setting forth a finding that the affiliated party has violated a provision of this chapter. (k) Making a material misstatement, misrepresentation, or omission in an application for licensure, any amendment to such application, or application for the appointment of an authorized vendor. (l) Committing any act that results in a license or its equivalent, to practice any profession or occupation being denied, suspended, revoked, or otherwise acted against by a licensing authority in any jurisdiction. (m) Being the subject of final agency action or its equivalent, issued by an appropriate regulator, for engaging in unlicensed activity as a money services business or deferred presentment provider in any jurisdiction. (n) Committing any act resulting in a license or its equivalent to practice any profession or occupation being denied, suspended, revoked, or otherwise acted against by a licensing authority in any jurisdiction for a violation of 18 U.S.C. s. 1956, 18 U.S.C. s. 1957, 18 U.S.C. s. 1960, 31 U.S.C. s. 5324, or any other law or rule of another state or of the United States relating to a money services business, deferred presentment provider, or usury that may cause the denial, suspension, or revocation of a money services business or deferred presentment provider license or its equivalent in such jurisdiction. (o) Having been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony or crime punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of any state or the United States which involves fraud, moral turpitude, or dishonest dealing, regardless of adjudication. (p) Having been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a crime under 18 U.S.C. s. 1956 or 31 U.S.C. s. 5324, regardless of adjudication. (q) Having been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, misappropriation, conversion, or unlawful withholding of moneys belonging to others, regardless of adjudication. (r) Failure to inform the office in writing within 30 days after having pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or being convicted of, any felony or crime punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of any state or the United States, or any crime involving fraud, moral turpitude, or dishonest dealing. (s) Aiding, assisting, procuring, advising, or abetting any person in violating a provision of this chapter or any order or rule of the office or commission. (t) Failure to pay any fee, charge, or cost imposed or assessed under this chapter. (u) Failing to pay a fine assessed by the office within 30 days after the due date as stated in a final order. (v) Failure to pay any judgment entered by any court within 30 days after the judgment becomes final. (w) Engaging or advertising engagement in the business of a money services business or deferred presentment provider without a license, unless exempted from licensure. (x) Payment to the office for a license or other fee, charge, cost, or fine with a check or electronic transmission of funds that is dishonored by the applicant’s or licensee’s financial institution. (y) Violations of 31 C.F.R. ss. 1010.306, 1010.311, 1010.312, 1010.340, 1010.410, 1010.415, 1022.210, 1022.320, 1022.380, and 1022.410, and United States Treasury Interpretive Release 2004-1. (z) Any practice or conduct that creates the likelihood of a material loss, insolvency, or dissipation of assets of a money services business or otherwise materially prejudices the interests of its customers. (aa) Failure of a check casher to maintain a federally insured depository account as required by s. 560.309. (bb) Failure of a check casher to deposit into its own federally insured depository account any payment instrument cashed as required by s. 560.309. (cc) Violating any provision of the Military Lending Act, 10 U.S.C. s. 987, or the regulations adopted under that act in 32 C.F.R. part 232, in connection with a deferred presentment transaction conducted under part IV of this chapter.

(2) Pursuant to s. 120.60(6), the office may summarily suspend the license of a money services business if the office finds that a licensee poses an immediate, serious danger to the public health, safety, and welfare. A proceeding in which the office seeks the issuance of a final order for the summary suspension of a licensee shall be conducted by the commissioner of the office, or his or her designee, who shall issue such order. The following acts are deemed to constitute an immediate and serious danger to the public health, safety, and welfare, and the office may immediately suspend the license of a money services business if: (a) The money services business fails to provide to the office, upon written request, any of the records required by s. 560.123, s. 560.1235, s. 560.211, or s. 560.310 or any rule adopted under those sections. The suspension may be rescinded if the licensee submits the requested records to the office. (b) The money services business fails to maintain a federally insured depository account as required by s. 560.309. (c) A natural person required to be listed on the license application for a money services business pursuant to s. 560.141(1)(a)3. is criminally charged with, or arrested for, a crime described in paragraph (1)(o), paragraph (1)(p), or paragraph(1)(q).

(3) The office may deny licensure if the applicant or an affiliated party is the subject of a pending criminal prosecution or governmental enforcement action in any jurisdiction until the conclusion of the prosecution or action.

(4) The office may issue a cease and desist order or removal order, suspend or revoke a license, or take any other action within the authority of the office against a licensee based on any fact or condition that exists and that, if it had existed or been known to exist at the time of license application, would have been grounds for license denial.

(5) A money services business licensed under part II of this chapter is responsible for any act of its authorized vendors if the money services business should have known of the act or had actual knowledge that such act is a violation of this chapter, and the money services business allowed the act to continue. Such responsibility is limited to conduct engaged in by the authorized vendor pursuant to the authority granted to it by the money services business.

(6) If a license granted under this chapter expires or is surrendered by the licensee during the pendency of an administrative action, the proceeding may continue as if the license is still in effect.

(7) The office may, in addition to or in lieu of the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license, impose a fine of at least $1,000 but not more than $10,000 for each violation of this chapter.

(8) In addition to any other provision of this chapter, the office may impose a fine of up to $1,000 per day for each day that a person engages in the business of a money services business or deferred presentment provider without being licensed.

History: s. 1, ch. 94-238; s. 1, ch. 94-354; s. 3, ch. 97-59; s. 5, ch. 2000-360; s. 3, ch. 2001-119; s. 697, ch. 2003-261; s. 3, ch. 2004-85; s. 54, ch. 2006-213; s. 10, ch. 2008-177; s. 4, ch. 2012-85; s. 2, ch. 2014-81; s. 3, ch. 2016-160; s. 7, ch. 2022-135; s. 23, ch. 2023-28.