Section 17414 Of Chapter 3. Escrow Regulations From California Financial Code >> Division 6. >> Chapter 3.
17414
. (a) It is a violation for any person subject to this
division or any director, stockholder, trustee, officer, agent, or
employee of any such person to do any of the following:
(1) Knowingly or recklessly disburse or cause the disbursal of
escrow funds otherwise than in accordance with escrow instructions,
or knowingly or recklessly to direct, participate in, or aid or abet
in a material way, any activity which constitutes theft or fraud in
connection with any escrow transaction.
(2) Knowingly or recklessly make or cause to be made any
misstatement or omission to state a material fact, orally or in
writing, in escrow books, accounts, files, reports, exhibits,
statements, or any other document pertaining to an escrow or escrow
affairs.
(b) Any director, officer, stockholder, trustee, employee, or
agent of an escrow agent, who abstracts or willfully misappropriates
money, funds, trust obligations or property deposited with an escrow
agent, is guilty of a felony. Upon conviction, of an offense under
this section or similar offenses specified in Chapter 4 (commencing
with Section 470), Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 484), or
Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 503) of Title 13 of Part 1 of the
Penal Code, the court shall, in addition to any other punishment
imposed, order the person to make full restitution, first to the
escrow agent and then to Fidelity Corporation, to the extent it has
indemnified the escrow agent. Nothing in this section shall be deemed
or construed to repeal, amend, or impair any existing provision of
law prescribing a punishment for such an offense.
(c) Any person subject to this division who knows of a person's
involvement in an abstraction or misappropriation of money, funds,
trust obligations, or property deposited with a licensed escrow agent
shall immediately report the abstraction or misappropriation in
writing to the commissioner and to Fidelity Corporation. No person
shall be civilly liable for reporting as required under this
subdivision, unless the information provided in the report is false
and the person providing false information does so with knowledge and
malice. The reports filed under this section, including the identity
of the person making the filing, shall remain confidential pursuant
to state law.