AB 2759: Corporations: agents: victims of corporate fraud compensation fund.

Existing law establishes the Victims of Corporate Fraud Compensation Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, within the State Treasury administered by the Secretary of State, the sole purpose of which is to provide restitution to victims of corporate fraud. Existing law provides that an aggrieved person who obtains a final judgment, as specified, against a corporation based upon the corporations fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit, made with intent to defraud, may file an application with the Secretary of State for payment from the fund for the amount unpaid on the judgment that represents the awarded actual and direct loss to the claimant in the final judgment.

This bill would additionally apply those provisions if an aggrieved person obtains a criminal restitution order against an agent, as defined, of a corporation based upon those same circumstances. The bill would also make conforming changes. By allowing for additional payments to be made from the Victims of Corporate Fraud Compensation Fund, this bill would make an appropriation.

Existing law requires the application filed with the Secretary of State to include specified information and documentation, and imposes criminal penalties for the filing of any documents that are false or untrue or contain any willful, material misstatements of fact.

This bill would require, if the final judgment is a criminal restitution order, the claimant to provide the charging document and the restitution order, and if the defendant is an agent, documentation showing the defendant named in the restitution order is an agent as defined in this bill. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law requires, if, at any time, the money deposited in the Victims of Corporate Fraud Compensation Fund is insufficient to satisfy any duly authorized award or offer of settlement, the Secretary of State to, when sufficient money has been deposited in the fund, satisfy the unpaid award or offer of settlement, plus specified accumulated interest.

This bill would eliminate the requirement to pay that specified accumulated interest.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.