LOSS CONTINGENCIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

LOSS CONTINGENCIES

LOSS CONTINGENCIES

Loss contingencies, including claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business, are recorded as liabilities when the likelihood of loss is probable and an amount or range of loss can be reasonably estimated.

In July 2019, the Bank discovered potentially fraudulent activity by a former treasury management client involving multiple banks. The former client subsequently filed several related bankruptcy cases, captioned In re Interlogic Outsourcing, Inc., et al., which were filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan. On April 27, 2021, the bankruptcy court entered an order approving an amended plan of liquidation, which was filed by the former client, other debtors and bankruptcy plan proponents, and approving the consolidation of the assets in the aforementioned cases under the Khan IOI Consolidated Estate Trust. On August 9, 2021, the liquidating trustee for the bankruptcy estates filed a complaint against the Bank and the Company, and agreed to stay prosecution of the action through August 31, 2022. The original complaint focused on a series of business transactions among the client, related entities and the Bank, which the liquidating trustee alleged are voidable under applicable federal bankruptcy and state law. The complaint also addressed treatment of the Bank's claims filed in the bankruptcy cases.

On August 31, 2022, the trustee filed his amended complaint against the former client, the Bank, the Company, four officers of the Bank and one independent director of the Bank. The amended complaint alleged that the former client engaged in a check kiting scheme involving multiple banks. The amended complaint alleged that a series of business transactions among the client, his related entities and the Bank are voidable under applicable bankruptcy and state laws. The amended complaint also alleged that the Bank, the Company and the five individual bank representatives who are named as defendants violated various federal and state laws in assisting the former client in his check kiting scheme. On October 26, 2022, the trustee filed his second amended complaint which was virtually identical to his amended complaint. On January 5, 2023, the Bank, the Company and the five individual bank representatives filed motions to dismiss the second amended complaint. On May 30, 2023, the court issued its decision granting the defendants' motion to dismiss in part and denying it in part. The court dismissed all claims against the Company and the Bank's independent director. The court dismissed several of the claims against the defendants but granted the trustee the right to file an amended complaint. On June 20, 2023, the trustee filed his third amended complaint. The trustee alleges many of the same claims that were alleged in the second amended complaint. The defendants

filed a motion to dismiss the third amended complaint on July 25, 2023. The trustee subsequently filed a response to this motion. On November 26, 2023, the court issued its decision granting the defendants' motion to dismiss in part and denying it in part. The court scheduled a pre-trial conference for January 11, 2024, to among other things, set the scope, timing and parameters of the pre-trial discovery process with the parties as the litigation of all claims not dismissed by the court in its ruling has ensued. Both parties commenced the steps in their respective pre-trial discovery plans in the first quarter and have agreed to another round of mediation, which is scheduled for May 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at which time the trustee, the bank, its insurers and the parties’ respective counsel will attempt to settle the remaining claims.

Based on current information, we have determined that a material loss is neither probable nor estimable at this time, and the Bank and the four individual Bank representatives who remain as defendants intend to vigorously defend themselves against all allegations asserted in this amended complaint.