Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingent Liabilities [Text Block]

Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

Litigation Contingencies

On June 24, 2015, BOKF, NA received a complaint that an employee had colluded with a bond issuer and an individual in misusing revenues pledged to municipal bonds for which BOKF, NA served as trustee under the bond indenture. The Company conducted an investigation and concluded that employees in one of its Corporate Trust offices had, with respect to a single group of affiliated bond issuances, violated Company policies and procedures. The relationship manager was terminated. The Company reported the circumstances to, and cooperated with an investigation by, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). On September 7, 2016, BOKF, NA agreed to, and the SEC entered, a consent order finding that BOKF, NA had violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and required BOKF, NA to disgorge $1,067,721 of fees and pay a civil penalty of $600,000. BOKF, NA disgorged the fees and paid the penalty. On August 26, 2016, BOKF, NA was sued in the United States District Court for New Jersey by two bondholders in a putative class action alleging BOKF, NA participated in the fraudulent sale of securities by the principals. While the action remains stayed with no current deadlines pending, plaintiffs recently informed the Court of their intent to request the stay be lifted in a joint status report. BOKF, NA plans to oppose the request to lift the stay. On September 14, 2016, BOKF, NA was sued in the District Court of Tulsa County, Oklahoma by 19 bondholders also alleging BOKF, NA participated in the fraudulent sale of securities by the principals. On April 18, 2023 seven plaintiffs dismissed their claims without prejudice. Discovery on the remaining plaintiff's claims is ongoing. Management is advised by counsel that, in the Tulsa County District Court action, a loss is not probable and that the loss, if any, cannot be reasonably estimated.

On December 28, 2015, in an action brought by the SEC, the New Jersey District Court entered a judgment against the principals involved in issuing the bonds. On January 8, 2020, the Court entered judgment against the principal individual and his wife for $36,805,051 in principal amount and $10,937,831 in pre-judgment interest. The SEC continues to aggressively pursue collection of the judgment. If the individual principal and his wife cannot pay the bonds, a bondholder loss could become probable. Management has been advised by counsel that BOKF, NA has valid defenses to claims of bondholders and that no loss to the Company is probable. No provision for losses has been made at this time. BOKF, NA estimates that, upon sale of all remaining collateral securing payment of the bonds, approximately $25 million in principal will remain outstanding. A reasonable estimate cannot be made of the amount of any bondholder loss, though the amount of bondholder loss could be material to the Company in the event a loss to the Company becomes probable.

In the ordinary course of business, BOK Financial and its subsidiaries are subject to legal actions and complaints. Management believes, based upon the opinion of counsel, that the actions and liability or loss, if any, resulting from the final outcomes of the proceedings, will not have a material effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Alternative Investment Commitments

The Company invests in several tax credit entities and other funds as permitted by banking regulations. Consolidation of these investments is based on the variable interest model.

At June 30, 2023, the Company has $417 million in interests in various alternative investments generally consisting of unconsolidated limited partnership interests in entities for which investment return is in the form of low income housing tax credits or other investments in merchant banking activities. These investments are recognized in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. This investment balance also includes $101 million of unfunded commitments included in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.