UNITED STATES
 
 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
 
Washington, D.C.   20549
 
 
______________________________
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
 
 
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):        August 31, 2015
 
 
 
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
 
North Carolina
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
 
 
 
000-27205
56-2132396
(Commission File No.)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
 
 
 
518 West C Street, Newton, North Carolina
28658
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
 
 
 
(828) 464-5620
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
 
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
    o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
     
    o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
     
    o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
     
    o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc.
       
INDEX
       
       
   
Page
 
Item 8.01 - Other Events
 
3
 
       
Signatures
 
4
 
 
 
 
2

 
 
 
Item 8.01.
Other Events
 
On August 31, 2015, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and the North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (“Commissioner”) issued a Consent Order (the “Order”) in connection with compliance by Peoples Bank (the “Bank”) with the Bank Secrecy Act and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “BSA”).  The Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (the “Company”).  The Order was issued pursuant to the consent of the Bank.  In consenting to the issuance of the Order, the Bank did not admit or deny any unsafe or unsound banking practices or violations of law or regulation.

The Order requires the Bank to take certain affirmative actions to comply with its obligations under the BSA, including, without limitation, strengthening its Board of Directors’ oversight of BSA activities; reviewing, enhancing, adopting and implementing a revised BSA compliance program; completing a BSA risk assessment; developing a revised system of internal controls designed to ensure full compliance with the BSA; reviewing and revising customer due diligence and risk assessment processes, policies and procedures; developing, adopting and implementing effective BSA training programs; assessing BSA staffing needs and resources and appointing a qualified BSA officer; establishing an independent BSA testing program; ensuring that all reports required by the BSA are accurately and properly filed and engaging an independent firm to review past account activity to determine whether suspicious activity was properly identified and reported.

Prior to implementation, certain of the actions described above are subject to review by and approval or non-objection from the FDIC and Commissioner.  The Order will remain in effect and be enforceable until it is modified, terminated, suspended or set aside by the FDIC and Commissioner.

The Bank began developing corrective actions prior to the entry of the Order and expects that it will be able to undertake and implement all required actions within the time period specified in the Order.  The Bank will incur additional non-interest expenses associated with the implementation of corrective actions; however, these expenses are not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations or financial position of the Bank or the Company.

 
Disclosure about forward-looking statements
 
Statements made in this Form 8-K, other than those concerning historical information, should be considered forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995.  These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management and on the information available to management at the time that this report was prepared.  These statements can be identified by the use of words like “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” and “believe,” variations of these words and other similar expressions.  Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rate environment, management’s business strategy, national, regional, and local market conditions and legislative and regulatory conditions.

The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.  Readers should also carefully review the risk factors described in other documents the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 

 
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SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
   
PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.
       
Date:  September 4, 2015
 
By:
/s/ A. Joseph Lampron, Jr.
   
A. Joseph Lampron, Jr.
   
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
 
 
 
 
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