An NCUA examiner who witnesses said allegedly called himself“The Liquidator” and made inappropriate statements to four femaleemployees did not harass or retaliate against a small Ohio creditunion, the agency said.

“The (NCUA Office of Inspector General) investigationcould not substantiate the allegation that a credit union examinermade inappropriate comments to Commodore Perry FCU staff, and/orbehaved inappropriately at the Commodore Perry FCU during theexaminations in 2011 and 2012,” said NCUA Public Affairs SpecialistJohn Fairbanks.

Fairbanks also said Wednesday that the OIG investigation did notsubstantiate allegations from the $32 million, 4,800-member OakHarbor, Ohio, credit union that the agency retaliated against thecomplaints by lowering the credit union's CAMEL rating.

{ The story line:

• Oct. 26, 2012 Commodore Perry Appeal Set for Nov.7
• Oct. 25, 2012 CPFCU Prez, Attorney Say Appeals Process Dodges RealIssue
• Oct. 25, 2012 Appeals Panel Can Toss Commodore Perry ExamFindings
• Oct. 24, 2012 Ohio CU Left Wondering How to Prep forAppeal
• Oct. 11, 2012 NCUA Stands by Examiner in HarassmentAppeal
• Oct. 9, 2012 NCUA Buys Time in Commodore PerryAppeal
• Oct. 4, 2012 Commodore Perry FCU Says Documentation ProvesClaims
• Oct. 3, 2012 Ohio CU Says NCUA Examiner Harassed,Retaliated }

CPFCU had appealed the results of its examination conductedearlier this year, saying the examiner harassed and bullied itsstaff, and then retaliated with a lower CAMEL score after thecredit union complained to its supervisory examiner.

“I wish I could say that we are surprised that NCUA did not finditself guilty of any wrongdoing, but sadly we are not,” CPFCUPresident Thomas Renz said Thursday. “It seems to me that ifseveral witnesses tell the same story about specific instances ofmisconduct, then that should qualify as corroboration; but,apparently the NCUA OIG – the same people that only a fewweeks ago told the Senate Banking Committee that there are noproblems with the appellate process - do not feel thesame.”

He added, “If this does not demonstrate the need for reform,such as passage of the Examination Fairness Act, I am not certain what would.”

Renz said the Inspector General's office sent an employee to thecredit union to investigate claims of inappropriate behavior andretaliation, and the investigator interviewed employees who allegedthe examiner harassed and bullied them.

The credit union also provided the investigator with writtenstatements by four female employees that were originally written atthe request of CPFCU management. The employees complained about theexaminer's inappropriate behavior within days of beginning hison-site examination in early 2011, Renz said.

When the same examiner returned to the credit union in 2012 andexhibited the same behavior, the employees were asked to providewritten statements regarding the alleged inappropriateincidents.

Renz said he and Barr had concerns about the examiner from thevery beginning of the exam, after he initially introduced himselfto them as “The Liquidator.”

“He was serious,” Renz said. “He said he was known in his yearsin the industry as 'The Liquidator'. I clearly remember that, andtook it as his point being, 'don't mess with me'.”

Renz added that the credit union still holds out hope that theNCUA's Supervisory Review Committee will rule in its favor when ithears CPFCU's appeal sometime within the next 30 days. The credit union hasrequested to appear in person for the appeal, but has not yetreceived an invitation to the NCUA's Alexandria, Va.headquarters.