Final answer:
The Banking Department can impose fines on Dee Wheaton, refer her case for criminal prosecution, and may also change policies to prevent future bribery. Examples from history, including actions by Wells Fargo and the Department of the Interior, show a range of consequences from resignations to criminal charges, depending on the circumstances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dee Wheaton's conviction for bribing a government official to obtain a mortgage broker's license has already led to her permanent deletion from the mortgage broker's roll. However, the Banking Department can take further action. They may impose additional fines on her for her actions. Also, they could potentially refer her case to law enforcement for criminal prosecution. Considering past examples, though, such as the case of Wells Fargo involving fraudulent activities that led to no jail time for the perpetrators, it is possible that Dee may face strict but non-incarceratory consequences. The department may also conduct a broader investigation to identify systemic issues that allowed this bribery to occur, leading to policy changes or additional regulatory measures to prevent such issues from arising in the future.
The consequences of financial crimes can be mixed. As seen with the case of farmers facing foreclosure, those who breach financial regulations can cause widespread harm, sometimes leading to closure of smaller banks. When regulations are flouted, as in the case of Department of the Interior officials who were convicted of ethics violations in scandals reminiscent of the Teapot Dome, this generally leads to resignations and possibly criminal charges, depending on the severity and impact of the actions.