BANKING & FINANCE - July 20, 1991

William Edgar Crowder Convicted of Fraud: Crowder was convicted by a federal court jury on seven counts of bank fraud and 25 counts of false statements in an attempt to acquire $150 million in loans from three out-of-state institutions in the mid-1980s. He and the limited partnerships he controlled actually received--and defaulted on--$49 million in loans. Crowder, 42, faces a maximum sentence of 85 years in prison and $8 million in fines. Separately, Crowder, who lives in south Orange County, is also accused of criminal fraud in the collapse of an Irvine bank.