One of these banks, Bank of Ellijay, failed in September 2010 and was taken over by regulators at a cost of $60 million to taxpayers.

Mr. Katsanos said the Government's inventory of properties was continuing to swell as more institutions were taken over by regulators.

Many savings institutions that were taken over by regulators held large portfolios of junk bonds.

Lincoln was taken over by regulators the next day.

The institution was taken over by regulators in 1988 with losses to taxpayers estimated at $300 million.

The toughest steps, according to analysts, are shutting down the 12 failed private banks taken over by regulators in recent months and merging three large state-owned banks.

Huge banks that had concentrated their loans in energy and real estate were taken over by regulators or sold.

These factors (among others) are why insolvent financial institutions have historically been taken over by regulators.

Mutual Benefit, based in Newark, was taken over by regulators in early July.

The list included several former executives of thrift units that grew rapidly, then faltered badly and were taken over by regulators of the thrift industry.