William E. Simon will buy into an L.A.-area bank.

A group of investors led by the former secretary of the Treasury has agreed to buy controlling interest in World Trade Bancorp of Beverly Hills. The purchase, if approved, could pump more than $7 million in new capital into the 3-year-old financial institution, which has assets of about $75 million. A similar Simon-led investor group announced plans earlier this month to take over Honolulu Federal Savings & Loan, Hawaii’s largest thrift.