FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details 2) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Securities, at estimated fair value	$ 502,196,000	$ 533,520,000
Equity investments, at estimated fair value	185,047,000	161,621,000
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	21,694,000	23,207,000
Derivatives:
Troubled debt restructurings on a recorded investment basis	65,600,000	25,500,000
Loans held for sale, carrying value	107,395,000	128,289,000
Loans held for sale, amortized cost	53,400,000	54,400,000
Corporate Loan Held for Investment
Derivatives:
Troubled debt restructurings on a recorded investment basis	39,400,000
Allocated | Corporate Loan Held for Investment
Derivatives:
Corporate loans held for investment	19,000,000
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Other assets:
Other assets	8,287,000	16,439,000
Derivatives:
Corporate loans held for investment	5,360,906,000	5,203,763,000
Loans held for sale	107,356,000	151,327,000
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Other assets:
Other assets		338,000
Derivatives:
Corporate loans held for investment	439,559,000	627,455,000
Loans held for sale	23,364,000	43,751,000
Recurring basis | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Equity investments, at estimated fair value	28,428,000	23,790,000
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	1,651,000	1,744,000
Other assets:
Total	30,079,000	25,534,000
Liabilities:
Securities sold, not yet purchased	1,235,000	1,158,000
Derivatives:
Total	1,235,000	1,158,000
Recurring basis | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Common stock warrants
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	1,651,000	1,744,000
Recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Total securities available-for-sale	316,882,000	370,072,000
Other securities, at estimated fair value	52,966,000	34,476,000
Securities, at estimated fair value	369,848,000	404,548,000
Corporate loans, at estimated fair value	25,716,000	19,738,000
Equity investments, at estimated fair value	54,357,000	40,085,000
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	12,643,000	11,327,000
Other assets:
Other assets	406,000	319,000
Total other assets	406,000	319,000
Total	462,970,000	476,017,000
Derivatives:
Total	99,945,000	116,985,000
Total	99,945,000	116,985,000
Recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Commodity swaps
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	6,073,000	8,557,000
Derivatives:
Total	5,127,000	1,501,000
Recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Interest rate swaps
Derivatives:
Total	79,445,000	90,618,000
Recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Foreign exchange forward contracts
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	6,514,000	2,615,000
Derivatives:
Total	14,515,000	23,590,000
Recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Credit default swaps-protection sold
Derivatives:
Total derivatives		19,000
Recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Credit default swaps-protection purchased
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	56,000	136,000
Derivatives:
Total	858,000	1,276,000
Recurring basis | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Total securities available-for-sale	42,083,000	42,221,000
Other securities, at estimated fair value	3,237,000	2,909,000
Residential mortgage-backed securities	87,028,000	83,842,000
Securities, at estimated fair value	132,348,000	128,972,000
Corporate loans, at estimated fair value	17,325,000	16,141,000
Equity investments, at estimated fair value	102,262,000	97,746,000
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	7,400,000	10,136,000
Other assets:
Interests in joint ventures and partnerships	169,931,000	142,477,000
Total other assets	169,931,000	142,477,000
Total	429,266,000	395,472,000
Derivatives:
Total	231,000	285,000
Total	231,000	285,000
Recurring basis | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Foreign exchange options
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	5,581,000	8,562,000
Derivatives:
Total	231,000	285,000
Recurring basis | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Common stock warrants
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	1,819,000	1,574,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Total securities available-for-sale	358,965,000	412,293,000
Other securities, at estimated fair value	56,203,000	37,385,000
Residential mortgage-backed securities	87,028,000	83,842,000
Securities, at estimated fair value	502,196,000	533,520,000
Corporate loans, at estimated fair value	43,041,000	35,879,000
Equity investments, at estimated fair value	185,047,000	161,621,000
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	21,694,000	23,207,000
Other assets:
Interests in joint ventures and partnerships	169,931,000	142,477,000
Other assets	406,000	319,000
Total other assets	170,337,000	142,796,000
Total	922,315,000	897,023,000
Liabilities:
Securities sold, not yet purchased	1,235,000	1,158,000
Derivatives:
Total	100,176,000	117,270,000
Total	101,411,000	118,428,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Foreign exchange options
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	5,581,000	8,562,000
Derivatives:
Total	231,000	285,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Commodity swaps
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	6,073,000	8,557,000
Derivatives:
Total	5,127,000	1,501,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Common stock warrants
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	3,470,000	3,318,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Interest rate swaps
Derivatives:
Total	79,445,000	90,618,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Foreign exchange forward contracts
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	6,514,000	2,615,000
Derivatives:
Total	14,515,000	23,590,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Credit default swaps-protection sold
Derivatives:
Total derivatives		19,000
Recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value | Credit default swaps-protection purchased
Derivatives:
Total derivatives	56,000	136,000
Derivatives:
Total	858,000	1,276,000
Non-recurring basis | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Derivatives:
Corporate loans held for investment	58,423,000
Loans held for sale	50,068,000	49,521,000
Asset, fair value	108,491,000	49,521,000
Non-recurring basis | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Derivatives:
Loans held for sale	3,939,000	24,347,000
Asset, fair value	3,939,000	24,347,000
Non-recurring basis | Estimated Fair Value
Derivatives:
Corporate loans held for investment	58,423,000
Loans held for sale	54,007,000	73,868,000
Asset, fair value	$ 112,430,000	$ 73,868,000