The agency combed through the policies and individual account-closing decisions at nine banks, alleging discrimination, mostly against conservatives. The CFPB also said it would investigate.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on Wednesday followed through on its promise to show proof that nine banks under its purview held “policies or practices” between 2020 and 2025 that “may have required, encouraged or otherwise influenced” debanking on the basis of customers’ political or religious leanings.
The regulator last December called out JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citi, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, PNC, Capital One, TD and BMO in a preliminary report on debanking.
Wednesday’s 47-page follow-up “provides irrefutable evidence that the nation’s largest banks have denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses,” Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said in a statement. “Americans should have access to financial services regardless of their beliefs, affiliations or political views. Fair access to financial services is not a mantra – it is a mandate.”
Several of the banks named in the report – JPMorgan, Bank of America, U.S. Bank and Capital One, in particular – told investors over the past year that they were “responding” to requests from federal agencies regarding discontinuation of financial services against certain customers.
JPMorgan Chase on Wednesday said its policies prohibit discrimination based on political or religious views. The OCC’s report cites “a limited number of historical interactions,” the bank asserted, adding it has “improved the way we do business.”
“We agree with the administration on a broader point: years of operating in a regulatory environment that often second-guessed decisions contributed to a culture of caution across the banking industry,” JPMorgan said in a statement to Bloomberg .
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