Big Fraud: Wells Fargo
30. 9. 2016 - / Articles
Začiatkom septembra americké regulačné autority vyrubili tretej najväčšej americkej banke Wells Fargo pokutu vo výške 185 miliónov dolárov za to, že jej zamestnanci od roku 2011 otvorili viac ako jeden a pol milióna bežných účtov a 565-tisíc kartových účtov bez súhlasu klientov.
Konkrétne údaje sú výsledkom auditu, ktorý banke spracovala poradenská spoločnosť, no podľa médií až po tom, čo hlavný prokurátor v Los Angeles Mike Feuer banku žaloval za vytváranie podvodných kont.
Vedenie Wells Fargo, ktorej najväčším akcionárom je investičná skupina Berkshire Hathaway miliardára Warrena Buffetta, na zistenia auditu reagovalo tak, že prepustilo približne 5 300 zamestnancov, zväčša telerov či radových zamestnancov. Tí podľa výkonného riaditeľa banky Johna Stumpfa morálne zlyhali, pričom odmietol, že šlo o všeobecne akceptované praktiky.
Podľa bývalých zamestnancov bankári otvárali podvodné účty preto, aby splnili nereálne obchodné plány. Tí, ktorí sa na tom odmietli podieľať a plán nesplnili, boli prepustení. Banka sa zbavila dokonca aj takých pracovníkov, ktorí na nekalé praktiky dlho upozorňovali interné kontrolné orgány.
V súčasnosti Wells Fargo čelí žalobe nielen od bývalých zamestnancov a klientov, ktorých identitu banka zneužila a ktorým dokonca účtovala neoprávnené poplatky. Ale aj od investorov, ktorí prišli o časť investícií, keď sa akcie banky po prevalení škandálu oslabili zhruba o 10%, v dôsledku čoho sa trhová kapitalizácia spoločnosti znížila zhruba o 24 miliárd dolárov.
ZAUJÍMAVÉ LINKY:
5,300 Wells Fargo employees fired over 2 million phony accounts [CNNMoney, 9.9.2016]: “Employees went so far as to create phony PIN numbers and fake email addresses to enroll customers in online banking services.”
Senator questions Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf at Banking Committee Hearing [YouTube, 20.9.2016]: "You have not resigned, you have not returned a single nickel of your personal earnings, you have not fired a single senior executive and instead, evidently, your definition of accountable is to push the blame to your low level employees who do not have the money for a fancy PR firm to defend themselves. It's a gutless leadership."
FROM: WELLS FARGO, RE: CLOSING THE ACCOUNTS WE SECRETLY OPENED FOR YOU [The New Yorker, 21.9.2016]: "But, economic jargon aside, we at Wells Fargo have sure learned a valuable lesson. We must do everything in our power to regain your trust—only then can we once again earn your money and put it toward even greater, more convoluted fraudulent operations for maximum profit. We were caught this time, and we’ll do our damnedest not to get caught again. That’s a Wells Fargo promise."
I called the Wells Fargo ethics line and was fired [CNNMoney, 21.9.2016]: "Bado not only refused orders to open phony bank and credit accounts. The New Jersey man called an ethics hotline and sent an email to human resources in September 2013, flagging unethical sales activities he was being instructed to do. Eight days after that email, a copy of which CNNMoney obtained, Bado was terminated. The stated reason? Tardiness."
Former employees file class action against Wells Fargo [Reuters, 24.9.2016]: "Wells Fargo knew that their unreasonable quotas were driving these unethical behaviors that were used to fraudulently increase their stock price and benefit the CEO at the expense of the low level employees."
Wells Fargo Sued by Shareholders Over Cross-Selling Scandal [Bloomberg, 26.9.2016]: „The San Francisco-based bank duped investors for years about its fraudulent practice of cross-selling financial products and misrepresented the success of its model, according to the complaint filed Monday in San Francisco federal court.“
Wells Fargo’s Reaction to Scandal Fails to Satisfy Angry Lawmakers [The New York Times, 29.9.2016]: „One by one, Democrats and Republicans alike took turns ripping apart Mr. Stumpf and what took place at the bank he leads. They denounced the actions as “theft,” “a criminal enterprise,” identity fraud, an outrage and a devastating blow to the entire banking industry.“
Wells Fargo Troubles Mount With Penalty for Soldiers’ Loans [Bloomberg, 29.9.2016]: “Wells Fargo Bank unlawfully repossessed hundreds of servicemembers’ cars without the proper process, and the bank will now rightfully pay for its violations.”
Wells Fargo plans to eliminate sales goals sooner than planned [Reuters, 28.9.2016]: “The penalties represent one of the biggest financial sanctions ever levied against a major bank boss and mark a sharp change from a few years ago when no CEO had to give back a bonus despite scandals at large banks.”
