U.S. preparing civil charges against Citigroup, Merrill Lynch: sources

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters



BY ARUNA VISWANATHA AND EMILY FLITTER
Tue Dec 17, 2013 5:54pm EST

(Reuters) - The Justice Department is preparing to file civil fraud charges against Citigroup Inc and Bank of America's Merrill Lynch unit over their sale of flawed mortgage securities ahead of the financial crisis, according to people familiar with the probes.

Civil investigators have compiled evidence that allegedly shows that investors lost tens of billions of dollars after purchasing securities Citigroup had marketed as safe even though the bank had reason to believe otherwise, one person said.

An investigation into the mortgage securities marketed by Merrill Lynch, which Bank of America agreed to acquire at the height of the crisis in 2008, is also close to completion, two other people said.

Probes against Royal Bank of Scotland and Credit Suisse are also underway and progressing, according to another two people familiar with those cases. Representatives for all four banks declined to comment.

:::snip:::

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/17/us-usa-doj-banks-idUSBRE9BG1DG20131217

[Vincardog]

1. civil fraud charges = no jail for anyone

[tularetom]

2. What's next, a strongly worded letter?

These people need to be in fucking jail.

[1000words]

5. The comfy chair!

[tazkcmo]

3. uh oh

The share holders in these companies will be outraged by the miniscule settlement that will be negotiated.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Notice that when the home buyers got shafted

Just Us dept did not blink.
Now that big money investors are complaining..

and a more apt charge would be RICO violations, but that would be a criminal charge.
Ain't gonna happen.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. So, Citi and ML must not be part of "the Family."