Strategic Insights into Banking & Fintech

Block to pay at least $130M to resolve issue with CFPB

Block to pay at least $130M to resolve issue with CFPB

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Block, which operates Cash App, to refund customers $75 million to $120 million and pay a $55 million fine to the bureau's victims' relief fund. The CFPB said in a press release that it had determined that Block had weak security protocols for Cash App that put users at risk. “Cash App created the conditions for fraud to proliferate on its popular payment platform,”

January 16, 2025
Capital One, BOK Financial working through systems outages

Capital One, BOK Financial working through systems outages

Some customers at Capital One Financial in McLean, Va., and BOK Financial in Tulsa, Okla., have experienced issues accessing their accounts. Capital One acknowledged following social media complaints that it had experienced a "tech outage" that impacted "a variety of functions." Downdetector.com, a site that tracks user complaints about digital services, reported that 2,000 reports began coming in around 6 a.m. EST on Thursday. The frequency of reports began to

January 16, 2025
First National Bank of Bellvue in Ohio begins CEO search

First National Bank of Bellvue in Ohio begins CEO search

First Bancshares in Bellevue, Ohio, has begun a search for its next CEO. The parent company of the $306 million-asset First National Bank of Bellevue said that Dean Miller plans to retire as president by the end of this year. The company hired York and Associates to help find Miller's successor. Miller plans to stay on the company's board as executive chairman.

January 16, 2025
Block to pay $80M fine, address BSA compliance concerns

Block to pay $80M fine, address BSA compliance concerns

Block will pay an $80 million fine to settle claims by 48 state regulators that the fintech behind Cash App violated the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws. The company will also take corrective action to address the violations, including hiring an independent consultant to review the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of its BSA/AML program. The company has nine months to submit a report to the states, which include Arkansas, California,

January 15, 2025
Palmetto State Bank in S.C. selects insider as its new CEO

Palmetto State Bank in S.C. selects insider as its new CEO

Palmetto State Bank in Hampton, S.C., has a new leader. The $597 million-asset bank promoted Andy Westbrook to serve as its CEO. Westbrook, who was president and chief operating officer, will remain president. "With a wealth of experience in financial management and strategic planning, Andy brings invaluable expertise to our leadership team," the bank said in a LinkedIn post. "His dedication to excellence and deep understanding of the industry will

January 15, 2025
OCC fines three former Wells Fargo execs a total of $18.5 million

OCC fines three former Wells Fargo execs a total of $18.5 million

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has fined three former Wells Fargo executives an aggregate of $18.5 million tied to the San Francisco company's 2016 fake-accounts scandal. The OCC fined Claudia Russ Anderson, Wells' former community bank group risk officer, $10 million and issued her a lifetime ban from working in the banking industry. The regular claimed that she failed, from 2013 to 2016, to credibly challenge an

January 15, 2025
Franklin Financial in Pa. hires banking veteran as next CEO

Franklin Financial in Pa. hires banking veteran as next CEO

Franklin Financial Services in Chambersburg, Pa., has selected its next CEO. The $2.2 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing that Craig Best had become its president. He will succeed the retiring Timothy Henry as CEO on April 29. Best, who stepped down as CEO at Peoples Financial Services last month, will join Franklin's board. He will receive a $523,000 annual salary and up to $50,000 in relocation expenses.

January 15, 2025
JPMorgan Chase shifts exec roles ahead of Pinto’s retirement

JPMorgan Chase shifts exec roles ahead of Pinto’s retirement

JPMorgan Chase in New York is shuffling managerial chairs before Daniel Pinto retires. The company said in a press release that Pinto will step down as president and chief operating officer on June 30. He will remain vice chairman until he fully retires at the end of 2026. Jennifer Piepszak will become COO. She is co-CEO of the commercial and investment bank. Doug Petno, co-head of global banking, will succeed

January 14, 2025