A leading American bank has been accused of taking an unsolicited deep dive into its customer’s data, providing potentially sensitive information around the time of the tumultuous events at the Capitol – an audacious move now under the microscope of House Republicans and stirring debate about the ethical boundaries of privacy in our modern age.
In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that Bank of America has been voluntarily surrendering its customer data from the vicinity of the controversial events that unfolded at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This act of unrequested cooperation, involving divulging sensitive information about their own customers, is now under scrutiny by House Republicans and the House Judiciary Committee.
Disturbingly, there are also allegations that the bank might have provided lists of customers who legally bought firearms using their credit cards.
Representatives Jim Jordan (R-OH), the current Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have taken a stand, demanding a clear explanation from the Bank of America CEO, Brian Moynihan. In a strongly-worded letter, the congressmen declared, “We require your cooperation in investigating these facts.” They also set a stern deadline of June 8 for the bank to furnish all the details about the unauthorized disclosure of customer information.
The investigation was prompted after revelations by FBI whistleblowers Garrett O’Boyle and George Hill, who testified that Bank of America took the extraordinary step of “data-mining its customer base“. They alleged that the bank compiled lists of customers who had used their credit cards during the period of January 5 to 7, 2021 – crucially, “with no directive from the FBI”.
Their letter uncovers another alarming aspect – individuals who had legally purchased firearms at any time in the past found themselves unfairly placed at the top of this list. The letter criticized this action, stating, “This information appears to have had no individualized nexus to particularized criminal conduct, but was rather a data dump of BoA customers’ transactions over a three-day period.”
🚨 Chairmen @Jim_Jordan and @RepThomasMassie launch investigation into Bank of America voluntarily sharing customers’ private financial data with the FBI.
Read the letter ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dGVI6A49eQ
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) May 25, 2023
This uninvited intrusion into the financial transactions of customers, many of whom had no involvement whatsoever with the January 6 events, is a flagrant violation of customer privacy. What’s worse, the bank specifically targeted Americans who had legally exercised their Second Amendment rights to purchase a firearm.
This revelation comes hot on the heels of another letter addressed to FBI Director Christopher Wray, demanding an update on the January 6 pipe-bomb investigation. The letter signed by Representatives Jordan, Andy Biggs (R-AZ), and Bill Posey (R-FL) uncovered that the FBI had successfully obtained a license plate from a vehicle the suspect was seen entering.
Yet, despite having this piece of crucial evidence, a suspect has not been named. Even a former assistant FBI director was quoted as saying, “there’s just too much to work with to not know who this guy is.”
In essence, while the ordinary, law-abiding citizens are having their privacy invaded, those involved in criminal activities seem to be enjoying the luxury of time. This series of events poses a question about the priorities and the modus operandi of institutions we entrust with our data and personal information. It is a reminder of the need for constant vigilance and robust checks and balances to safeguard our privacy rights.
Source: Trendingpoliticsnews