The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's former examiner-in-charge for Wells Fargo & Co. allegedly told the company of an investigation before being given clearance to disclose it.
The investigation was being conducted at the time by the U.S. Treasury Department's inspector general, American Banker reported March 9, citing a partially redacted copy of the inspector general's report. The report also notes, however, that the OCC has no "clear guidelines" on what an examiner-in-charge may divulge. In addition, the supposedly sensitive information may have been revealed by other senior OCC employees or was already known to the public.
The name of the examiner-in-charge was redacted from the report, but the Banker points out it used to be Bradley Linskens. In fact, the OCC stripped him of his supervisory powers and requested a probe by the Treasury inspector general into inappropriate disclosures. Linskens has since sued the OCC for access to documents related to his removal.
