Business
Bank of America Stops Handling Wikileaks Payments
- Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:32am by
Scott Baker
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bank of America says it will no longer process transactions for the website Wikileaks, following similar actions by several other financial institutions.
The bank said in a statement that it believes that site “may be engaged in activities that are, among other things, inconsistent with our internal policies for processing payments.”
It joins financial institutions including MasterCard and PayPal that have stopped handling payments for the site.
Reached by phone, Bank of America spokesman Scott Silvestri declined further comment to The Associated Press.
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sdparker
Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:29pmI’d like to know more of the information being leaked, it sounds worthy of knowing. Perhaps it is unethical to post it for all to see, however its content is telling of those who may need to be be exposed.
Report Post »Classified military information should never be revealed, however anything else may be put to good use. Obama will want to limit the internet over it, though it won’t stop a hacker from getting through. Beware of over-reactions within the current administration.
deadbroke
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 9:40pmEveryone knows that BOA is such a moral company and such a great corporate citizen that it just decided to stop these transactions without any outside influence. If anyone things that these finance companies are doing “freezing out” wikileaks out of some sense of patriotism or moral obligation, call me, I’ve got some stuff to sell you.
Report Post »temple62
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 4:43pmA case of the “pot calling the kettle black”! Today, Bank of America is being sued by the state of Arizona accusing it of defrauding mortgage customers. In a complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, the state charges the bank, the largest servicer of home loans in Arizona.
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 4:29pmI agree with his releasing of information…. IF he had obtained such information from legal means, but he knowingly has been taking and using stolen property, morals don’t come into play, big bad govt doesn’t come into play, none of it comes into play except the core principle that he took and published knowing stolen materials…
If these were stolen credit card numbers from a company and he posted them up for all to see, so that people could see transactions, who’s buying stuff, from where, how much they owe, its all about free speech, right???? Its stolen information and maybe it won’t hurt most, but it is hurting some and it is not his place to take and publish stolen property, it is not his.
If a hacker got into your computer, stolen everything – personal emails, passwords, telephone#’s, letters you wrote, personal photo’s and published them, its the same thing – except now you can understand it from a personal level…
I agree with his idea’s and Free Speech is a great thing and is a God given right to all of us, and no one, no govt, no UN can and should ever take it away, restrict it, Net Neutrality “Neuter” it or otherwise…
He should however, have gotten it through FOI and other legal means, his cause his just, the materials he’s publishing are the tainted part of his cause…
I still have a very bad feeling this whole Cpl Manning having the keys to the cookie jar and so easily stealing all of this, just doesn’t add up, its too easy, something is not right and then these confidential docs are published, now the FCC wants to restrict internet usage, the UN wants global control over the Internet…
The Internet is free because of the Free Market, look at govt controlled Internets – China, Iran — you want THAT kind of Internet coming to a country near you?!?!? THAT is what they are trying to do and I am beginning to believe this whole Wikileaks—Manning “Incident” is a well orchestrated artificial disaster, and you can’t let a good disaster go to waste as one Obama crony is fond of saying…
How better to take over the Internet, then to cause a global information incident…
Think about it… what is the other hand doing right now…
Report Post »swega
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 3:51pmThis is about the only thing I like about BofA.
Report Post »djwolf76
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:51pmI am not one for paranoia, but I DO have a mortgage with BOA. I know BOA are a bunch of crooks by the way my mortgage was handled ever since it was transferred from countrywide and had many, many issues and problems. Now, could Wikileaks have documents on EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS A MORTGAGE WITH BOA? This almost sounds like blackmail to me.
Report Post »Ashrak
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:42pmFolks, the whole wikileaks deal is a contrived effort to support government “authority” and “regulation” of the internet.
Do Not Fall For It.
Report Post »freespeech4all
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:29pmWhat Wikileaks is doing is attacking the DIME. The acronym is “DIME” — a quick verbal coin for the four elements of national power: “Diplomatic,“ ”Information,“ ”Military“ and ”Economic” power.
He attacked the military but due to the ongoing threats of the Jihads, N Korea, etc this had little effect in changing policies. He attacked diplomacy but so far the cables contain old news and gossip. Now he wants to attack BofA with old memos of their recent difficulties. He also ‘thinks’ he has won the information war.
The bottom line is this guy’s motives are very clear to see. He wants to bring America down just for the glory of doing so. The real winners is his sponsors who stand to add to their billions by wrecking the US economy. It is all about money. But I rather trust capitalism then this shady, greedy group of old men.
Report Post »William_Wallace
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:12pmI can’t wait to see the leaks about BoA. They must be getting scared!
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:00pmno right or wrong with this bunch —JUST MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY— bofa
Report Post »Ashrak
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 12:45pmBanks turns their back on Wikileaks but continues with the likes of Worldbank.
This just proves that all of these businesses COULD stop all facilitation of international banking with rogue nations like Iran, DPRK, Syria or any of a whole host of others.
It is timeto stop using the numbers on the plastic cards and stop using worthless paper. It is time for us to use coins coins coins!
Report Post »PatriotsCause
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 12:08pmBank of America, another fine upstanding financial institution…
They’ve had their own share of being in the bad spotlight, maybe they are only trying to appease the masses!
Report Post »sodizzy
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 7:12pmSo? let them appease us!! I’ll keep my account there a while longer.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 12:03pmCorrect me if I‘m wrong but Isn’t BoA on the HOTT SEAT with documents that Wikileaks are threating to release? I heard a comment made that BoA executives were lawyering UP.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 12:12pmI think you are correct…they may want to avoid a “run on their stock”…hummmm
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 12:44pm@ AZDEBI, there stock is just about worthless as GM (Government Motors)
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:37pmExactly and I hope they release them real soon.
Report Post »Mark
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:55pmYeah that was last week or early Monday this week. Makes you wonder if George Soros is wanting to take down BofA because it would precipitate riots in the streets like they have in the EU. That is one point in trying to take down the Economy of any country is to go after peoples money…
Report Post »cykonas
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:54amHmmm, what makes me think there is more here than is stated?
Report Post »Rn mom
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:52amAssange should have expected to be treated like a terrorist, after 9/11 we put regs in place to freeze the accounts of terrorists. If the money doesn’t circulate back to wikileaks, it makes it harder for him to terrorize our government with his leaks. Now the banks are on the chopping block- from his threats- of course they will try to stop him.
Report Post »Alan Kellogg
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 1:40amI have some bad news for you, Wikileak’s accounts have not been frozen, nor have they been declared a terrorist organization, or indeed any sort of criminal enterprise at all. Unless and until that happens any donation remains legal. What Bank of America, and other parties, has done is in my considered opinion highly illegal and open to legal sanctions. In short, as far as I can see certain parties have opened themselves to legal action and face substantial legal penalties.
To put this simply, no one has the right to tell you how you may spend your money, so long as you spend it legally. And as far as I know, donating to Wikileaks remains legal.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:52amWikileaks isn‘t for people’s personal foibles – it’s about malfeasance by those in power.
Wonder if B of A merely has the inside scoop and Wikileaks is about to be declared official terrorists.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:43amAssange / Wikileaks doesn’t do business with Bank of America, and likely never has.
Bank of America did not close a bank account (like the swiss postbank) or terminated a payment processing contract (like Paypal, Visa and Mastercard), it stops transferring money to other banks. So anybody with a Bank of America account is no longer allowed to transfer his money to another bank account without “moral approval” of the BoA?
Report Post »Gas137
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:59amGood point. But, your assumption that this is an action that will become a general policy on other “moral” issues is not necessarily valid.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 12:28pmThey were processing transactions for them.
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 1:17pmPlease read before you post. BofA said ” Bank of America says it will no longer process transactions for the website Wikileaks, following similar actions by several other financial institutions”
that simply means they will no longer do any “TRANSACTIONS” associated with the filth at Wikileaks. Perhaps that is offensive to you that they chose not to have any association with scum but for many of us it is a good thing to see them do what is right and set profits on the back burner for a change.
Report Post »deadbroke
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 10:09pmAgain, to think that BOA is doing this out of some moral obligation is asinine. Bank of America has proven time and again that it has NO moral compass. It is doing this for some reason unknown to us.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 1:17amI could really not care any less about your perception of the past dealings of BOA in the context of this issue. They did the right thing in this situation both from a moral standpoint, and likely a legal and business standpoint as well. Their motivation is really irrelevant to me.
I’ll question motives when somebody or some entity is doing something underhanded or untoward.
Report Post »umcanes
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 2:49pmA missing point in most Leaks-related disucssions: WikiLeaks is dealing with illegally acquired goods (in this case, information, emails, memos, etc.). WikiLeaks has the right to whatever opinion they want promote, just as financial institutions have the right to not deal with WikiLeaks. What no one has the right to do is use/purchase/acquire goods that are known to have been illegally acquired. For example, you do not have the right to buy a brand new Armani wardrobe from the back of a van for $100 a suit – a practice that has gotten some south Florida gov’t officials in trouble in the past… ;-)
Report Post »Bad Thunder
Posted on December 18, 2010 at 11:43amI drank so much last night that I had wikileaks……
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