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HSBC hidden holding companies exposed

On the legal front it appears as though HSBC USA and HSBC North America Holdings have some explaining to do. In a recent court document it was discovered that the are actual two additional holding companies as part of HSBC in the United States. Why is that?

There are actually two additional US holding […]

Massachusetts accuses Block of deceptive mortgages

In a deal that brings back memories of predatory lending at Household International, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley on Tuesday accused defunct subprime lender Option One Mortgage Corp. of using deceptive and discriminatory lending practices while under the ownership of H&R Block. The complaint filed in Suffolk Superior Court alleges that No. 1 U.S. […]

Refund loans see Block borrowing from HSBC Finance

H&R Block Inc on Wednesday said its Block Financial LLC unit obtained a $3 billion credit line from HSBC Finance Corp, which will be used to fund loans for some taxpayers who expect refunds. Just last week we reported that the IRS says such loans can perpetuate fraud. For two companies that […]

HSBC may lose tax refund loan business

On one hand HSBC spokesman Michael Trevino said tax refund loans “represents a very small portion’’ of HSBC’s revenue. On the other hand such loans represent bad publicity for HSBC, with interest rates sometimes over 100 percent. Lawsuits such as Carnegie vs Household, paid by HSBC in 2007, cast HSBC in a bad […]

Has HSBC poisoned U.S. economic growth?

Carrick MollenKamp of the Wall Street Journal follows HSBC closely. His recent article “HSBC a canary in US mortgage mine” appeared on 12 November. It is interesting to note that HSBC helped to start the entire worldwide credit crisis. “…HSBC said souring sub-prime-mortgage loans had forced the bank to add nearly $US2 […]

Cerberus and HSBC Finance Corporation

Cerberus Capital Management LP is one of the largest private equity investment firms in USA. Cerberus Capital Management LP bought 80-percent of Chrysler Group for 7.4-billion dollars. The deal unwinds a 1998 merger. DaimlerChrysler will change its name to Daimler AG. Chrysler will become Chrysler Holding LLC. Under the deal, Daimler will […]

HSBC’s Best Buy Alters Racketeering Case Documents

Many suspect a racketeering case will eventually include electronics retailer Best Buy and HSBC. At issue is ongoing compensation to Best Buy due to payments HSBC says are “late” when in fact they are not. However, Best Buy is already wrapped up in a racketeering case, this time with Microsoft. In the […]

Sub Prime Mortages put H&R Block in Hole

HSBC’s high interest tax loan partner H&R Block Inc. lost $156.5 million during its second quarter, nearly twice its loss from a year ago, primarily because of weaker results in its mortgage business.

The Kansas City-based company said it continues to weigh a sale or spinoff of its Option One Mortgage business, which makes home loans […]

H&R Block Inc makes changes after lawsuit

H&R Block Inc. on Tuesday announced that it will change its refund-anticipation loan program to make sure customers fully understand it and realize their debts could affect their loan. The changes to the program, in which H&R Block lends customers the money they expect to receive from a tax refund, comes two […]

Challenges mount against HSBC refund-anticipation loans

Most sued and former executive of HSBC and CEO of predatory lender Household International William F. Aldinger III once boasted that his company ‘invented tax refund loans’ - and they are proud of it. Household, and later HSBC, partnered with H&R Block. H&R Block CEO Mark Ernst appeared eager to turn the […]