Bank of America terminated the account of independent journalist Christina Urso without explanation.
Urso, known as Radix Vernum professionally, believes her reporting triggered the bank’s move.
“So @BankofAmerica has decided to ‘terminate’ their business relationship with me. Their ‘risk department’ made this determination for literally no reason. I have been with them for years. This is clearly because of my documentary and my critical reporting,” Urso wrote on X.
“They won’t tell me why. They won’t allow me access to my bank account or to the funds. They are telling me I will get a ‘check in the mail’ but they won’t say when I can expect it. I am traveling at the end of this month for my documentary. Now I have no funds.”
Urso explained she has a “documentary film shoot in less than 2 weeks and I have crew members I need to pay.”
She then shared a video of a bank employee informing her of the account termination.
Last month, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and 14 other Republican attorneys general sent a letter to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, alleging that the company is “de-banking” religious and conservative customers.
According to the AGs, Bank of America “appears to be conditioning access to its services on customers having the bank’s preferred religious or political views.”
The letter says that the company’s “discriminatory behavior” is a “serious threat to free speech and religious freedom, is potentially illegal, and is causing political and regulatory backlash.”
“Your bank needs to be transparent with and assure us, its shareholders, and others that it will not continue to de-bank customers for their speech or religious exercise,” the AGs wrote.
Chase Bank has also been criticized for closing the accounts of those with right-leaning political views.
American Faith reported that JPMorgan Chase terminated the account of popular natural health advocate Dr. Joseph Mercola in 2023.
Although given no reason, the accounts associated with Mercola’s company, Mercola Market, were also shut down.
“I believe they canceled all of the accounts because of Dr. Mercola’s (our employer) opinions,” said Mercola Market CEO Steven Rye. “He has carried a contradictory view throughout the COVID narrative and co-authored the best-selling book The Truth About COVID-10 which exposed the likelihood that this virus was engineered in a laboratory funded by the NIH.”