Merger Application by First National Bank of Omaha to Buy Blue Ridge Opposed by FFW

Merger Application by First National Bank of Omaha to Buy Blue Ridge Opposed by FFW by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack FEDERAL COURT, June 19 – How automatic do banks now think merger approvals are? How automatic does the OCC make them? There is a new test case, before the OCC, to which Fair Finance Watch has filed: a timely comment opposing the Application by First National Bank of Omaha to acquire Blue Ridge Bank and Trust, which appears on the OCC's website with a comment period running though July 10. This comment is timely.       The applicant First National Bank of Ohama in 2023 in Illinois made 562 mortgage loans to whites and only TEN to African Americans. In 2024 it got worse: 591 loans to whites (more than in 2023) and only FIFVE to African America (less, 50% less, than in 2023). Public hearing are needed.    First National Bank of Ohama in 2023 in Colorado made 827 mortgage loans to whites and only SIX to African Americans. Loans to African Americans fell to THREE in 2024.    These practices should not be allowed to expand.  The OCC should inquire and disclose if any branches would be closed if it were to approval this proposal.    See also, for the record on the application: "The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has ordered First National Bank of Omaha to provide $27.75 million in relief to roughly 257,000 consumers harmed by illegal practices with credit card add-on products. The bank used deceptive marketing to lure consumers into debt cancellation add-on products and it charged consumers for credit monitoring services they did not receive. First National Bank of Omaha will also pay a $4.5 million civil money penalty to the CFPB."   This acquisition proposal should be denied.  Inner City Press is requesting an extension of the public comment period, public / virtual evidentiary hearings and that, on the current record, the applications not be approved. We intend to comment further once the 2025 data belatedly becomes available and searchable on the CFPB's website.      FFW and Inner City Press have been deeply concerned about the rush by the OCC's to rubber-stamp mergers by redliners, money launderers and predatory lenders.  No response yet on Column NA fintech scam petition. There will be more coming. *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com SDNY Press Room 500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com