The former Palm Beach Wells Fargo branch manager says she noticed that several bank employees had opened multiple unnecessary and undocumented bank accounts. The accounts were not properly documented, funded or utilized by customers. Additional research into the matter revealed that multiple accounts for minors with no identification were also being opened regularly.

This practice is specifically prohibited as a direct violation of the Patriot Act.

According to the Wells Fargo Patriot Act lawsuit, the Plaintiff was punished after telling her supervisor about the violations by being put on over-hire status, which meant she was only allowed to fill in when necessary between eight offices in the Palm Beach County district. She claims that while floating between the Wells Fargo offices that the violations continued.

In August, the bank manager’s employment was terminated. 

An attorney representing the woman says she was terminated “because she refused to commit illegal and unethical acts in violation of the U.S. anti-terrorist laws… She determined that Wells Fargo may have a financial incentive to opening accounts in violation of the law.”

Under whistleblower protection laws, an employee cannot be fired for reporting illegal or unethical acts of his or her company.

“This case will force Wells Fargo to reevaluate the way they open new bank accounts, and it will stop them from continuing to violate the Patriot Act disclosure requirements,” said the employee’s lawyer. “It will also send a message to other banking institutions to check their procedures on opening new bank accounts, so they comply with the law."