NewsNational News

Actions

John Stumpf, Wells Fargo CEO, to forfeit millions in stock

<p>As his bank weathers an ongoing scandal, Wells Fargo's CEO John Stumpf is <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-27/wells-fargo-ceo-forfeits-more-than-41-million-amid-board-review" target="_blank">forfeiting $41 million</a> in stock awards plus some salary. But it's tough to feel bad for someone who would stand to make double that even if he was fired.</p><p>Wells Fargo's former community banking chief Carrie Tolstedt will also lose out $19 million in stock. </p><p><b>SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/warren-wants-wells-fargo-ceo-to-suffer-for-account-scandal/">Warren Wants Wells Fargo CEO To Suffer For Phony Account Scandal</a></b></p><p>That money could help offset the $185 million the company agreed to pay in fines and penalties after it was caught making phony bank accounts to inflate sales numbers.</p><p>More than 5,000 employees were fired over the scandal. The company is launching <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/27/investing/wells-fargo-ceo-clawback-john-stumpf-tolstedt/" target="_blank">an internal investigation</a> about the sales culture that let employees fabricate their performance numbers.</p><p>Stumpf will also forfeit any bonuses for the year, which might be almost as painful as the tongue-lashing he got from Sen. Elizabeth Warren.</p><p>"You squeezed your employees to the breaking point so they would cheat customers and you could drive up the value of your stock and put hundreds of millions of dollars in your own pocket," <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?415547-1/ceo-john-stumpf-testifies-unauthorized-wells-fargo-accounts&start=5212" target="_blank">Warren said</a>.</p><hr><b>Trending stories at <a href="http://www.newsy.com">Newsy.com</a></b><ul class="inline-related-links"><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/tyson-recalls-132-000-pounds-of-panko-chicken-nuggets/">Tyson Just Recalled 132,000 Pounds Of Chicken Nuggets</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/uber-asks-drivers-to-take-selfies-to-secure-accounts/">Uber Is Asking Its Drivers To Take Selfies</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/videos/chipotle-releases-video-about-improved-food-safety/">Chipotle's CEO Wants You To Buy A Burrito — Like, Really Really Bad</a></li></ul>
Posted
and last updated

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wells Fargo says CEO John Stumpf and the executive who ran the bank's consumer banking division will forfeit tens of millions of dollars in bonuses as it tries to stem a scandal over its sales practices.

The board of directors at the nation's second-largest bank said Tuesday that Stumpf will forfeit $41 million in stock awards, while former retail banking executive Carrie Tolstedt will forfeit $19 million of her stock awards, effective immediately. Both are also giving up any bonuses for 2016.

The San Francisco-based bank's independent directors are also launching their own investigation.

Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $185 million to settle allegations its employees opened millions of accounts without customers' permission to reach aggressive sales targets. Stumpf has faced bipartisan outrage for his handling of the scandal.