Whistleblowers Allege FDIC Officials Are Destroying Documents Related to Operation Chokepoint 2.0: Senator Lummis

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) wants the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to secure materials that could be related to the US government’s alleged efforts to de-bank crypto firms.

In a new letter to FDIC chair Marty Gruenberg, Lummis says whistleblowers claim that the deposit insurer is destroying materials linked to its digital asset activities.

Lummis says the whistleblowers allege that FDIC officials are closely monitoring access to the materials so these do not reach the Senate. They also accuse the management of threatening some staff with legal action to prevent them from speaking out.

The letter tells Gruenberg and his staff to immediately cease and desist from destroying the materials and to end retaliatory actions.

“You are further directed to preserve all existing materials, including documents, communications, electronic information and metadata, relating to the FDIC’s digital asset activities since January 1, 2022 that may be responsive to the Senate Banking Committee’s oversight prerogatives in the coming months.”

The senator says the FDIC’s alleged efforts to destroy and conceal materials related to Operation Chokepoint 2.0 are unacceptable and illegal.

“If it is uncovered that anyone within the FDIC has knowingly destroyed materials or sought to obstruct the oversight functions of the Senate, it will result in swift criminal referrals to the U.S. Department of Justice. The American people deserve transparency, and I will see to it that they get the answers they deserve.”

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