Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    JP Morgan Chase: A Record Penalty or a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card?

    What does it take to get America's biggest bank to agree to what looks like the biggest civil penalty in American history?  Four hours before the Justice Department was planning to announce civil charges against JP Morgan Chase, the CEO Jamie Dimon called an aide to Attorney General Eric Holder.

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    What does it take to get America's biggest bank to agree to what looks like the biggest civil penalty in American history? Four hours before the Justice Department was planning to announce civil charges against JP Morgan Chase, the CEO Jamie Dimon called an aide to Attorney General Eric Holder. After five direct phone calls and a personal meeting, Dimon and Holder worked out a deal. America's biggest bank agreed to the biggest civil penalty in American history for its role in the Great Recession: $13 billion. But critics say it's not what it seems. Pension funds, retirees with 401(k)'s and even bank shareholders may not see a penny. The government still has the option of criminal prosecution, but will the real masters of Wall Street fraud ever be held accountable?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    JP Morgan's $13 Billion Deal and Accountability on Wall Street
    1. 0:00Health Secretary Sebelius Under Fire
    2. 8:15JP Morgan Chase: A Record Penalty or a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card?You’re reading this
    3. 44:11Condor Cam Goes Live in Big Sur
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Ben Protess

      New York Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Dennis Kelleher

      Better Markets

    • KCRW placeholder

      Joshua Rosner

      Graham Fisher & Company

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    JP Morgan's $13 Billion Deal and Accountability on Wall Street
    1. 0:00Health Secretary Sebelius Under Fire
    2. 8:15JP Morgan Chase: A Record Penalty or a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card?You’re reading this
    3. 44:11Condor Cam Goes Live in Big Sur
    Back to To the Point