WFC Wells Fargo and Company

By Emily Glazer 

The former Office of the Comptroller of the Currency examiner overseeing Wells Fargo & Co. is suing the regulator for allegedly violating a Freedom of Information Act request made seeking records over his administrative leave.

Bradley Linskens, who was until recently the so-called examiner in charge of Wells Fargo, sued the OCC this week for allegedly violating his request seeking documents and communications relating to his being placed on administrative leave in April and removal of Wells Fargo responsibilities.

An OCC spokesman declined to comment on personnel matters. A lawyer for Mr. Linskens declined to comment beyond the lawsuit, which was filed on May 16 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Mr. Linskens initially sought records from the agency through the FOIA but the OCC has yet to produce them or give an estimated date of when it may produce them, according to the lawsuit.

The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets reported in early April that Mr. Linskens was no longer in his position as examiner in charge of Wells Fargo but it was unclear why the change was made. Mr. Linskens is still an employee of the OCC, according to the lawsuit.

The OCC and other bank regulators have been under fire from politicians and the public over Wells Fargo's sales practices scandal that went on for several years.

Mr. Linskens was responsible for day-to-day supervision of Wells Fargo and held the role for several years. He was rewarded at the OCC as recently as January 2016 when he received the top award for examiners.

Write to Emily Glazer at emily.glazer@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 18, 2017 11:28 ET (15:28 GMT)

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