Regions Financial (RF) to Pay $4.9M Over Ineligible PPP Loan Forgiveness

Regions Financial (RF) will pay $4.92 million to settle allegations from the Justice Department regarding the improper approval of loan forgiveness on an ineligible PPP loan in 2021. The bank processed over 75,000 PPP loans during the pandemic but disagrees with the DOJ's claims about the specific loan. This settlement is part of a broader crackdown by the DOJ on SBA lenders for PPP compliance failures. The allegations point to the potential for significant scrutiny of pandemic-era lending practices, with the PPP fraud cases under ongoing investigation by federal prosecutors.