Honestly surprised it didn't happen sooner.
From his Substack:
Today my banking institution of 26 years, Citizens Bank, declared that they were ending their banking relationship with me. My accounts were zeroed out without explanation. While I may eventually see this money returned to me, the question of why this occurred remains unanswered, raising a whole host of issues related to civil liberties.I’ve been de-banked.
I recently tried to use my bank-issued debit card. I’ve used this card consistently as my go-to method of payment for years.
It was declined.
When my wife when on the online banking app we use for mobile banking, she was shocked to find that both our checking and savings account had been zeroed out.
We literally had no money.
My wife called our local branch to find out what the problem was. In the past the bank unilaterally closed the account because of suspicious activity they felt could be linked to possible identity theft. In every case, once we either confirmed or denied the validity of a flagged charge, our account was returned to its normal status.
When we tried to find out what the issue was, the bank said that there was no information on file as to why the account had been zeroed out, and that we would need to bring the issue up with corporate headquarters.
We called the number provided, only to be told that Citizens Bank had closed our accounts. We were told that Citizens Bank had sent a letter containing more information.
I rifled through a stack of unopened mail and found the letter in question. “This letter is to inform you that Citizens has elected to discontinue its account relationship with you by closing [my account] effective January 13, 2026.”
There was more. “Citizens has the contractual right to close your account at any time,” the letter declared, adding that “Citizens is under no obligation to disclose to you its reasons for closing the account. At this time therefore, Citizen’s policy prevents the disclosure of any information concerning the decision to close the accounts.”
According to a December 2024 report issued by the House Judiciary Committee, “Debanking occurs when a bank closes an individual or corporate account because the account holder, or their actions, are subjectively determined to pose a financial, legal, or reputational risk to the financial institution.”
According to this report, “The term “debanking” stems from de-risking, which involves ‘terminating or restricting business relationships with clients or categories of clients to avoid, rather than manage, risk.’”
In short, I have done nothing wrong.
My (former) bank manager agrees with me.
But something, or someone, triggered a “de-risking” concern among the corporate heads at Citizens, and they terminated our relationship.
No due process, no possibility of appeal.
One doesn’t begin to comprehend just how dependent we are on the digital economy until it is taken away from you.
All my family’s bills are paid electronically, drawing on funds that used to exist in the accounts that no longer exist.
My debit card was my wallet.
Cash was the stuff I carried with me to Russia, because my American digital financial profile doesn’t work in Russia.
When you are “de-banked”, you are literally disconnected from the modern world.
And because they took my money, I don’t even have the possibility of falling back on cash reserves.
…
But through my persistence, I was able to get Citizens to inform me that the enforcement action was taken by the Priority Response team within Citizens, which deals with governmental relations.
The Feds were behind this.
Now this is where it gets curious.
The Northern District of New York empaneled a Grand Jury targeting me back in August 2024.
The Grand Jury can issue subpoenas of all my banking information, and there is no doubt in my mind that this was done.
The entire SAR process becomes moot at this juncture, because the Justice Department has complete access to every transaction I made, and make, for as long as the Grand Jury is empaneled, which is usually between 18-24 months.
When the FBI raided the home of Dmitri Simes back in September 2024, they also froze his bank accounts. Simes and his wife had been accused of evading sanctions and money laundering, and the accounts linked to this alleged behavior were frozen.
When the FBI raided my home in August 2024, they made no move against my banking accounts because, simply put, there was no reason to. I know they subpoenaed my tax and banking records, and because I know what I have done, I know that there was no evidence of any criminal activity derived from either investigation.
When the FBI began returning my seized belongings in July 2025, it looked as if their interest in me was fading. I told them of my planned trip to Russia in August, and they indicated that they had no concerns.
Now, the FBI can and does lie, but in general if illegal activity is identified they quickly move to shut it down and hold the accused accountable.
I have done nothing illegal.
And my accounts have not been seized through any legal action on the part of the Federal government, but rather the unilateral action of Citizens Bank.
But this does not preclude federal involvement.
Some background:
When I resigned from the United Nations Special Commission in August 1998, the CIA Station Chief in New York informed me that the FBI was going to “fuck me in my ass” for the rest of my life.
…
I call upon Paul Tonko to inquire into the reason why I was “de-banked”, with the specific request to find out if the Priority Response team at Citizens Bank had received any tips from federal law enforcement that prompted their investigation.
I call upon Kash Patel to investigate the FBI’s National Security Division to find out what, if any, contact was made by FBI personnel and Citizens Bank regarding my financial activity, and to hold those personnel accountable who are using federal law enforcement as a means of punishing Americans for exercising their First Amendment rights.
And I call upon my supporters and the American public at large to not be silent about this action. Write letters to Paul Tono. Write letters to Kash Patel. Write letters to Citizens Bank. Make your voice heard.
Because if they can de-bank me, they can de-bank anyone.
read more:
https://scottritter.substack.com/p/de-banked