In Julian Assange's Nov. 29, 2010 interview with Forbes magazine, he indicated that he had information on a major US bank, to be released early this year. He did not specify the Bank of America, but they have been preparing anyway. The NY Times writes:
Since then, a team of 15 to 20 top Bank of America officials, led by the chief risk officer, Bruce R. Thompson, has been overseeing a broad internal investigation — scouring thousands of documents in the event that they become public, reviewing every case where a computer has gone missing and hunting for any sign that its systems might have been compromised.
In addition to the internal team drawn from departments like finance, technology, legal and communications, the bank has brought in Booz Allen Hamilton, the consulting firm, to help manage the review. ...
“This is a significant moment, and Bank of America has to get out in front of it,” said Richard S. Levick, a veteran crisis communications expert. “Corporate America needs to look at what happens here, and how Bank of America handles it.” ...
Last month, the bank bought up Web addresses that could prove embarrassing to the company or its top executives in the event of a large-scale public assault, but a spokesman for the bank said the move was unrelated to any possible leak.
Booz Allen Hamilton, who has been brought in "to help manage the review" is one of the largest and most controversial US intelligence contractors.
With revenues of $3.7 billion in 2005, Booz Allen is one of the nation's biggest defense and intelligence contractors. Under McConnell's watch, Booz Allen has been deeply involved in some of the most controversial counterterrorism programs the Bush administration has run, including the infamous Total Information Awareness data-mining scheme. As a key contractor and advisor to the NSA, Booz Allen is almost certainly participating in the agency's warrantless surveillance of the telephone calls and e-mails of American citizens.
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Hiring a Proffesional lier...
Folks:
It's pretty easy to see how Bank of America is dealing with this situation. Even before the supposed leak they are 'scouring' potential documents so that they can have their spin (read lies) lined up. Increasing security is no longer an option when one well placed person with a conscience can undo them.
These well meaning individuals have always been around and some have risked everything to bring about justice. Two things have changed. We have the means these days to actually get away with being a whistle blower. We also have alternatives to a spineless public press that has the same sense of ethics as the whistle blower.
They make good partners as we have most recently seen.
Also, Bank of America is large and slow with their moves more or less out in the open. When Julian Assange says, "we've got some nasty info on a bank..." he may be casting out a line to see who bites. The small number of Wikileaks members responsible for the release of the data can make lightning fast decisions based on who bites and how their prey plays the line. If Wikileaks saw some attempt by their target to reform and restructure they may decide to 'reward' the bank by simply choosing not to disclose some or all of the data AT THIS TIME...
Whatever is going on here, not a war per se, it's pretty asymmetrical... and The Bank of America is going down the wrong road. Don't they see that they've already lost?
Silencing Bank Whistle Blowers
Ever wonder why you don't hear more from bank whistle blowers?
Bank whistle blowers are routinely silenced in America, major media outlets are unwilling to risk loss of advertising revenue to report these stories.
This article describes how it is being done - with major U.S. National Security contractors working for the banks that once employed the whistle blowers.
My experience - 20 years senior level management and technology consulting with a major Southeastern bank that lost three Executive Vice Presidents during a major Securities and Exchange Commission examination of accounting irregularities - see:
http://www.reportingwrongdoing.com/help-a-whistleblower.html
Reporting Wrongdoing Should NOT Ruin Your Life!