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Wells Fargo Bank Class Action Alleges Lending Discrimination: Wells Seeks More Time to Respond to Plaintiffs’ Experts, According to Ellis George Law Firm

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SAN FRANCISCO, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., (“Wells Fargo”) has filed a legal motion seeking more time to rebut three (3) expert reports submitted by the Plaintiffs in a nationwide class action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in the bank’s mortgage lending practices against Black, Latino/Hispanic and Asian homebuyers. 

Wells Fargo states in its motion that it needs the additional time to “understand the bases for Plaintiffs’ expert opinions,” and that it will “suffer substantial harm and be materially prejudiced” if its request for an enlargement of time to respond is not granted.

The filing made on March 4 before Federal Judge James Donato in the Northern District of California  represents one of the many growing concerns on the part of Wells Fargo regarding the evidence it anticipates the Plaintiffs are likely to advance in support of their claims for as many as 750,000 potential class members.  Wells Fargo’s motion asks Judge Donato to provide it with three (3) additional weeks to respond to the Plaintiffs’ experts.

The lawsuit In Re Wells Fargo Mortgage Discrimination Litigation, Case No. 3:22-CV-00990-JD, alleges “that Black and other minority applicants had their applications intentionally and disproportionately denied, faced unjustified delays in the processing of their applications, and were given less favorable terms, which resulted in Wells Fargo systematically engaging in a new form of redlining that harmed Plaintiffs based on their race and ethnicity,” according to Dennis S. Ellis of Ellis George LLP, who was appointed by Judge Donato to lead the suit against Wells Fargo.

The lawsuit follows reporting by Bloomberg on March 10, 2022, that “Wells Fargo Denied More than Half Its Black Applicants in Refinancing Boom.”  As shown by the Bloomberg article, relying on data Wells Fargo disclosed as required by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (“HMDA”), the suit contends that at a time when millions of White Americans were able to take advantage of historically low-interest rates for home loans, Wells Fargo approved just 47% of refinance applications by Black homeowners, 53% for Hispanic and/or Latino refinance applicants, and 67% of Asian-American refinance applicants, compared with 71%, 79%, and 85% respectively for these same ethnic groups across all other lenders.

“Wells Fargo is obviously concerned with the expert evidence the Plaintiffs have submitted in support of their claims in this case, which will support  the Plaintiffs’ motion to certify a class of affected minorities who were subjected to Wells Fargo’s discriminatory lending practices,” said Ellis. 

“Wells Fargo had ample opportunity to address the effect of its lending practices and the harm it was causing as a company to hundreds of thousands of minorities, but chose to do nothing to alter its policies that were denying loans to those citizens at record disparities as opposed to White Americans.  Wells Fargo should not be afforded three (3) additional weeks to answer the Plaintiffs’ experts.  The fact that Wells Fargo years after instituting the discriminatory policies that have caused so much damage to its minority mortgage loan applicants still has no answer for its actions is appalling,”  Ellis added.

Wells Fargo, headquartered in San Francisco, is no stranger to allegations regarding its lending practices, including discrimination.  Late last year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) issued a notice to Wells Fargo regarding problems with its use of mortgage rates discounts. 

In the CFPB’s review it found “statistically significant disparities” in the rates in which Black borrowers got pricing exceptions compared with other customers.  This follows an order by the CFPB issued late last year requiring Wells Fargo to pay more than $2 billion in redress to consumers and a $1.7 billion civil penalty for legal violations across several of its largest product lines. The CFPB concluded that the bank’s illegal conduct led to billions of dollars in financial harm to its customers and, for thousands of customers, the loss of their vehicles and homes.

In response to the most recent notice from the CFPB, Wells Fargo refused to respond to the allegations specifically, and reiterated it is “proud to be the largest bank lender to minority families,” when contacted by CNBC for a response. 

Ellis states that this claim is eerily similar to what Wells Fargo has alleged in the lawsuit before Judge Donato.  “Wells Fargo claims that it is the largest bank lender to the Black community, as though that provides it with some sort of immunity for the unquestionable generational harm it has done to our community and other minorities through its lending practices.  The only thing that Wells Fargo can honestly claim being number one at during the period alleged in our lawsuit from 2018-2022, is denying more Black applicants the American dream of owning their own home by rejecting their loan applications, which we intend to prove was for discriminatory reasons.” 

Ellis states that HMDA records show Wells Fargo denied mortgage loans of more than 73,000 Black applicants during the four year period the lawsuit covers.

“Systematic racial discrimination in home ownership and financing is one of the most significant causes for the stark differences in generational wealth between Black Americans and others,” stated well-known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who serves as co-counsel on the matter.

“That Wells Fargo would continue to exhibit this kind of behavior in the 21st century is unconscionable.  This case is about justice, not only for the named plaintiffs in this case but for every Black applicant or homeowner who was turned away by Wells Fargo because of the color of their skin. There should be no further delays in our attempt to hold Wells Fargo accountable for its wrongdoing, and we will thus oppose the request,” Crump added.

The complaint can be viewed HERE.

CONTACT:
Sam Singer
Singer Associates Public Relations
singer@singersf.com
415.336.4949

Additional Legal Contacts:

Trent Copeland, Esq.
Ellis George LLP
Cell/Text: (310) 569-6232
tcopeland@ellisgeorge.com

Dennis S. Ellis, Esq.
Ellis George LLP
Cell/Text: (213) 840-5001
dellis@ellisgeorge.com|

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wells-fargo-bank-class-action-alleges-lending-discrimination-wells-seeks-more-time-to-respond-to-plaintiffs-experts-according-to-ellis-george-law-firm-302080722.html

SOURCE Ellis George LLP

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Linker Vision Announces ESG Agent to Help Cities Plan More Sustainable Urban Environments

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45 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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BERLIN, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Linker Vision announced a new ESG AI agent designed to help urban planners evaluate sustainability initiatives and make more informed decisions. By combining environmental predictions with AI reasoning, the agent assesses urban heat and shade coverage to guide tree planting and greenery management, supporting cities’ climate adaptation goals. 

Turning sustainability goals into practical decisions

Linker Vision is working with MVRDV, the Dutch architecture and urban design firm, to explore how AI can help cities assess potential interventions before making changes in the real world. MVRDV contributed scientific data, shaped the evaluation criteria the agent uses to assess planning options, and tested the ESG agent during development.

An initial application focuses on urban forests. Linker Vision is collaborating with MVRDV on a digital twin that supports predictions of urban heat island effects and shade coverage. In the pilot, the agent identifies heat hotspots, selects suitable tree species and simulates the results, projecting that shade coverage could rise from 15.7% to more than 50% within 15 years.

Building on this pilot, the approach allows a shared digital twin to support multiple planning needs, including climate adaptation and disaster resilience. Urban forest planning is available today, and going forward, the city digital twin is designed to serve as a common foundation that government agencies can build on for additional applications, such as analyzing pedestrian flows and preparing venues for major sporting events.

How it works

The workflow combines a digital twin built using 3D Gaussian Splatting with NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI technologies. NVIDIA Omniverse libraries and OpenUSD have been implemented to unify city, tree and environmental data into a single scene, while NVIDIA Nemotron reasoning models let users run planting scenarios and optimize shade through natural language. NVIDIA Metropolis Blueprint for video search and summarization (VSS) and Cosmos open world foundation model help interpret video and understand real-world conditions.

In practice, a planner asks the agent where new trees would best reduce street-level heat. The agent tests planting options and simulates shade and temperature over a 15-year timespan in minutes, and planners review the recommended plan before an urban heat hotspot project moves forward.

Designing for future generations

“Every decision about a city shapes how future generations will live,” said Paul Shieh, founder and CEO of Linker Vision. “By connecting real-world understanding with simulation and AI reasoning, we want to help cities explore what is possible and make better choices for people and the planet.”

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/linker-vision-announces-esg-agent-to-help-cities-plan-more-sustainable-urban-environments-302911111.html

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Global Startup EXPO and Nippon Startup Awards 2026: METI Showcases Japan’s Deep-tech Results

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October 19, 2026

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– GSE2026 Connects Global Venture Capitalists with Japanese Startups; Nippon Startup Awards 2026 Honors Startups Turning Innovation into Industry –

TOKYO, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From September to October 2026, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (hereinafter “METI”) held the Global Startup EXPO 2026 (hereinafter “GSE2026”) and the Nippon Startup Awards 2026, highlighting the strength and growth of Japan’s startup ecosystem. GSE2026 brought together top-tier investors, visionary startups, corporations, and key ecosystem participants from Japan and around the globe. Separately, the Nippon Startup Awards 2026 recognized remarkable innovations demonstrating Japan’s growing capacity to transform breakthrough deep-tech into real-world industrial solutions.

Expo and Awards Logos:
https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M109206/202610137787/_prw_PI1fl_JPI1sgRq.png 

Global Startup EXPO 2026 Recap

In Session: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M109206/202610137787/_prw_PI2fl_AyG90Gzn.png 

Held in Osaka from October 5 to 7, GSE2026 welcomed more than 10,000 visitors and featured over 50 conference sessions. The event served as a premier global hub, generating vital business matchmaking sessions and creating unparalleled opportunities for global investors and Japanese startups to explore strategic investments and collaborations. A major highlight of the event was the participation of prominent industry figures, including Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and Andy Rubin, co-founder of Android. Their presence underscored the increasing global interest in Japan’s dynamic tech ecosystem. Building upon this remarkable success, METI is pleased to announce that the Global Startup EXPO is planned to be held again next year.

Nippon Startup Awards 2026 Overview

Group Photo: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M109206/202610137787/_prw_PI3fl_MNvb1svB.jpg 

In a separate initiative, the 2026 Nippon Startup Awards celebrated exceptional entrepreneurial achievements, recognizing 10 outstanding companies for their innovation and impact. This press release proudly highlights two exceptional winners whose pioneering technologies are actively addressing major industrial and societal challenges both in Japan and internationally.

– Mujin (Prime Minister’s Award): Mujin was recognized for becoming the first company to globally commercialize complex motion-planning technology, an ambitious feat considered practically impossible for 50 years. By successfully developing its proprietary MujinMI technology, the company enables the automation of complex logistics and manufacturing operations. This advancement offers a highly effective solution to pressing global labor shortages.

– Regional Fish (Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award): Regional Fish was recognized for its pioneering use of genome-editing technology in aquaculture. Through its innovative approach, the company has shortened aquatic breeding cycles from approximately 30 years to just two or three years. This advancement contributes significantly to sustainable solutions for global food challenges and the revitalization of regional fisheries.

Further Information

To explore comprehensive insights from the recent global summit, please access the following link:
https://global-startup-expo.com/en/?utm_source=prwire&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=20260914&utm_content=en_url＿

For the full list of recognized companies, please visit: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2026/09/20260925002.html 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-startup-expo-and-nippon-startup-awards-2026-meti-showcases-japans-deep-tech-results-302912264.html

SOURCE Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

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PingPong continues international growth, expands into Iberia through strategic partnership with Getnet

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45 minutes ago

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October 19, 2026

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LONDON and MADRID, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PingPong , the intelligent payments infrastructure for global growth, today announces a strategic partnership with Getnet, the leading AI-payments company, part of Santander Group, to expand access to its financial infrastructure across Iberia.

The collaboration brings together two established payments businesses to deliver a stronger payment capability in the region and a simple, streamlined solution for global businesses looking to expand operations in Iberia.

Aaron Xu, General Manager, Europe and Americas at PingPong , said: “Iberia is one of Europe’s most valuable commerce markets, and the 750,000+ businesses in our network want to operate there on payment infrastructure they already trust. Our move into Iberia is the latest step in an ongoing global expansion, driven by rising customer demand and sustained investment in our international growth.”

Fabrice Mendez, Global Head of Partnerships at Getnet , said: “This partnership represents another important milestone in Getnet’s strategy to expand our open-market business across Europe while strengthening the connections between Iberia and one of the world’s fastest-growing commerce ecosystems. By combining PingPong’s strong presence across Asia with Getnet’s leadership in Europe and Latin America, we are creating new opportunities for international merchants to grow with a seamless and trusted payment experience.”

About PingPong

Founded in 2015, PingPong is a global cross-border B2B payments platform supporting over 750,000 businesses across more than 200 countries. The company annually processes over $300bn and holds 80+ financial licences worldwide. PingPong operates from 44 offices across 18 countries.

For more information, visit www.pingpongx.com.

About Santander Getnet

In 2025, Getnet processed over €238 billion across 10.5 billion transactions, serving 1.2 million clients. The company ranks as the largest acquirer in Latin America by purchase volume, and among the top 10 globally. Getnet operates across Brazil (as an e-commerce leader), Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain, and Portugal.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pingpong-continues-international-growth-expands-into-iberia-through-strategic-partnership-with-getnet-302911506.html

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