Underlings Get It at Big Bank

Banks have been accused of doing a lot of nasty things, but what Wells Fargo was accused of Thursday is particularly offensive.

Federal regulators said Wells Fargo employees trying to hit sales targets and earn bonuses opened bank and credit card accounts in customers’ names without their consent, resulting in some customers being charged fees.

Employees opened more than 2 million accounts that may not have been authorized, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which fined the bank $100 million, the largest penalty it ever has levied.

Wells Fargo also will pay a $35 million fine to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and $50 million to the city and county of Los Angeles, which sued the bank last year.