Court filing
Exhibit 17 — In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation (Dkt. 386-6, S.D. Cal. No. 3:21-md-02992)
Filed December 2, 2024 in In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation; one of 1415 filings from this case.
Record facts
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California |
|---|---|
| Filed | 2024-12-02 |
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California · No. 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB · Doc. 386-6 · 2024-12-02 · Docket on CourtListener
Full text
Exhibit 17
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB Document 386-6 Filed 12/02/24 PageID.20602
Page 1 of 22
1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
2
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
3
IN RE: BANK OF AMERICA ) Case No.:
4
CALIFORNIA UNEMPLOYMENT ) 3:21-md-02992-LAB-MSB
BENEFITS LITIGATION )
5
)
This Document Relates to )
6
All Actions )
)
7
____________________________)
8
9
10
11
VIDEOTAPED 30(b)(6) DEPOSITION OF
12
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
13
by its designee: MICHAEL LETSON
14
9:20 a.m.
15
Friday, February 16, 2024
16
(Taken by Plaintiffs)
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
REPORTED BY: Christine A. Taylor, RPR
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APPEARANCES
2
3
For the Plaintiffs and the Proposed Class:
4
ALTSHULER BERZON LLP
BY: CONNIE K. CHAN, ESQ.
5
STACEY LEYTON, ESQ. (via Zoom)
177 Post Street, Suite 300
6
San Francisco, California 94108
415.421.7151
7
cchan@altshulerberzon.com
sleyton@altshulerberzon.com
8
9
COTCHETT, PITRE & McCARTHY, LLP
BY: ANDREW F. KIRTLEY, ESQ.
10
BRIAN DANITZ, ESQ. (via Zoom)
KARIN B. SWOPE, ESQ. (via Zoom)
11
840 Malcolm Road, Suite 200
Burlingame, California 94010
12
650.697.6000
akirtley@cpmlegal.com
13
bdanitz@cpmlegal.com
kswope@cpmlegal.com
14
15
For Individual Plaintiff:
16
SWIGART LAW GROUP APC
BY: JOSHUA B. SWIGART, ESQ. (via Zoom)
17
ILANA PLATKIEWICZ, ESQ. (via Zoom)
2221 Camino Del Rio S.
18
Suite 308
San Diego, California 92108
19
866.219.3343
josh@swigartlawgroup.com
20
ilana@swigartlawgroup.com
21
22
23
24
25
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Page 3 of 22
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F o r t h e D e f e n d a n t B a n k o f A m e r i c a , N . A . :
2
G O O D W I N P R O C T E R , L L P
B Y : S A B R I N A M . R O S E - S M I T H , E S Q .
3
J A C K I E O D U M , E S Q .
1 9 0 0 N S t r e e t N W
4
W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . 2 0 0 3 6
2 0 2 . 3 4 6 . 4 0 0 0
5
s r o s e s m i t h @ g o o d w i n l a w . c o m
j o d u m @ g o o d w i n l a w . c o m
6
7
A l s o P r e s e n t :
8
A m a n d a L a u s ( v i a Z o o m )
9
C o l i n J o n e s ( v i a Z o o m )
1 0
M i c h a e l R u b i n ( v i a Z o o m )
1 1
D a v i d C o o p e r , V i d e o g r a p h e r
1 2
1 3
1 4
1 5
1 6
1 7
1 8
1 9
2 0
2 1
2 2
2 3
2 4
2 5
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C O N T E N T S
2
PAGE
3
EXAMINATION BY MS. CHAN 11
4
5
6
* * *
7
8
E X H I B I T S
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EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION PAGE
10
Exhibit 65 Plaintiffs' Revised Notice of 16
11
Deposition of Defendant Bank of
12
America, N.A. Pursuant to Federal
13
Rule of Civil Procedure 30(b)(6)
14
Exhibit 66 Bank of America's Prepaid 39
15
Organizational Structure, Bates
16
BANA_EDD_MDL_00057837
17
Exhibit 67 E-mails, Subject: RE: 1/29 EDD 80
18
Client Meeting, Bates
19
BANA_EDD_MDL-0117168
20
Exhibit 68 E-mails, Subject: RE: Prepaid 84
21
Claims Processing - Benefits
22
Fraud, Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00125177
23
Exhibit 69 Unemployment Benefits - Prepaid 118
24
Fraud Analysis: California
25
Overview, Bates
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BANA_EDD_MDL-00452826
2
Exhibit 70 12/21/2020 E-mail, Subject FW: 126
3
Meeting Follow-Up - Direct Deposit
4
Discussion 12/14, Bates
5
BANA_EDD_MDL-00058858
6
Exhibit 71 Declaration of Michael Letson 149
7
Exhibit 72 10/1/2020 E-mails, Subject: EMV 158
8
2019 Analysis, Bates
9
BANA_EDD_MDL-00356089
10
Exhibit 73 11/2/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 163
11
Confidential: Fraud Incident:
12
Research Required, Bates
13
BANA_EDD_MDL-00163307
14
Exhibit 74 9/21/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 195
15
Prepaid summary for Lauren, Bates
16
BANA_EDD_MDL-00087749
17
Exhibit 75 9/25/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 201
18
Notes, Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00087760
19
Exhibit 76 9/9/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 204
20
Criteria, Bates
21
BANA_EDD_MDL-00169847
22
Exhibit 77 7/16/2020 E-mails, Subject: 206
23
Summary for today, Bates
24
BANA_EDD_MDL-00716375
25
Exhibit 78 9/23/2020 E-mails, Subject: 210
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Standard UCRA 46906 Mitigation
2
Plan Acknowledgement Required,
3
Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00225047
4
Exhibit 79 10/20/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 213
5
Risk Deadline (see below), Bates
6
BANA_EDD_MDL-00225375
7
Exhibit 80 Model Identification, Pre-paid 220
8
Card Fraud and Claims Fraud, 102,
9
Bates BANA_EDD-MDL-00592324
10
Exhibit 81 9/21/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 239
11
Prepaid summary for Lauren, Bates
12
BANA_EDD_MDL-00087742
13
Exhibit 82 5/26/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 246
14
Tom Montag inquiry on GM Losses
15
(including prepaid), Bates
16
BANA_EDD_MDL-00290330
17
Exhibit 83 9/22/2020 E-mails, Subject: :, 249
18
Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00371977
19
Exhibit 84 9/21/2020 E-mails, Subject: 251
20
MicrosoftUC Conversation -
21
87723515, Bates
22
BANA_EDD_MDL-001069912
23
Exhibit 85 9/30/2020 E-mails, Subject: RE: 258
24
Near Final Draft of Deck, Bates
25
BANA_EDD_MDL-00450516
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Exhibit 86 1/28/2021 E-mails, Subject: 263
2
MicrosoftUC-Conversion -
3
112001165, Bates
4
BANA_EDD_MDL-00125863
5
Exhibit 87 9/28/2020 E-mail, Bates 266
6
BANA_EDD_MDL-005703351
7
Exhibit 88 8/15/2022 E-mail, Subject: MTM Mon 267
8
8/15/22 10am-2pm Eastern TP, Bates
9
BANA_EDD_MDL-00528602
10
Exhibit 89 9/29/2020 E-mails, Subject: 273
11
Conversation with Johnson, Renee
12
T, Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00293818
13
Exhibit 90 Prepaid GBAM/Systemic Denial 281
14
Reconsideration Adequate
15
Investigation, Bates
16
BANA_EDD_MDL-00100634
17
Exhibit 91 4/7/2021 E-mails, Subject: RE: 285
18
Prepaid Weekly Numbers 3/27 - 4/2,
19
Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00273305
20
Exhibit 92 Reconsiderations - Full Year 2020, 291
21
Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00556536
22
Exhibit 93 1/13/2021 E-mails, Subject: RE: 302
23
Slide requested, Bates
24
BANA_EDD_MDL-00417487
25
Exhibit 94 1/13/2021 E-mails, Subject: 306
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Prepaid Executive Dashboard, Bates
2
BANA_EDD_MDL-00143391
3
Exhibit 95 12/23/2020 E-mails, Subject: FW: 314
4
Day 2 Summary: Prepaid Card
5
Unfreeze Intake Site, Bates
6
BANA_EDD_MDL-00374778
7
Exhibit 96 7/7/2021 E-mails, Subject: FW: 321
8
Effectiveness Analysis of Fraud
9
Claims Indicators, Bates
10
BANA_EDD_MDL-00406128
11
Exhibit 97 6/9/2021 E-mails, Subject: FW: 324
12
Request to Freeze Prepaid Cards
13
(Closed Due to Fraud Status),
14
Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00146422
15
Exhibit 98 5/10/2021 E-mails, Subject: RE: 340
16
Please Preview Tonight - claims
17
info re: Filters, Bates
18
BANA_EDD_MDL-00547571
19
Exhibit 100 5/11/2021 E-mails, Subject: FW: 347
20
Please review - Claims Fraud
21
Filter Analysis Steer Co Final,
22
Bates BANA_EDD_MDL-00159469
23
24
(Exhibit 99 was skipped in numbering.)
25
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VIDEOCONFERENCE 30(b)(6) DEPOSITION of BANK
2
OF AMERICA, N.A., by its designee, MICHAEL LETSON,
3
a witness in the above-entitled action, taken
4
pursuant to notice, pursuant to the Federal Rules
5
of Civil Procedure by the Plaintiffs, before
6
CHRISTINE A. TAYLOR, RPR, at the offices of
7
McGuireWoods, 201 North Tryon Street, Suite 3000,
8
Charlotte, North Carolina, on the 16th day of
9
February, 2024, at 9:20 a.m.
10
- - -
11
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: We are going on the
12
record at 9:20:59 a.m., Friday,
13
February 16, 2024.
14
Please note that the microphones are
15
sensitive and may pick up whispering and
16
private conversations. Please turn off all
17
cell phones or place them away from the
18
microphones, as they can interfere with the
19
deposition audio. Recording will continue
20
until all parties agree to go off the
21
record.
22
This is Media Unit Number 1 of the
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30(b)(6) video recorded deposition of Bank
24
of America, N.A., with Mike Letson taken by
25
counsel for the plaintiff in the matter of
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In Re: Bank of America California
2
Unemployment Benefits Litigation in the
3
United States District Court, Southern
4
District of California. Case Number
5
3:21-md-02992-LAB-MSB.
6
This video deposition is taking place
7
at McGuireWoods LLP in the Charlotte
8
conference room located at 201 North Tryon
9
Street, Suite 3000, Charlotte, North
10
Carolina 28202.
11
My name is David Cooper. I'm the
12
certified legal videographer with Veritext.
13
I'm not authorized to administer an oath.
14
I am not related to any party in this
15
action nor am I financially interested in
16
the outcome.
17
Counsel and all those present in the
18
room and everyone attending remotely will
19
now state their appearance and affiliation
20
for the record.
21
If there are any objections to the
22
proceeding, please state them at the time
23
of your appearance, beginning with the
24
noticing attorney.
25
MS. CHAN: Connie Chan, counsel for
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class plaintiffs.
2
MR. KIRTLEY: Andrew Kirtley, counsel
3
for class plaintiffs.
4
MS. ROSE-SMITH: Sabrina Rose-Smith,
5
counsel for defendants and the witness.
6
MS. ODUM: Jacqueline Odum, counsel for
7
defendants and the witness.
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THE VIDEOGRAPHER: The court reporter,
9
Christine Taylor, will now swear in the
10
witness.
11
Oh, I'm sorry. Those on the remote,
12
please state your name and appearance.
13
MS. ROSE-SMITH: No one wishes to
14
formally appear.
15
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: Well, maybe we can
16
come back to that.
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MS. CHAN: It is 6:00 a.m.
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- - -
19
MICHAEL LETSON,
20
having first been duly sworn, was examined
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and testified as follows:
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- - -
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EXAMINATION
24
BY MS. CHAN:
25
Q. Good morning, Mr. Letson. My name is
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Connie Chan. And with me is my co-counsel Andrew
2
Kirtley for the class plaintiffs. Thank you very
3
much for being here today.
4
Can you please state your full name
5
for the record?
6
A. Michael John Letson.
7
Q. I'm going to start by going over a few
8
ground rules with you so that we're all on the
9
same page.
10
You understand that you are testifying
11
under oath and under penalty of perjury today, the
12
same as if you were in court?
13
A. Correct.
14
Q. You understand that what you say here
15
today is being taken down by the court reporter?
16
A. I do.
17
Q. And for the court reporter, it's
18
important that your responses be verbal. So can
19
you please respond to my questions with verbal
20
answers rather than nodding your head or shrugging
21
your shoulders?
22
A. Yes.
23
Q. Thank you.
24
If you don't understand a question,
25
can you please tell me so that I can rephrase it?
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If you answer my question, I will assume that you
2
understood it. Is that fair?
3
A. Okay.
4
Q. You should feel free to amend an
5
answer at any time if you think of something later
6
on that would help to clarify your response or
7
make it more accurate. But if you do so,
8
plaintiffs will be permitted to point that out to
9
the judge or the jury. Is that fair?
10
A. Okay.
11
Q. And, in addition, after the
12
deposition --
13
MR. SWIGART: Guys, I'm sorry to
14
interrupt. This is Josh Swigart online. I
15
don't think anybody can hear online. Are
16
the mics on?
17
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: Yes, the mics are
18
on. We can -- we can check that.
19
Should we go off the record?
20
MS. CHAN: Testing.
21
Yeah. We'll go off the record.
22
THE VIDEOGRAPHER: The time is
23
approximately 9:25:16 a.m. We are now off
24
the record.
25
(Recess taken from 9:25 a.m. until 9:27 a.m.)
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THE VIDEOGRAPHER: The time is
2
approximately 9:27:12 a.m. We are now on
3
the record.
4
We can get those on the remote to
5
identify for the record?
6
MR. SWIGART: Sure. I can start. So
7
Josh Swigart, Swigart Law Group, on behalf
8
of the individual plaintiffs.
9
MS. PLATKIEWICZ: Ilana Platkiewicz of
10
Swigart Law Group as well.
11
BY MS. CHAN:
12
Q. Okay. Mr. Letson, after the
13
deposition the court reporter will prepare a
14
verbatim transcript and you'll have an opportunity
15
to review it and make any necessary corrections.
16
But if you do make corrections, again,
17
plaintiffs will be able to comment on those
18
corrections to the judge or jury. Is that clear?
19
A. Yeah. Yes. Sorry.
20
Q. I don't want you to guess today if you
21
don't know the answer to one of my questions, but
22
I am entitled to your best estimate.
23
Do you understand the difference
24
between a guess and an estimate?
25
A. Yes.
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Q. So, for example, if I asked you to
2
estimate the size of this table, I would be
3
entitled to your best estimate.
4
But if I asked you to estimate the
5
size of the desk in my office back in California,
6
I wouldn't expect -- I wouldn't want you to guess
7
about that because you've never seen it before.
8
Is that -- is that clear?
9
A. Yes.
10
Q. You understand that from time to time
11
your counsel may state objections to some of my
12
questions. But unless she specifically instructs
13
you not to answer, you do need to answer the
14
question after she has finished her objection. Is
15
that clear?
16
A. Yes.
17
Q. Is there any reason you cannot answer
18
my questions truthfully and to the best of your
19
ability today?
20
A. No.
21
Q. Are you under the influence of alcohol
22
or any medication that would impede your ability
23
to give your best testimony today?
24
A. No.
25
Q. I do plan on taking regular breaks
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1
throughout the day. If at any time you would like
2
to take a break, please do let me know. I just
3
ask that if I have a pending question that you
4
answer my question before we take the break. Is
5
that fair?
6
A. Okay.
7
Q. Have you ever been deposed before?
8
A. No.
9
Q. Have you ever provided testimony as a
10
witness in any other form before such as at trial?
11
A. No.
12
Q. You understand that this is the
13
30(b)(6) deposition of Bank of America?
14
A. Yes.
15
Q. And have you received and reviewed a
16
copy of the revised 30(b)(6) deposition notice?
17
A. Yes.
18
Q. And I will provide you a copy of it
19
now just to confirm.
20
(Exhibit 65 marked for identification.)
21
MS. ROSE-SMITH: Is this Plaintiff's
22
Exhibit 65?
23
MR. KIRTLEY: Yes.
24
MS. CHAN: Yes.
25
BY MS. CHAN:
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Q. For many unemployment insurance
14
recipients, being denied access to their UI funds
15
for even a short time is a significant hardship.
16
Do you agree?
17
MS. ROSE-SMITH: Objection. Calls for
18
speculation.
19
THE WITNESS: People that are receiving
20
unemployment benefits are probably some of
21
the most vulnerable customers we would
22
have.
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CERTIFICATE OF REPORTER
2
I, Christine A. Taylor, Registered
3
Professional Reporter and Notary Public for the
State of North Carolina at Large, do hereby
4
certify:
5
That the foregoing deposition was taken
before me on the date and at the time and location
6
stated in this transcript; that the deponent was
duly sworn to testify to the truth, the whole
7
truth and nothing but the truth; that the
testimony of the deponent and all objections made
8
at the time of the examination were recorded
stenographically by me and were thereafter
9
transcribed; that the foregoing deposition as
typed is a true, accurate and complete record of
10
the testimony of the deponent and of all
objections made at the time of the examination to
11
the best of my ability.
12
I further certify that I am neither related
to nor counsel for any party to the cause pending
13
or interested in the events thereof. Witness my
hand, this 28th of February, 2024.
14
15
16
17
<%21572,Signature%>
Christine A. Taylor
18
Registered Professional Reporter
Notary Public 19960530077
19
State of North Carolina
20
21
22
23
24
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