Consumer complaint received 2022-06-18
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
This is with Citibank. My father passed away on XX/XX/XXXX. I am the only beneficiary on this account, as well as I am the Administrator of Estate For my father.

I have been in a continued battle with Citibank since the death of my father.

1. They never informed me that I was a beneficiary at all as well as the only one. 
I have spoke to them on the phone several times in the duration between then and in XXXX when I walked into the bank and in person they told me. almost 6 months after my father had died. When I walked into the bank with all my legal papers, the treated me like I was a criminal. They said my papers could be fake and they left me sitting for XXXX as they took my papers in a back room they called the legal people to check them out. I was in shock. When they came back out they said, Okay, well there is only one beneficiary on this account and its you, do you want the money now and close the account? They were rude, quick and unfriendly.

2. As I was looking at the account, I needed bank statements, history on account etc. and they refused to give me anything but a couple weeks before my dad passed. It was odd. They said i just need to close it and get my money. As I was looking at the few transactions they allowed me to see, I notice a check was written on XX/XX/XXXX ( the day my dad died ) for {$10000.00}. and cashed. I told them my dad was in the hospital and nursing homes for months and was in the ICU unconscious the last 11 days of his life. He did not write this check. The check was forged by my brothers written to one of the brothers. They did not care and they would not return funds, go after anyone but tried to literally convince me my father wrote it. I had to keep telling them he was unconscious int he ICU for 22 days as well as it was Covid and he could not have visitors. I was with my dad via Zoom when he passed away. so having this sort of insulting, hurtful, unprofessional sickening conversation with rude bank employees almost put me into a nervous break down. I was crying and overwhelmed and shocked. 
3. I was living in Oregon at the time. My dad lived in XXXX XXXX CA. I had to fly down to California to walk into Citibank. They did not tell me on the phone or through faxing that I was the beneficiary on the account and I had dozens of conversations and communications with them. It was super strange and super stressful. 
4. while on this trip to california , I found that there were checks adding up to {$11000.00} of my father 's signature forged at citibank and another over {$10000.00} of charges at my fathers XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX account transfered directly into him and his wives account. 
5 I have XXXX brothers. One stole all my fathers personal and finacial documents and even through he was court ordered to give them to me or the lawyer, he has not done so. 
6. In XXXX of XXXX one brother transfered {$10000.00} to the other brother and wrote him a check for a XXXX of another {$10000.00} amount. They stole from my father. 
and the banks don't care. 
7. XXXX  XXXX XXXX got the money back to me, but wont press charges or do anything about it legally. 
8. Citibank treats me like dirt. I talked Citibank again on the phone on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX they said they were sending me in writing the reason why they won't give the XXXX back or help. They said i would get in it 7 to 10 days. It is 19 days later. This is not the first time they have lied and not sent things. 

9 but.. i was sitting in the XXXX XXXX  XXXX on this call with the branch manager on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX the person on the phone made me leave the room so they could talk. I asked them why are they keeping secrets and hiding things from me. this is nuts. I am the beneficiary on the account. the only one and the administrator of estate. what is going on. and there are more details. please help me 10. Citibank also won't tell me what happened to my fathers CD that was there. when i t was changed and where the funds went to.

11. i attached a copy of the XXXX written on the day my dad died. it was written to on brother ( the one against court orders ) and the signature was from my other brother that he later wired the funds too. it criminal and forgery and fraud and elder abuse and stealing from a beneficiary.. CitiBank aloud it. the signature does not match my father 's signature card.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief