Consumer complaint received 2016-03-09
Product: Bank account or service — Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management — 
Company: Northern Trust Company, The (WI)

Northern Trust submitted a response to my original complaint on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. However, their response did not address the primary issues, and in addition, new issues have emerged. 
1. The checking account in question ( # XXXX ) was held jointly by my Mother and I. This was in affect beginning on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. 

2. On XXXX/XXXX/XXXX my XXXX sisters were made additional Durable Powers of Attorney on the checking account. Although an owner of the Account, I was never informed of this action. Adding Durable Powers of Attorney without informing me as an account owner amplifies the unprofessional and unethical atmosphere employed by Northern Trust. 

3. On XXXX/XXXX/XXXX large sums of money were transferred from this account to an unknown account without the knowledge of all account owners. These transfers continued through XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, per the letter response from Northern Trust. At no time was I informed of these transactions, nor was my permission obtained. Indeed, over {$10000.00} of the money that was transferred out of the account without my permission was money I had deposited into the account to make sure there was sufficient funds in the account to cover the payment for my Mother 's health care! 

4. The secrecy and stealth employed by Northern Trust, if not illegal, is at the very least unprofessional and unethical as its purpose was to deceive and mislead a joint holder of this account. 

5. The statement by Northern Trust that " ... no unauthorized transactions have occurred and no funds were stolen '' appears to be carefully worded to hide its complicity. 

6. But the most insidious statement in the Northern Trust response was in reference to my assertions that the revocation of my Durable Power of Attorney was rooted in fraud. On or about the weekend of XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, my sister XXXX told my Mother that I had used my Durable Power of Attorney to steal {$60000.00} from the checking account. This claim is totally untrue and fabricated, yet it was then supported by an employee of Northern Trust. My sister then takes my Mother to her attorney to have my Durable Power of Attorney revoked. The attorney then calls a representative of Northern Trust and is told by Northern Trust that I did in fact take {$60000.00} from the checking account. We have this statement from the attorney. Northern Trust 's assertion that they were closed on this weekend is a feeble attempt to avoid answering the question directly. After my Mother passed on XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, it was later confirmed by Mom 's attorney that the incident was just a misunderstanding. Conspiracy and fraud can not be characterized as a misunderstanding. Once again, Northern Trust has proven itself to be at the very least unprofessional and unethical. 
My Mother, who at the time of this incident could not remember things from one day to the next, and sometimes from one conversation to the next, died prematurely because she was duped into thinking that her family had abandoned her and stolen her money. This incident was a catalyst in her premature death. 
7. Most recently the issues with Northern Trust involve the timing of the distribution of the estate and the costs charged by Northern Trust. My sisters both received their initial distributions in XXXX. My distribution was delayed until XXXX. The Northern Trust representative was extremely unprofessional. 

8. After the transfer of securities from Northern Trust to my broker, I received a statement from Northern Trust for XXXX showing {$200.00} still in the account, even though I specifically asked for it all to be transferred, and even though the account was less than a month old. In XXXX, I received a statement showing that Northern Trust withdrew {$160.00} from my account and in XXXX took the rest. No explanation was ever offered to me by Northern Trust. Once again, Northern Trust has proven itself to be unethical. ( A shortened version ; see attachment ).