DOJ May Go After Individual Bankers For Role In Financial Crisis

DOJ May Go After Individual Bankers For Role In Financial Crisis
US Attorney General Eric Holder speaks on criminal justice and sentencing reform at the National Press Club on February 17, 2015 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)
US Attorney General Eric Holder speaks on criminal justice and sentencing reform at the National Press Club on February 17, 2015 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Tuesday that he has given U.S. Attorneys a 90-day deadline to evaluate whether they can bring cases against any individuals for their role in the 2008 financial crisis.

Federal prosecutors who previously brought charges against institutions for inappropriately marketing residential mortgage-backed securities will investigate individual employees for potential criminal or civil charges, Holder said in a public appearance at the National Press Club on Tuesday.

Holder said he asked the prosecutors to report back to him in 90 days "over whether they think they are going to successfully bring criminal or civil cases against those individuals."

Because Holder is expected to leave office soon, he said that the decision to prosecute would ultimately be up to Loretta Lynch, the administration's nominee to replace him if and when she is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. (Reporting By Julia Edwards; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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