Of the $14 billion in emergency loans made by JPMorgan Chase Bank through the government-backed Paycheck Protection Program, a disproportionate percent went to larger clients rather than the small firms expected to favor from the funds.
Multiple media reports single out the bank for disparities that were revealed by its own data accounting.
According to a story in The Washington Post, more than 300,000 customers of JPMorgan’s business banking unit, which serves smaller firms, applied for loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, part of the $2 trillion Cares Act that Congress adopted in late March. About 18,000 were funded, for a 6% success rate.
By comparison nearly every one of the bank's roughly 5,500 large corporate clients received PPP money, according to the bank’s data.
“We prioritized getting these loans to as many small businesses as possible,” said JPMorgan spokeswoman Anne Pace. “We helped our clients as they came to us and stand fully prepared to help tens of thousands more small businesses apply as soon as additional funds become available.”Of the $14 billion in emergency loans made by JPMorgan Chase Bank through the government-backed Paycheck Protection Program, a disproportionate percent went to larger clients rather than the small firms expected to favor from the funds.