Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Fifth Third Gives President $2 Million Raise with TARP Money

Fifh Third Bancorp, which received $3.4 billion in TARP funds, which have not been repaid, just gave its CEO a 56% raise, to $5.2 million. I thought this was an April Fool's joke, but no, here it is, in a Reuter's article.

The article also points out that PNC Financial, Regions Financial and KeyCorp, all of which owed billions of dollars to taxpayers at the end of 2009—also increased their chiefs' pay.

I am all for free market salaries, and properly compensating corporate executives, but did the concept of a pay freeze while borrowing money from the US taxpayer even cross their minds?

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