PRESS RELEASE - CJ Crowell of One Star LLC, 1-520-249-1607, onestarllc@gmail.com

Sierra Vista, Arizona (MMD Newswire) May 4, 2009 -- "Wells Fargo continues to ignore their congressional mandated and legal obligations, under Troubled Asset Relief Program ("TARP"), and instead have chosen to create substantial harm to their own loyal merchants credit card service customers. Wells is creating this harm by withholding credit card sale funds and emptying merchant accounts, without providing any prior notice to the business" explained CJ Crowell of One Star LLC. After a recent withholding of credit card payment funds, for services already performed and delivered, a drug & alcohol treatment center was left without any means to pay their employee's salaries or other financial obligations.

The treatment center is located in Murrieta, California and was forced to lay off employees as a result of Wells requiring the treatment facility to maintain a $200,000 maintenance credit card reserve balance, against any future credit card receipts. Previous to this new Wells credit card service policy requirement, the treatment center had never been required to provide or maintain a credit card maintenance reserve for potential client charge-backs. Wells had stripped the treatment facility of all bank deposits that had been credited to the company's accounts. The deposits were made by the treatment center's clients, using their credit cards, to pay for the services received through Wells credit card merchant services.

Small business owners are just surviving, at best. However, when banks that have borrowed tens of billions of dollars to sustain their business, now require credit card maintenance reserves, without prior notice or agreement with the business, how will the small businesses survive? Where is the equity when Wells receives taxpayer relief so it has adequate reserves, yet require reserves where previously no reserve was needed?

Apparently, Wells believes it is entitled to destroy small, thriving businesses across the United States and now require credit card maintenance reserves, without providing any notice to these small businesses. Most small companies find out about the practice when they start bouncing checks and find out that Wells had put a hold on all new or previous credit card receipts, until the business meets some new and arbitrary reserve amount that was never discussed or approved by the business.

CJ Crowell recently found out about this new Wells practice the hard way. Crowell, the managing member of One Star LLC, is a disabled veteran with over 9 years of military service. He never fathomed that a new adversary to his growing business would become Wells, since he had trusted with all his money with for the last several years. Crowell not only does business with Wells, but has secured Wells residential mortgages.

Crowell stated that his business is dependent on military officers using their government provided credit cards to pay for housing, while they are at their specialty training schools. "Who would have ever thought that Wells, the company he had done business with for more than several years, would now treat me like dirt," complained Crowell. "Wells told me they were requiring the reserve because my business had become too successful, in too short a time. Can you imagine a bank ruining your business because it was becoming too successful," stated Crowell?

Wells misconduct must be questioned, when a bank that is in receipt Tarp funds acts in such an arbitrary and capricious manner. "To keep my company afloat, within the existing economy, has been a real challenge for me," offered Crowell. Continuing, Crowell vowed that "I cannot possibly understand why Wells would try to impede the viability and growth of my business."

Since mid-March, Wells inexplicably started withholding thousands of dollars in funds, from US Government credit card transactions of a Sierra Vista TDY (Temporary Duty) lodging business to pay for Department of Defense officials for their temporary housing. In late March, Crowell funds started to disappear from processed credit card transactions. Wanting an explanation for the wrongful disappearance of funds from his credit card receipts, Crowell visited his local branch. The branch manager stated she had no idea what happened to the missing funds and it must have been Wells Fargo Merchant Services that had withdrawn the funds. Without any oral or written notice, on Apr. 21 2009, One Star LLC's account was completely emptied by Wells Fargo Merchant Services. Wells proceeded to confiscate $10K in credit card sales, as well as Crowell's VA Disability Check, and his GI Bill funds used for his wife and him to go to school.

"How can I be expected to pay my Wells' mortgages and my Wells credit cards, if they confiscate all my money that is supposed to pay my Wells' financial obligations," demanded Crowell. Crowell further claims that if they did this to another thousand business owners paying four Wells Fargo mortgages like him, it could lead to over $2 Billion in foreclosures. "Forget TARP funds, Wells Fargo is on a path of self destruction." says Crowell.

Further, Crowell stated, "I was never notified by anyone at Wells that a hold was being placed on my credit card transactions." Senior level personnel at Wells stated "Due to the recent increase in Crowell's processing volumes, a risk review is being conducted and any additional transactions processed will be held until termination of his merchant account." Well's believes it is well within its contractual rights to apply an arbitrary maintenance reserve, even when One Star and Crowell had never had any credit card charge-backs to the business, during the entire period it utilized Wells' credit card merchant services.

Crowell was amazed at the action Well's had taken with his ongoing use of Well's credit card merchant services. "I never had a charge-back, Crowell exclaimed." "My business focuses on providing a necessary and required service to the United States government and to the officers serving this Country. The lodging I provide is like someone staying in their home and not some cold and lonely hotel. Wells is receiving billions in taxpayer funding, and they are withholding earned funds, without a justified reason for forcing a maintenance reserve upon my company, simply becoming the business prosperity and success." Crowell continued, "if they can do this to me, they can do it to anyone."

Wells demanded that Crowell handover client's names, addresses, contracts, sales receipts of US Intelligence Officers using US government issued credit cards. Crowell chose to not take such action, as he would violate privacy and safety issues for the officers, who are at the government training centers. Crowell has asked the Honorable Congresswoman Gabriel Gifford to look into the actions of Wells in facilitating the demise of his successful business.

Crowell pleaded with Wells' merchant services to recognize the damages they have caused his business and his family. "I had no choice but to file bankruptcy as Wells told me what ever credit cards I processed, they would not allow such funds to be disbursed." As a result of Wells' unreasonable actions, Crowell could not reduce operating costs and was forced to file Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on Apr 14 2009. "By Wells withholding my credit card service and funds, this was the last straw that broke my financial back. When Wells Fargo refused to return his earned monies and prevented Crowell from processing anymore US Government charge cards for government clients, I had no other choice than to protect my family from the financial decimation Wells was causing," stated Crowell.

Even with this knowledge, Wells emptied Crowell's business account on Apr.21, 2009 with no notice or excuse. "I served my Country dutifully and honorably. I never thought that a company that was receiving public funding would go out of its way to destroy my small and successful business," said Crowell.

Crowell suffered losses of $78,000 in sales this month due to Wells disruption of his One Star Department of Defense accommodations business. Additionally, Crowell stated, "75% of the company's income goes to other local businesses in the form of purchasing services from the local economy. "We waited all winter for these summer months of business and now we are shut down," says Crowell.

"All I can do is hope my government will stop the banks that are preventing small businesses from growing. Small business is the backbone of America and all I want is for me and my family to be able to pursue life, liberty and happiness." Crowell plans to file complaints with the appropriate federal & state agencies against Wells.

Based in Sierra Vista, Arizona, One Star LLC is an Arizona Limited Liability Company, a disabled veteran company contracting with the US Government to provide temporary housing to military officers attending specialty schools and training. For more information about One Star LLC, please contact CJ Crowell at (520)249-1607.

CJ Crowell of One Star LLC, 1-520-249-1607, onestarllc@gmail.com

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