FBI, EPA, and Treasury told Citibank to freeze funds as Trump administration tries to claw back climate money

On Wednesday, Citibank announced in court files that the FBI, the EPA, the EPA General Inspector and the Ministry of Finance have all requested to freeze the bank accounts of several non -profit organizations and state government agencies.

The accounts were frozen in February, but the New documents Make public details that were previously unknown, including a full list of non -profit organizations under FBI examination.

The funds were paid out as part of the 27 billion dollar -greenhouse gas reduction fund, which was created by inflation reduction act, a law, adopted by the congress in 2022. The EPA received from this 14 billion US dollars for a National Clean Investment Fundgranted grants for green banks.

Green banks use these funds to provide funds for clean technology projects across the country. Start -ups with technologies that are ready in retail were entitled to receive funds in order to make projects reality.

Funding should be used mainly for loans that should be repaid and recycled for future lending. Green banks tend to have crime rate with commercial and residential buildings that are kept by other commercial lenders.

The Citibank was selected as a financial representative to manage this money and to keep it under the names of the award winners. It also manages a separate 6 -billion dollar program for clean communities investment accelerator. The EPA Treaty with Citibank was publicly announced in April 2024.

The FBI has requested that the Citibank Place freeze 30-day administration on accounts of non-profit organizations that were recipients of Green Bank financing. The bank also called for the bank to freeze other accounts for non -profit organizations and state government authorities, including Habitat for Humanity, United Way, the Colorado Clean Energy Fund and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

The Citibank sued three non -profit organizations that Green Bank received funds and asked the bank to publish the money on its accounts.

The EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said that the greenhouse gas reduction fund does not meet the priorities of the agency and that it has concerns about fraud, although he did not provide any evidence of this claim.

In a hearing on Wednesday, a judge at the US district court asked the District of Columbia a lawyer of the Ministry of Justice who represented the EPA.

“Can you provide all evidence that [the grant] Was illegal or proof of abuse or fraud or bribery – that something of them was not properly or illegal, except for the fact that Mr. Zeldin doesn’t like it? “Judge Tanya Chutkan said.

Judge Chutkan also ordered the Ministry of Justice to send the court details about the alleged fraud: “Because I do not have the credible evidence that is necessary.”

Update 13.03.25: Added details from the hearing on Wednesday.