Hefler, et al. v. Wells Fargo & Company, et al., Case No 4:16-cv-05479-JST. (Previously docketed as 3:16-CV-05479-JST)
PLEASE NOTE: This website relates to a securities class action against Wells Fargo that was settled in 2018. The deadline for submitting a claim in this Action has passed.
For information about the current securities action against Wells Fargo and other defendants in which a proposed settlement for $1 billion was reached in 2023, please visit: www.WellsFargoSecuritiesClassAction.com.
The information contained on this web page is only a summary of information presented in more detail in the Notice of (I) Pendency of Class Action and Proposed Settlement; (II) Settlement Hearing; and (III) Motion for an Award of Attorneys’ Fees and Reimbursement of Litigation Expenses (the “Notice”). Because this website is just a summary, you should review the Notice for additional details.
The Court-appointed Lead Plaintiff, Union Asset Management Holding, AG (“Union” or “Lead Plaintiff”), on behalf of itself and the other members of the Settlement Class (as defined below), has reached a settlement of this action captioned Hefler, et al. v. Wells Fargo & Company, et al., Case No. 3:16-CV-05479-JST (N.D. Cal.) (the “Action”), pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for $480 million in cash (the “Settlement”). The Settlement settles and releases all claims asserted in this Action.
The Action alleged that Wells Fargo & Company ("Wells Fargo") and certain officers and directors of Wells Fargo violated the federal securities laws. Plaintiffs allege that, during the Class Period (i.e., February 26, 2014 through September 20, 2016, inclusive), defendants made misrepresentations and omissions about Wells Fargo’s “cross-selling” business model, including failing to disclose that thousands of Wells Fargo employees were opening unauthorized deposit and credit card accounts without the knowledge or consent of Wells Fargo’s customers.
On December 18, 2018, after a hearing, the Court entered an Order approving the Settlement, approving the Plan of Allocation for the proceeds of the Settlement, and approving Lead Counsel’s motion for attorneys’ fees and expenses.
The Settlement Class consists of:
All persons and entities who purchased Wells Fargo common stock from February 26, 2014 through September 20, 2016, inclusive (the “Class Period”).
Please read the Notice to fully understand your rights and options.
The deadline for submission of Claim Forms was January 23, 2019. On April 22, 2020, Lead Plaintiff filed a motion with the Court requesting permission to conduct the initial distribution of settlement funds to eligible claimants, which the Court granted on August 3, 2020. The Claims Administrator conducted an initial distribution of the settlement funds to eligible claimants in September 2020, a second distribution in August 2021, a third distribution in September 2022, and a fourth distribution in August 2024.
Subsequent distributions will occur on a rolling basis in accordance with the court order until they are no longer cost effective.