June 2023 by J R
In the heart of Omaha, Nebraska, an unfolding saga took root, a saga rife with deception, incompetence, and unabashed disregard for justice. A saga of a couple, the Riddles, seeking nothing more than to secure a home loan, only to fall prey to the scheming machinations of a financial institution.They had sought out CharterWest Bank, a name they believed they could trust, hoping to secure a home loan. Little did they know, this would set in motion a series of events that would not only thwart their dreams but cast a harsh light on the blatant deficiencies in the system.In the midst of this process, the Riddles found themselves embroiled in a dispute over ex wife's child support obligations. Despite making every effort to resolve the issue, they were met with a wall of indifference from their mortgage loan officer at CharterWest.Feeling neglected and disrespected, they decided to take their business elsewhere. But CharterWest, in what can only be described as a vindictive act, retaliated by unjustly labeling their loan application as denied due to unpaid child support.This was not a mere error. This was a calculated blow, a maneuver designed to tarnish their reputation and sabotage their chances with their new lender.And yet, the affront did not stop there. When they sought redress, they were met not with understanding, but with a chilling show of force. Sheriff's deputies were sent to meet them at the bank, transforming their rightful protest into a scene of unfounded criminal suspicion.With the banking institution closing its doors to them, the Riddles turned to a series of governmental agencies for help. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Banking and Finance, the Federal Reserve of Kansas City, the Attorney General, the Ombudsman, and even the courts... each a pillar of the system, each failing spectacularly in its duty.These were not mere oversights. They were damning demonstrations of an apparatus that had lost sight of its purpose. These agencies, funded by the very people they were meant to protect, either woefully lacked the competence to understand the case or, worse, willingly turned a blind eye to the clear injustice at play.In their quest for justice, the Riddles found themselves pitted against a system intent on preserving its power and status quo. It was a system that treated their pleas as inconveniences, their evidence as nuisances, and their rights as dispensable.But in the face of such adversity, the Riddles chose not to capitulate. They stood their ground, refusing to let their voices be stifled. They turned to their last resort, a legally acquired gripe website, to share their story, to expose the egregious wrongs they had suffered.Through this ordeal, they have revealed a disconcerting truth: when you are not part of the club, when you do not possess the clout and influence of powerful institutions, you are left to navigate an unforgiving landscape where law and justice are often illusory promises.The Riddles' story is not merely a tale of their individual struggle. It is a stark reminder of the systemic flaws that plague our institutions, a call to action to demand accountability, fairness, and the upholding of our fundamental rights.
