A North Carolina tobacco seller says the government is "screwing" his small business by forcing the shutdown of his bank accounts and payment processor as a result of Operation Choke Point.

And Brennan Appel, owner of Global Hookah Distributors, a tobacco products distributor based in Charlotte, N.C., is offering phone recordings to prove it.

"Have you heard of a little thing called Choke Point and [the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]?," asks Alex Bacon, the president of Appel's payment processor, in a phone conversation.

They're taking aim at industries like you and others to eliminate you from business by choking you off from payment processing.

Last summer, Bank of America abruptly shut down Appel's numerous financial accounts without explaining why.

"I was just in shock," Appel said. "It doesn't make sense when you're with a bank for over 12 years and they just give you a couple weeks notice...and they don't tell you why."

In February, Appel's longtime payment processor, ETF Network, also dropped him as a customer.

"I think I'm getting screwed," Appel told The Daily Signal in a phone interview. "In this country now, it seems like the people who are doing things right are the ones who are getting picked on."

GlobalHookah

After months of frustration, Appel, who started his business at age 18 as a way of paying for his University of Miami tuition, contacted U.S. Consumer Coalition, a grassroots organization based in Washington, D.C. that's leading the fight against Operation Choke Point.

Today, U.S. Consumer Coalition released a series of phone calls between Appel and Bacon, ETF Network's president.

>>> Listen to the audio recordings here. http://usconsumers.org/ghd/

http://dailysignal.com/2015/03/03/heard-little-thing-called-operation-choke-point-phone-recording-shows-targeting-tobacco-business/

I read about this "Operation Choke Point" before in regards to ammo and gun sales.

The FDIC's list of 30 high-risk merchant categories that are currently being pursued by the DOJ.  They're going after these businesses, even though a lot of them are legal.

Ammunition Sales
Cable Box De-scramblers
Coin Dealers
Credit Card Schemes
Credit Repair Services
Dating Services
Debt Consolidation Scams
Drug Paraphernalia
Escort Services
Firearms Sales
Fireworks Sales
Get Rich Products
Government Grants
Home-Based Charities
Life-Time Guarantees
Life-Time Memberships
Lottery Sales
Mailing Lists/Personal Info
Money Transfer Networks
On-line Gambling
PayDay Loans
Pharmaceutical Sales
Ponzi Schemes
Pornography
Pyramid-Type Sales
Racist Materials
Surveillance Equipment
Telemarketing
Tobacco Sales
Travel Clubs
http://www.bizzyblog.com/2014/05/02/establishment-press-virtually-ignored-dojs-pernicious-operation-choke-point/

I mentioned operation "Choke Point" back in 2014 as well.  The owners of Inman Pawn Shop in Inman S.C. were  targeted by the bank they did business with and were told that the bank would no longer do business with them.  No reason was given.  The pawn shop was a good place to buy and trade guns. 

Quote from: Dori on March 03, 2015, 07:24:19 PM
I read about this "Operation Choke Point" before in regards to ammo and gun sales.

The FDIC's list of 30 high-risk merchant categories that are currently being pursued by the DOJ.  They're going after these businesses, even though a lot of them are legal.

Ammunition Sales
Cable Box De-scramblers
Coin Dealers
Credit Card Schemes
Credit Repair Services
Dating Services
Debt Consolidation Scams
Drug Paraphernalia
Escort Services
Firearms Sales
Fireworks Sales
Get Rich Products
Government Grants
Home-Based Charities
Life-Time Guarantees
Life-Time Memberships
Lottery Sales
Mailing Lists/Personal Info
Money Transfer Networks
On-line Gambling
PayDay Loans
Pharmaceutical Sales
Ponzi Schemes
Pornography
Pyramid-Type Sales
Racist Materials
Surveillance Equipment
Telemarketing
Tobacco Sales
Travel Clubs
http://www.bizzyblog.com/2014/05/02/establishment-press-virtually-ignored-dojs-pernicious-operation-choke-point/

Yep, our local gun dealers we're all up in arms over this. (no pun intended)
That is until a private investor stepped in with guaranteed financial backing with a better percentage rate than the bank was offering.

I think a lot of this is merely an inconvenience for most business, because if you have a solid track record of payment, most suppliers will float you for 90 days, or at least until you secure new financing.

It's becoming an "Us vs Them" where our very own govt is the adversary.
If this continues, Jefferson's advice may come to fruition.

Quote from: Solar on March 04, 2015, 05:41:19 AM
Yep, our local gun dealers we're all up in arms over this. (no pun intended)
That is until a private investor stepped in with guaranteed financial backing with a better percentage rate than the bank was offering.

QuoteI have no doubt that that kind of thing will soon become "illegal".

I think a lot of this is merely an inconvenience for most business, because if you have a solid track record of payment, most suppliers will float you for 90 days, or at least until you secure new financing.

It's becoming an "Us vs Them" where our very own govt is the adversary.
If this continues, Jefferson's advice may come to fruition.

It really is, and I have no doubt that it is by design!

Quote from: Darth Fife on March 04, 2015, 07:48:18 AM
I think a lot of this is merely an inconvenience for most business, because if you have a solid track record of payment, most suppliers will float you for 90 days, or at least until you secure new financing.

It's becoming an "Us vs Them" where our very own govt is the adversary.
If this continues, Jefferson's advice may come to fruition.


It really is, and I have no doubt that it is by design!

Yep, and an "In Your Face , Kind of Move". Talk about subversive govt.

Quote from: Solar on March 04, 2015, 07:52:16 AM
Yep, and an "In Your Face , Kind of Move". Talk about subversive govt.

Subversive govt?  I'm thinking of a word here...lemee see...wait....yes, I've got it..Punishment by our govt 'cause of the gun thing.    Why should we be surprised?   Another one of those instances where they intend to get what they want, by hook or crook.  In most of these cases, the business owners have only been slowed down a little.  Bet this govt. action doesn't help their voting base either.  I'll swear, this administration acts like children playing at leadership!

Quote from: keyboarder on March 04, 2015, 10:16:53 AM
Subversive govt?  I'm thinking of a word here...lemee see...wait....yes, I've got it..Punishment by our govt 'cause of the gun thing.    Why should we be surprised?   Another one of those instances where they intend to get what they want, by hook or crook.  In most of these cases, the business owners have only been slowed down a little.  Bet this govt. action doesn't help their voting base either.  I'll swear, this administration acts like children playing at leadership!

Ya gotta love it, because come 2016, this is all coming to a head.
Chickens coming home to roost, and all that.

Quote from: Solar on March 04, 2015, 10:30:40 AM
Ya gotta love it, because come 2016, this is all coming to a head.
Chickens coming home to roost, and all that.

People act like this is something new. It isn't!

Look back to the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970. That act required banks to report transactions of over $10,000 to the FBI - because, obviously any one depositing, or making a withdrawal of $10,001 was involved in some kind of illegal operation!



Just another example of the Federal Government slowly, but surely turning up the "heat" on us poor "frogs". It is just that now some of us are being to realize that the water is getting really, really hot!

Quote from: Darth Fife on March 04, 2015, 12:57:27 PM
People act like this is something new. It isn't!

Look back to the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970. That act required banks to report transactions of over $10,000 to the FBI - because, obviously any one depositing, or making a withdrawal of $10,001 was involved in some kind of illegal operation!



Just another example of the Federal Government slowly, but surely turning up the "heat" on us poor "frogs". It is just that now some of us are being to realize that the water is getting really, really hot!

If you withdraw money three time in a month from your savings account they also report the transactions.