Originally posted by: PokerGuy
Originally posted by: Acanthus
Originally posted by: Cattlegod
IIRC JPM doesn't need the TARP money but can't give it back.
Couldnt they simply pay it in full?
How did they wind up with TARP money in the 1st place if they didnt need it?
No, they can't just "repay it in full", they need treasury permission to do that, and treasury will not give it to them.
Also, pretty much all the major banks were told they were getting TARP money -- they didn't really have an option not to take it. The idea was that if only certain banks got TARP money, the public would realize which banks were less secure and there would be a run on those banks, making the TARP money a waste.