In Brief: Activist Group Opposing Citicorp-Travelers Merger

A New York-based community activist group has come out against the proposed merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group, claiming that both companies have discriminated against minority members.

In a 52-page protest letter Monday, Inner City Press-Community on the Move pressed the Federal Reserve to reject the deal on Community Reinvestment Act grounds.

The group charged that Citicorp discriminates against minority borrowers and has disproportionately shuttered branches in low-income and minority communities. It also said Traveler's finance company charges minorities higher than whites for loans and that its insurance unit offers lower- quality insurance products to minorities than it sells to whites. "The Federal Reserve should schedule a hearing on this proposal and should then deny the proposal," said Matthew Lee, executive director of the group, based in the Bronx.

A Travelers Group spokesman said he had not seen the protest but that the company treats everyone fairly. Citicorp spokesmen were unavailable for comment late Monday. -Jaret Seiberg

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