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Note from the Editor: The following OPINION was published at the request of Mia Lee. Mia Lee is the youngest sister of South Bend 1st District Common Councilman and Pastor Canneth Lee. While some readers may consider Mia's testimony as private or familial, I believe that Mia has presented a compelling case. She has provided ample evidence suggesting that an elected official misused his authority and personal connections to obtain the private banking information of a private citizen illicitly. Equally concerning is the bank's complicity, which they seemed to acknowledge in a voicemail recording included below. Mia's story warrants attention and deserves to be shared with the public. To enhance the credibility of the upcoming information, siblings Tina Williams and Eric Lee (John Lee Jr.) have reviewed the following article and consented to affix their names to this document in solidarity with Mia Lee.
Now, here's Mia's story: Background: In February of 2023, John Wesley Lee Sr., a loving father and respected elder, passed away at the age of 81. Left to mourn him are his five surviving children: Tina Williams, Eric Lee (John Lee Jr.), Wesley Lee, Canneth Lee (South Bend Common Councilman), and Mia Lee. Significantly, John Wesley Lee Sr. had designated Mia Lee as the POD (Payable On Death) beneficiary of his bank account. In this capacity, her father intended Mia to directly inherit the account in the unfortunate event of his passing—a clear indication of his trust in her judgment and capabilities. And that's what she did. Mia prudently used the funds from her father's account to clear up his outstanding debts and obligations.
However, Mia Lee's trust and responsibility were soon met with hostility. Following her father’s death, Mia found herself the target of intense harassment from her older brothers, Wesley Lee and South Bend Common Councilman Canneth Lee, concerning her rightful control over the inherited funds. Mia’s father had empowered her to manage the finances for a good reason, but the conflict escalated, revealing deeper, troubling issues of power and privacy breaches.
This was especially troubling and confusing to Mia Lee, as Councilman Canneth Lee was listed as the beneficiary of two separate life insurance policies in her father's name. According to Mia, the funds from these policies were never dispersed among the remaining heirs, and she never questioned it. Later, on May 16th, 2023, Mia attempted to get a receipt for her portion of the funeral costs (to which she had already paid) from Alford's Mortuary, but they denied her (even when she presented the death certificate) and stated she needed to obtain a receipt from Councilman Canneth Lee.
The harassment from two of Mia's older brothers was so overwhelming that she felt she had no choice but to file a cease-and-desist letter on June 16th, 2023. In the summer of 2023, Mia Lee and her attorney submitted a letter demanding South Bend Common Councilman Canneth Lee and brother Wesley Lee stop all harassing behavior and cease contact with her.
The Accusation: Despite Mia being the sole holder of her father's account, Wesley Lee interrogated her about various sensitive financial details about the account. Sensitive financial details included the amount of money that was in the account, transactions, and even the date one account was closed out. According to Mia, Wesley and Canneth used this privileged information to falsely claim that Mia Lee stole money from her father's estate. Wesley revealed to Mia that he and South Bend Councilman Canneth Lee had received this confidential information from a meeting they had with Solomon Anderson, who is the Assistant Vice President of 1st Source Bank. Solomon Anderson’s decision to disclose Mia’s private financial information to Mia's older brothers, whose names were not on the account, raises alarming questions about professional ethics and potential legal violations at 1st Source Bank, as well as questionable decision-making from South Bend Common Councilman Canneth Lee. Someone who oversees our City's $417 million yearly budget.
Corroborating Evidence: With nowhere else to turn, on May 23, 2023, Mia Lee bravely filed a complaint with the Indiana Attorney General's Office, alleging a severe breach of confidentiality and misconduct by 1st Source Bank and Assistant Vice President Solomon Anderson. Her efforts to expose the abuse of power and invasion of privacy have been systematically ignored by media outlets, who have been seemingly more interested in helping and protecting the powerful rather than a wronged citizen.
The Bombshell: The gravity of Mia Lee’s allegations against 1st Source Bank was further substantiated by a voicemail from Graham Snyder, a bank representative, left on April 6th, 2023. Snyder corroborated Mia’s accusations with statements such as:
"I have spoken to Solomon about the confidentiality..." "He acknowledges it is very possible that he did do that..." and "We are not going to dispute that whatsoever...". Snyder further admitted, "there's going to be some repercussions and consequences obviously from our end..." and that Solomon "feels awful, he loves having a relationship with the client and the fact that he overstepped he feels terrible about it..."
Given these admissions, it is crucial to scrutinize whether Solomon Anderson's actions, presumably influenced by South Bend Councilman Canneth Lee, constitute violations of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and other vital banking regulations. More urgently, this incident prompts a broader question: Is this breach an isolated event, or does it reflect a recurring pattern of power abuse and fiduciary negligence by Councilman Canneth Lee and 1st Source Bank?
1st Source Bank's 2024 Privacy Notice:
Opportunity For Response: We invite 1st Source Bank and/or South Bend Councilman Canneth Lee to contact us with any necessary corrections supported by documentation if you suspect an error has occurred.
The views and opinions expressed in submissions, opinions, and letters are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Redress South Bend. Redress South Bend does not endorse or oppose any views presented in any submission.
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