MVLS Housing & Consumer Attorney Courtland Merkel was recently featured in the Maryland Today article titled, “Banks’ Efforts to Curb Money Laundering Fail Abysmally.”

Two summers ago, Alida, a Western Maryland resident, was checking out at her local grocery store when her debit card was unexpectedly declined. When she called her bank, she was shocked to learn that a suspicious $10,000 deposit had been made into her account — triggering an immediate account freeze.

The result? Alida lost access to her Social Security checks, leaving her without a dime.

“I didn’t have a cent,” Alida told Maryland Today.

For over a year, she fought to get her life back, all while her credit score sank and financial pressure mounted. It wasn’t until Alida contacted Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) that she finally felt heard.

Merkel’s involvement marked a turning point in Alida’s long journey toward justice. She finally had an advocate. Her case reveals just how deeply flawed and bureaucratic the current anti-money laundering systems are for some of the largest financial institutions in the United States.

Learn the outcome of Alida’s 16-month legal struggle and why fixing this systemic issue isn’t as simple as passing a new regulation.