Citi Demands Wells Fargo Give Wachovia Back

Citigroup is seeking to nullify the Wells Fargo takeover of Wachovia announced this morning, Bloomberg reports. Citi claims the $15.4 billion deal violates an exclusivity agreement it had worked out with Wachovia early this week. "Citi has substantial legal rights regarding Wachovia and this transaction,'' the bank said in a statement.

The FDIC said it would work with all three institutions to ensure “a resolution that serves the public interest.” Citi had offered to buy parts of Wachovia for $2.16 billion. US bank regulators said they hadn’t yet reviewed the Wells Fargo deal but would evaluate it and “the issues that it raises.”