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Paul Kiel

Reporter

Photo of Paul Kiel

Paul Kiel covers business and consumer finance for ProPublica.

In recent years, his work has helped spur a $135 million settlement by a subprime lender for alleged abuses against service members, legislation in Congress, a federal investigation of a high-cost lender, state rule changes and the forgiveness of $17 million in medical bills by a nonprofit hospital.

Past areas of focus have included the foreclosure crisis, high-cost lending (particularly installment and payday loans), the widespread use of lawsuits and garnishments to collect consumer debts, and the consumer bankruptcy system.

His work has appeared in several newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. He has also produced stories for National Public Radio and American Public Media’s Marketplace, as well as appeared on This American Life.

Among other honors, his work has been awarded a Philip Meyer Award by Investigative Reporters and Editors, a Scripps Howard Award, a Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, the Online News Association’s Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award, and a National Press Club Award. His e-book on the foreclosure crisis was featured in The Best Business Writing 2013.

Senators Push For Investigation of USA Discounters’ ‘Aggressive’ Tactics

The Defense Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are urged to see whether service members are able to defend themselves against lawsuits while on active duty.

USA Discounters Responds to ProPublica Article

The company says ProPublica “inaccurately” portrayed its policies regarding military customers, but cites no errors.

For Lenders, Gaps in Federal Law Make Suing Soldiers Easy

Courts are required to appoint attorneys for service members if they are sued and can’t appear. But the law says little about what those lawyers must do. Some companies have taken advantage.

Thank You for Your Service: How One Company Sues Soldiers Worldwide

With stores near military bases across the country, the retailer USA Discounters offers easy credit to service members. But when those loans go bad, the company uses the local courts near its Virginia headquarters to file suits by the thousands.

Insta-Loophole: In Florida, High-Cost Lender Skirts the Law

Despite a ban on high-interest car title loans, the nation’s largest title lender has opened 26 Instaloan stores in Florida, offering a refashioned version of the loans that effectively charge the same sky-high rates the law was designed to stop.

Have You Ever Been Sued Over a Debt? Help Us Investigate Collection Practices

To Protect Service Members, Defense Department Plans Broad Ban on High-Cost Loans

Acknowledging that a previous law did not go far enough, Defense Department said it needs to expand rules to protect service members from high-cost lenders.

High-Cost Lender World Finance Target of Federal Probe

The investigation follows a ProPublica story that detailed the company’s lending practices.

When Lenders Sue, Quick Cash Can Turn Into a Lifetime of Debt

High-cost lenders exploit laws tipped in their favor to sue tens of thousands of Americans every year. The result: A $1,000 loan grows to $40,000.

To Dodge Law, High-Cost Lender Offers Cash for Free

TitleMax, one of the fastest growing high-cost lenders in the country, has found a clever way around laws passed by several Texas cities: offer an initial loan at zero percent interest.

How One State Succeeded in Restricting Payday Loans

Washington State passed a payday loan reform bill that merely limits the number of loans a person can take in a year. Here’s what happened.

Whack-a-Mole: How Payday Lenders Bounce Back When States Crack Down

In state after state that has tried to ban payday and similar loans, the industry has found ways to continue to peddle them.

The Payday Playbook: How High Cost Lenders Fight to Stay Legal

Last year, activists in Missouri tried to limit what high-cost lenders can charge. The ensuing fight exposed something that rarely comes into view so vividly: the high-cost lending industry’s ferocious efforts to stay legal and stay in business.

Senator Presses Consumer Bureau on Installment Lender World Finance

Citing our investigation, Sen. Ron Wyden asked a top official from the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau about what can be done to address abuses by installment lenders.

Bank of America Lied to Homeowners and Rewarded Foreclosures, Former Employees Say

Former Bank of America employees gave sworn statements that the bank lied to homeowners, denied loan modifications for bogus reasons and rewarded employees for sending homeowners to foreclosure.

On Victory Drive, Soldiers Defeated by Debt

A federal law is supposed to protect service members from predatory lending. But lenders exploit loopholes, trapping military personnel in high-interest debt.

Map: Lenders Line up on Victory Drive

The 182 Percent Loan: How Installment Lenders Put Borrowers in a World of Hurt

Many people know the dangers of payday loans. But "installment loans" also have sky-high rates and work by getting borrowers — usually poor — to renew over and over. We take you inside one of the biggest installment lenders, billion-dollar World Finance.

For Most Homeowners, Gov't Foreclosure Deal Brings A Few Hundred Bucks

Bank regulators finally announced the details of a settlement with the biggest banks over foreclosure abuses. Most borrowers will receive $500 or less. And the details are confusing.

Feds Replace Flawed Foreclosure Review With Vague $8.5 Billion Settlement

Banking regulators admitted the Independent Foreclosure Review was a big expensive mess and shut it down. But many details about the $8.5 billion settlement that replaces it remain murky.

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