U.S. House Committee to Hold Hearing on Wells Fargo Sales Practices

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee has opened a probe into Wells Fargo's sales practices and plans to call the company's chief executive before lawmakers at a hearing later in September, the committee chairman said on Friday.

Wells Fargo has settled with regulators over allegations that its staff opened more than two million bank accounts and credit cards for customers without their consent to meet internal sales goals. As part of last week's settlement, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $185 million in penalties and $5 million to customers.

Committee Chairman Representative Jeb Hensarling said the committee was "requesting all records related to the allegations of fraudulent or improper activity by Wells Fargo employees" from the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and also requested records from the company.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey)