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Business Wire
04-08-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Metropolitan Commercial Bank Appoints Ali Abedini as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the 'Bank,' 'MCB'), a full-service commercial bank headquartered in New York City is excited to announce the appointment of Ali Abedini as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, a move that reinforces the Bank's commitment to investing in technology to deliver continued financial excellence and innovation. 'We recognize the critical importance of growing our team to lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies to better serve our clients,' said Mark R. DeFazio, Founder, President and CEO at Metropolitan Commercial Bank. Ali joins Metropolitan Commercial Bank with over two decades of experience in advanced analytics, machine learning, and responsible AI in highly regulated financial services. The newly appointed Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate AI and advanced data capabilities into the Bank's core financial and operational systems. 'We recognize the critical importance of growing our team to lead the development and implementation of cutting-edge technologies to better serve our clients,' said Mark R. DeFazio, Founder, President and CEO at Metropolitan Commercial Bank. 'Mr. Abedini's background and experience will be instrumental in achieving our strategic growth.' Prior to joining MCB, Ali Abedini served as Executive Head of Advanced Analytics & AI at TD Bank. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded AI and data-driven initiatives, with a strong focus on personalization and intelligent automation to drive business outcomes. 'I'm honored to join Metropolitan Commercial Bank as its first Chief AI Officer at such a pivotal moment. This organization has developed a well-thought-out growth plan that will benefit from integrating AI into its systems,' commented Ali Abedini, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. 'I'm also excited to work directly with Mark DeFazio, a founder-CEO who brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial mindset and institutional leadership.' In addition to elevating Metropolitan Commercial Bank's client experience, the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer role is strategically designed to strengthen the Bank's capacity to deliver tailored banking solutions to both clients and partners. About Metropolitan Commercial Bank Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the 'Bank') is a New York City based full-service commercial bank. The Bank provides a broad range of business, commercial and personal banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, private and public middle-market and corporate enterprises and institutions, municipalities and local government entities. Metropolitan Commercial Bank provides specialized banking services for the EB-5 and E-2 communities. The Bank combines deep industry expertise with tailored financial products to ensure a smooth, secure and efficient journey from initial investment to project completion. Metropolitan Commercial Bank was named one of Newsweek's Best Regional Banks in 2024 and 2025. The Bank was ranked by Independent Community Bankers of America among the top ten successful loan producers for 2024 by loan category and asset size for commercial banks with more than $1 billion in assets. Kroll affirmed a BBB+ (investment grade) deposit rating on January 29, 2025. For the fourth time, MCB has earned a place in the Piper Sandler Bank Sm-All Stars Class of 2024. Metropolitan Commercial Bank operates banking centers and private client offices in Manhattan and Boro Park, Brooklyn in New York City, and Great Neck on Long Island in New York State. The Bank is a New York State chartered commercial bank, a member of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and an equal housing lender. The parent company of Metropolitan Commercial Bank is Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (NYSE: MCB) (the 'Company'). To learn more about the Bank visit: Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company's future financial condition and capital ratios, results of operations and the Company's outlook, business, share repurchases under the program, and dividend payments. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts. Such statements may be identified by the use of such words as 'may,' 'believe,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'plan,' 'continue' or similar terminology. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control and may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Factors which may cause our forward-looking statements to be materially inaccurate include, but are not limited to the following: the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve and other regulatory bodies; an unexpected deterioration in the performance of our loan or securities portfolios; changes in liquidity, including the size and composition of our deposit portfolio and the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio; unexpected increases in our expenses; different than anticipated growth and our ability to manage our growth; global pandemics, or localized epidemics, could adversely affect the Company's financial condition and results of operations; potential recessionary conditions, including the related effects on our borrowers and on our financial condition and results of operations; an unanticipated loss of key personnel or existing clients, or an inability to attract key employees; increases in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions which may result in unanticipated changes in our loan or deposit rates; unanticipated increases in FDIC insurance premiums or future assessments; legislative, tax or regulatory changes or actions, which may adversely affect the Company's business; impacts related to or resulting from regional and community bank failures and stresses to regional banks; changes in deposit flows, funding sources or loan demand, which may adversely affect the Company's business; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines may cause the Company's financial condition or results of operation to be reported or perceived differently; general economic conditions, including unemployment rates, either nationally or locally in some or all of the areas in which the Company does business, or conditions in the securities markets or the banking industry being less favorable than currently anticipated; inflation, which may lead to higher operating costs; declines in real estate values in the Company's market area, which may adversely affect our loan production; an unexpected adverse financial, regulatory, legal or bankruptcy event experienced by our non-bank financial service clients; system failures or cybersecurity breaches of our information technology infrastructure and/or confidential information or those of the Company's third-party service providers or those of our non-bank financial service clients for which we provide global payments infrastructure; emerging issues related to the development and use of artificial intelligence that could give rise to legal or regulatory action, damage our reputation or otherwise materially harm our business or clients; failure to maintain current technologies or technological changes that may be more difficult or expensive to implement than anticipated, and failure to successfully implement future information technology enhancements; the costs, including the possible incurrence of fines, penalties, or other negative effects (including reputational harm) of any adverse judicial, administrative, or arbitral rulings or proceedings, regulatory enforcement actions, or other legal actions to which we or any of our subsidiaries are a party, and which may adversely affect our results; the current or anticipated impact of military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events; the successful implementation or consummation of new business initiatives, which may be more difficult or expensive than anticipated; the timely and efficient development of new products and services offered by the Company or its strategic partners, as well as risks (including reputational and litigation) attendant thereto, and the perceived overall value and acceptance of these products and services by clients; changes in consumer spending, borrowing or savings habits; the risks associated with adverse changes to credit quality; an unexpected failure to successfully manage our credit risk and the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses; credit and other risks from borrower and depositor concentrations (e.g., by geographic area and by industry); difficulties associated with achieving or predicting expected future financial results; and the potential impact on the Company's operations and clients resulting from natural or man-made disasters, wars, acts of terrorism, cyberattacks and pandemics, as well as those discussed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. We do not undertake (and expressly disclaim) any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as may be required by law.
The Herald Scotland
25-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Report blasts immigration detention conditions under Trump
The July 21 report, which drew from the testimonials of 17 detainees, examined conditions since President Donald Trump took office in January. Investigators say conditions at the Krome North Processing Center, Federal Detention Center and Broward Transitional Center flout international law on holding people in immigrant detention and federal government standards. The conditions for people held in the detention facilities "are not the way that any legitimate, functioning government should treat people within its custody," report author and editor Alison Leal Parker, deputy director of the Human Rights Watch's US Program, said. While the facilities have had issues predating this administration, Parker said Trump administration officials have been unwilling to uphold standards to properly treat immigrant detainees. The conditions indicate the system is "overwhelmed, overcrowded and chaotic," she said. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said claims of subprime conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers are "FALSE." "All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers," McLaughlin said in an emailed statement. "Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE. ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens." Southern, Republican-led states have emerged as key partners in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Florida stood up a tent city called "Alligator Alcatraz." Georgia is expanding its largest ICE detention center. And Louisiana is hosting the most dedicated ICE facilities outside Texas. Time at all three facilities Entrepreneur Harpinder Singh Chauhan, 56, spent time at all three facilities during nearly four months as a detainee, beginning in February. The British national, who first entered the country on an E-2 investor visa in 2016, opened small businesses in Florida. One of them failed - a franchise of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which also bankrupted many other franchisees. He and his wife were seeking permanent residency through a valid EB-5 visa petition when their business collapsed. While Chauhan was never convicted of crimes, he was ordered to pay restitution to Florida for tax issues, court records show. In February, he was turned over to ICE after a routine probation check-in. At the Krome facility, he spent days in cold, crowded processing cells without beds or showers. He said he was denied medical care, including insulin for his diabetes and an inhaler for his asthma. He used his shoes as a pillow. During a tuberculosis outbreak, he said the facility had no soap. Instead, staff made detainees use shampoo to wash their hands. Detainees jokingly said everyone had "Krome's disease," a play on Chrohn's disease, a chronic gastrointestinal illness, Chauhan recalled. Detainees were beaten for protesting their treatment, and one man was hogtied, the report said. Officials also used solitary confinement as punishment, according to women who spoke to Human Rights Watch. In June, detainees at Krome signaled "SOS" to news cameras from the yard over conditions. The report said women were placed at Krome, a privately operated men's facility, where they were crowded in small holding cells without gender-appropriate care or privacy. USA TODAY reported on similar conditions inside Krome, where one man died - an incident Human Rights Watch suspects may have been linked to medical neglect. Akima, a private Alaska Native Corporation that operates Krome, didn't respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. But in response to a Human Rights Watch letter summarizing findings and questions, the company said it couldn't comment publicly on the specifics of its "engagement" with the government, according to the report. 'Like a dog' Midway through his detention, on April 15, Chauhan was placed inside a crowded Federal Detention Center holding cell awaiting transfer without a meal for the day. Styrofoam food containers sat full for hours on other side of the federal prison's bars. In the evening, he and others finally received food. But with their hands shackled at their waist, they were forced to eat by putting their faces to bite into potatoes rolling around, rice and dry chicken, he said. "You've got to kind of prop it up with your knees and then eat out of it like a dog," Chauhan said. Another 21-year-old detainee interviewed by Human Rights Watch also described being forced to eat like an animal. The 25 to 30 men forced to eat this way were transferred from the facility several hours later, Chauhan said. Less than a week later, at Broward, Chauhan collapsed in the heat awaiting dinner and was taken to a hospital, with no information given to his family. He had not had his insulin for nearly a week. A 44-year-old Haitian woman, Marie Ange Blaise, died at the facility in April, following a medical emergency that was not treated urgently, according to Human Rights Watch and advocates. "We strongly believe her death could have been prevented," Guerline Jozef, director of the nonprofit Haitian Bridge Alliance told USA TODAY at the time. "We will continue to demand accountability and protection for people in ICE custody." GEO Group, which operates Broward, denied the report's allegations, including questions about Chauhan's account. The facility has around-the-clock access to medical care, as well as access to visitations, libraries, translation services and amenities, Christopher Ferreira, a spokesperson for the company, said in a statement. Support services are monitored by ICE, including on-site personnel, and other organizations within DHS. A 'dark time' in US Chauhan was ordered deported and boarded a flight back to the United Kingdom on June 5. His family, including two adult children, stayed in Florida to close what remains of their businesses. Now living outside London, Chauhan said he plans to keep paying his Florida debt. Even though his family is ready to leave, he hopes to one day return to America. "Every nation goes through a dark time," he said. "I feel this is just a test." Lauren Villagran contributed to this report. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Immigrants forced to eat 'like a dog' in 'overcrowded and chaotic': detention centers
A Human Rights Watch report said three Miami detention facilities subject people to inhumane, at times life-threatening, conditions. Forced to eat the day's only meal "like a dog," with their hands shackled behind their back. Detained for days with nothing but shoes for a pillow and no other bedding ‒ just cold, concrete floors and constant fluorescent lighting. Medical care that denied a man with diabetes insulin for a week and may have contributed to at least one death. A Human Rights Watch report says three Miami immigrant detention facilities have subjected people to conditions so inhumane they have become, at times, life-threatening. Many ICE detention facilities are becoming overcrowded and conditions are deteriorating, according to the July 21 report. The July 21 report, which drew from the testimonials of 17 detainees, examined conditions since President Donald Trump took office in January. Investigators say conditions at the Krome North Processing Center, Federal Detention Center and Broward Transitional Center flout international law on holding people in immigrant detention and federal government standards. The conditions for people held in the detention facilities 'are not the way that any legitimate, functioning government should treat people within its custody,' report author and editor Alison Leal Parker, deputy director of the Human Rights Watch's US Program, said. While the facilities have had issues predating this administration, Parker said Trump administration officials have been unwilling to uphold standards to properly treat immigrant detainees. The conditions indicate the system is "overwhelmed, overcrowded and chaotic," she said. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said claims of subprime conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers are 'FALSE.' 'All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers,' McLaughlin said in an emailed statement. 'Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE. ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.' Southern, Republican-led states have emerged as key partners in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Florida stood up a tent city called "Alligator Alcatraz." Georgia is expanding its largest ICE detention center. And Louisiana is hosting the most dedicated ICE facilities outside Texas. Time at all three facilities Entrepreneur Harpinder Singh Chauhan, 56, spent time at all three facilities during nearly four months as a detainee, beginning in February. The British national, who first entered the country on an E-2 investor visa in 2016, opened small businesses in Florida. One of them failed ‒ a franchise of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which also bankrupted many other franchisees. He and his wife were seeking permanent residency through a valid EB-5 visa petition when their business collapsed. While Chauhan was never convicted of crimes, he was ordered to pay restitution to Florida for tax issues, court records show. In February, he was turned over to ICE after a routine probation check-in. At the Krome facility, he spent days in cold, crowded processing cells without beds or showers. He said he was denied medical care, including insulin for his diabetes and an inhaler for his asthma. He used his shoes as a pillow. During a tuberculosis outbreak, he said the facility had no soap. Instead, staff made detainees use shampoo to wash their hands. Detainees jokingly said everyone had 'Krome's disease,' a play on Chrohn's disease, a chronic gastrointestinal illness, Chauhan recalled. Detainees were beaten for protesting their treatment, and one man was hogtied, the report said. Officials also used solitary confinement as punishment, according to women who spoke to Human Rights Watch. In June, detainees at Krome signaled 'SOS' to news cameras from the yard over conditions. The report said women were placed at Krome, a privately operated men's facility, where they were crowded in small holding cells without gender-appropriate care or privacy. USA TODAY reported on similar conditions inside Krome, where one man died ‒ an incident Human Rights Watch suspects may have been linked to medical neglect. Akima, a private Alaska Native Corporation that operates Krome, didn't respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. But in response to a Human Rights Watch letter summarizing findings and questions, the company said it couldn't comment publicly on the specifics of its "engagement" with the government, according to the report. 'Like a dog' Midway through his detention, on April 15, Chauhan was placed inside a crowded Federal Detention Center holding cell awaiting transfer without a meal for the day. Styrofoam food containers sat full for hours on other side of the federal prison's bars. In the evening, he and others finally received food. But with their hands shackled at their waist, they were forced to eat by putting their faces to bite into potatoes rolling around, rice and dry chicken, he said. 'You've got to kind of prop it up with your knees and then eat out of it like a dog,' Chauhan said. Another 21-year-old detainee interviewed by Human Rights Watch also described being forced to eat like an animal. The 25 to 30 men forced to eat this way were transferred from the facility several hours later, Chauhan said. Less than a week later, at Broward, Chauhan collapsed in the heat awaiting dinner and was taken to a hospital, with no information given to his family. He had not had his insulin for nearly a week. A 44-year-old Haitian woman, Marie Ange Blaise, died at the facility in April, following a medical emergency that was not treated urgently, according to Human Rights Watch and advocates. "We strongly believe her death could have been prevented," Guerline Jozef, director of the nonprofit Haitian Bridge Alliance told USA TODAY at the time. "We will continue to demand accountability and protection for people in ICE custody." GEO Group, which operates Broward, denied the report's allegations, including questions about Chauhan's account. The facility has around-the-clock access to medical care, as well as access to visitations, libraries, translation services and amenities, Christopher Ferreira, a spokesperson for the company, said in a statement. Support services are monitored by ICE, including on-site personnel, and other organizations within DHS. A 'dark time' in US Chauhan was ordered deported and boarded a flight back to the United Kingdom on June 5. His family, including two adult children, stayed in Florida to close what remains of their businesses. Now living outside London, Chauhan said he plans to keep paying his Florida debt. Even though his family is ready to leave, he hopes to one day return to America. 'Every nation goes through a dark time,' he said. 'I feel this is just a test.' Lauren Villagran contributed to this report. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Asked for a toilet that flushed...: Indian-origin British man Harpinder Chauhan recounts ordeal at US detention center, was called 'chihuahua'
Indian-origin British businessman said he was denied a proper working toilet, his medicine at ICE detention center. Indian-origin British businessman who had lived in the United States since 2016 was detained by the ICE in February after his barbecue franchise in Florida bankrupted him and he got into trouble with his taxes. In June, he was deported to the UK. But the three months he spent at several ICE detention centers were no less than a nightmare, the 56-year-old businessman told the Human Rights Watch. After his arrest, he was shackled when he was taken to the center where there were too many detainees and no bed, no showers or privacy. 'I used my shoes as a pillow. We had no cups for water, just a toilet with a half-wall for privacy,' he said. His family provided the ICE officers with his asthma inhaler, insulin medicine but those were never delivered to him. Chauhan said he spent the following months in three detention centers: Krome, FDC and BTC with the condition of each of them worse than the others. 'They told us if we kept asking for a toilet that flushed, they would create a problem we wouldn't like,' he said. At one center, he collapsed and had to be hospitalized. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo His son Aaton told Human Rights Watch that he received a call from a relative of his father's cellmate but the center staff did not inform him about anything. When he finally managed to get the details of the hospital and called there, they told him no patient by the name of 'Harpinder Chauhan' was there. Later, he was told that the ICE authorities asked the hospital not to disclose any information, as he was in custody. Chauhan recalled another incident where an officer made fun of his last name and called him 'chihuahua' instead of Chauhan. In May, a judge ruled for his removal to the UK but the ICE officers said they lost his passport and he could only come home to the UK in June. Chauhan said he did not enter the US illegally but had an E-2 investor visa as he launched several small businesses. He filed for permanent residency through an approved EB-5 visa petition, but after his barbecue franchise got bankrupt, he got into tax troubles that landed him with the ICE.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bhilwara farmers accuse UIT of tampering with master plan
Bhilwara: Accusing the Bhilwara Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) of tampering with the city's master plan, hundreds of farmers staged a protest at the collectorate Tuesday and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister. They demanded the reinstatement of the previously proposed multipurpose plan and warned of a mass sit-in protest if no action is taken within seven days. The protest follows allegations by Bhilwara Property Dealers and Brokers Association, whose legal in-charge Rajkumar Taylor accused UIT officials of ignoring govt orders and manipulating the city's long-term development blueprint. He warned that legal action would be pursued if the issues are not addressed promptly. Farmer leader Devendra Singh strongly criticised the proposed E-2 plan, claiming it is flawed and includes a 1200-feet wide road, which he said was inferior to the earlier multipurpose plan that was scrapped. He accused the UIT of turning the peripheral area into a "fraudulent zone" and warned that 7,000 farmers will sit on strike outside the UIT office if the plan is not rectified. The protest march, which began at the Ajmer Jail intersection, saw participation from hundreds of male and female farmers raising slogans against the UIT. The memorandum submitted to the additional district collector conveyed their demands and concerns. Meanwhile, the UIT is conducting a lottery for 3,081 residential plots in nine housing schemes announced in the state budget. Protesters pointed out that Bhilwara charges Rs 2,000 as an application fee, compared to Rs 1,000 in Ajmer for a similar scheme. Bhilwara district collector and UIT chairman Jasmeet Singh Sandhu said, no changes have been made to the multipurpose plan under Section 32. He urged residents not to be misled and said, a committee has been formed to consider public suggestions.
