Paul Kiel
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Paul Kiel covers 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 a nonprofit hospital to renounce its past aggressive collection of low-income patients’ debts and forgive millions of dollars’ worth of medical bills.
Past areas of focus have included the foreclosure crisis, high-cost lending (particularly installment and payday loans), and the widespread use of lawsuits and garnishments to collect consumer debts. His current area of focus is the consumer bankruptcy system.
His work has appeared in several newspapers, including the Washington Post and 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 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.
Articles
In Nebraska, New Bill Proposes Protections Against Rampant Debt Collection
Jan. 24, 1:09 p.m.
Bill seeks to block collectors from cleaning out debtors’ bank accounts over medical debts of a few hundred dollars.Trump’s Treasury Pick Excelled at Kicking Elderly People Out of Their Homes
Dec. 27, 2016, 8 a.m.
When Steven Mnuchin ran OneWest, the bank aggressively and in some cases, wrongly, foreclosed on elderly homeowners with reverse mortgages. The bank had a disproportionate share of such foreclosures.In Major Settlement, States Gang Up to Strike Deal with Soldier-Suing Company
Sep. 30, 2016, 2:43 p.m.
The Virginia-based company was the focus of a 2014 ProPublica investigation of its lending and collection practices.Company That Sued Soldiers Settles Colorado Lawsuit
Aug. 16, 2016, 7 a.m.
The Virginia-based company was the focus of a 2014 ProPublica investigation of its lending and collection practices.In Bill, Lawmakers Propose New Limits for Seizing Workers’ Pay Over Old Debts
July 12, 2016, 7 a.m.
Last week, two lawmakers introduced a bill to put new limits on what debt collectors can take from debtors’ paychecks and bank accounts. It is the first legislation to address the issue in decades and follows a series of ProPublica stories about the widespread practice of garnishment.Nonprofit Hospital Stops Suing So Many Poor Patients: Will Others Follow?
June 1, 2016, 8:52 a.m.
A story by ProPublica and NPR and a Senate investigation prompt a Missouri nonprofit hospital to change its policies and forgive thousands of patients’ debts. But without similar scrutiny, it’s unclear if other hospitals that sue the poor will change.So Sue Them: What We’ve Learned About the Debt Collection Lawsuit Machine
May 5, 2016, 6:57 a.m.
ProPublica spent years gathering data to shed light on how debt collectors use the courts. Today, we run through the most important lessons we learned about a tactic that affects millions.For Nebraska’s Poor, Get Sick and Get Sued
April 28, 2016, 4 a.m.
Cheap court fees and looser rules make suing over medical debts as small as $60 easy. Every year Nebraska collection agencies file lawsuits by the tens of thousands.Why Small Debts Matter So Much To Black Lives
Dec. 31, 2015, 8 a.m.
Due to the racial wealth gap, black families have far less in savings than whites. The consequences can be far-reaching and often severe.At Capital One, Easy Credit and Abundant Lawsuits
Dec. 28, 2015, 5 a.m.
A ProPublica analysis of state court filings reveals that Capital One sues its customers far more than any other bank.To Address Race Gap, Missouri AG Pushes Debt Collection Fixes
Dec. 3, 2015, 1:32 p.m.
Citing ProPublica’s reporting, Missouri’s attorney general proposed reforms to the state court rules to address the prevalence of debt collection suits in black neighborhoods.What Can Be Done Right Now to Fix the Legal System for Debt Collection
Oct. 8, 2015, 10 a.m.
America’s out-of-date, unfair laws for collecting debts could be dramatically improved by these simple steps.The Color of Debt
Oct. 8, 2015, 7 a.m.
The black neighborhoods where collection suits hit hardestThe Color of Debt: How Collection Suits Squeeze Black Neighborhoods
Oct. 8, 2015, 7 a.m.
In a first-of-its-kind analysis, ProPublica reveals that the suits are far more common in black communities than white ones.How We Analyzed Racial Disparity in Debt Collection Lawsuits
Oct. 8, 2015, 7 a.m.
An explanation of how we analyzed whether debt collection lawsuits disproportionately impact black communities.Company That Sued Soldiers Closes Its Stores
Aug. 14, 2015, 7 a.m.
After a ProPublica investigation of USA Discounters’ lending practices last summer, a barrage of lawsuits, regulatory inquiries and changes to Defense Department policies followed.Let The Game of Whack-A-Mole Begin: Feds Put Forward New Payday Rules
March 27, 2015, 11:07 a.m.
New rules put forward by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would have a major impact on the high-cost loan industry. But if history is any guide, lenders will quickly find some loopholes.Senator to Hospitals: Stop Suing Poor Patients
Jan. 22, 2015, 5 a.m.
Prompted by an investigation by ProPublica and NPR, Sen. Charles Grassley asks a Missouri nonprofit hospital to explain why it seizes the wages of thousands of its patients.For Nonprofit Hospitals Who Sue Patients, New Rules
Jan. 15, 2015, 10:33 a.m.
Nonprofit hospitals get big tax breaks for providing care for patients who can't afford it. Under new IRS rules these hospitals must take extra steps to inform poor patients they may qualify for financial assistance.Feds Bar Companies’ Long-Distance Lawsuits Against Soldiers
Dec. 26, 2014, 11:25 a.m.
In the latest move against companies targeting military customers, federal regulators prohibit two Virginia-based lenders from suing out-of-state debtors in Virginia courts. The companies were featured in a ProPublica story in July.Safeguard the public interest.
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![Paul Kiel](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170126102659im_/https://www.propublica.org/images/member_photos/photo_9.png)
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20170126102659im_/https://www.propublica.org/images/common/icn-kindle-lg.png)
Contact Info
- e-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
- twitter: paulkiel