He became head of Citigroup's global lending unit, rising in December 2000 to oversee the global consumer business.

Before that, in 1971, the bank set up its urban lending unit to foster minority business.

In 2000, the firm bid for Conseco's lending unit while the firm was advising Conseco, which ultimately decided not to sell the unit.

And specialized units, such as the barely profitable operation that extends credit to shipping, will be folded into general lending units.

He did not mention that the problems in the lending unit had led to a management change.

Gulf & Western's New Look The company, once the quintessential conglomerate, will sell its lending unit and focus on media and communications.

Citigroup said it had applied internal procedures to make sure that its lending units adhere to strict guidelines on a borrower's ability to repay.

Fleet Financial, the nation's ninth-largest bank, faced charges of discriminatory lending practices in its lending units before.

The retail banking and commercial lending units were sold for $350 million.

The Bronx office writes off about $100,000 a year in bad loans, according to Richard Donatuti, who heads one of Chemical's commercial lending units there.