• Congress’s report deemed these comments to be misleading in light of emails from Treasury Department staff that recommended criminal charges.
• The bank, which has its headquarters in London, paid a $1.92bn (£1.48bn) settlement but did not face criminal charges.
• The report says Mr Holder ignored the recommendations of more junior staff to prosecute HSBC because of the bank’s “systemic importance” to the financial markets.
• The report says: “George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, the UK’s chief financial minister, intervened in the HSBC matter by sending a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke…
• The report alleges the UK “hampered” the probe and “influenced” the outcome.

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