The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a complaint Friday against Comerica Bank, accusing the regional bank of failing to administer a federal benefits program that uses prepaid debit cards.

The lawsuit claims Comerica Bank “intentionally terminated” more than 24 million customer service calls, charged more than 1 million cardholders ATM fees they didn’t owe and mishandled fraud complaints while providing federal benefits through the Direct Express prepaid debit card program.

“By deliberately disconnecting millions of calls and harvesting illegal junk fees, Comerica boosted its bottom line at the expense of Americans living on a fixed income,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said.

The Direct Express program is a prepaid card that beneficiaries of Social Security and other federal programs can use to pay for expenses including groceries and gas. Comerica has been contracted with the Department of the Treasury since 2008 to administer the program and handle customer service for the millions of Americans using the prepaid card, many of whom are disabled and older and don’t have a bank.

While the Direct Express website advertises 24/7 customer service, the CFPB alleges that “when people had problems with their accounts, it was often impossible to talk to someone who would help.”

Comerica filed an earlier complaint against the CFPB on Nov. 8, arguing the bureau had overreached in its handling of the case and “has failed to acknowledge that, as Financial Agent of the Direct Express program, Comerica generally acted with the oversight and knowledge or approval of the federal government,” the suit reads.

“Throughout the CFPB’s investigation, we have cooperated by sharing information and data to illustrate the unique nature of this program and the fact that we operate with the oversight of the Fiscal Service,” said Louis Mora, Comerica vice president of media relations. “Despite our good faith efforts to provide this critical context, the CFPB has consistently ignored our arguments and documentation.”

“We will continue to vigorously defend our record as the financial agent for the Direct Express program and remain committed to serving our cardholders,” Mora continued.

The CFPB has taken action against banks for mishandling benefits in the past, including in 2022 when the bureau fined Bank of America $100 million for mishandling state unemployment benefits in 2020 and 2021. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency also fined the bank $125 million in a separate order.

— NBC News’ Steve Kopack contributed to this report

The Raytheon subsidiary of defense contractor RTX agreed Wednesday to pay more than $950 million to settle U.S. Department of Justice investigations into an alleged government contract fraud scheme, violations of foreign bribery laws and the Arms Export Control Act.

Raytheon also agreed to pay more than $124 million to settle charges filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in connection with paying bribes of more than $32 million to a relative of the emir of Qatar and to military and government officials in that country in exchange for obtaining defense contracts there. More than $22 million of that settlement will be offset by Raytheon’s settlement with the DOJ.

The company as part of the DOJ settlement also agreed to enter into deferred prosecution agreements involving that conduct in federal district courts in Brooklyn, New York, and Massachusetts.

The company was charged in the Brooklyn case with conspiracy to violate anti-bribery laws in a scheme to bribe a high-level government official in Qatar and with failing to disclose the bribes in export licensing applications with the State Department as legally required.

In the Massachusetts case, Raytheon admitted to engaging in two separate schemes to defraud the Defense Department in connection with the Patriot missile systems and a radar system, along with other defense products and services.

The company also will retain an independent monitor for three years and enhance its internal compliance program as part of the settlement, which the DOJ announced.

“Raytheon engaged in criminal schemes to defraud the U.S. government in connection with contracts for critical military systems and to win business through bribery in Qatar,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kevin Driscoll of the DOJ’s Criminal Division, in a statement.

“Such corrupt and fraudulent conduct, especially by a publicly traded U.S. defense contractor, erodes public trust and harms the DOD, businesses that play by the rules, and American taxpayers,” Driscoll said.

RTX in a statement said the settlements with the DOJ and the SEC relate to probes previously disclosed by the company, and that “these legacy legal matters relate to conduct that occurred at Raytheon Company largely prior to 2020,”

“RTX is taking responsibility for the misconduct that occurred,” the company said. “We have worked diligently during the investigations to remediate that misconduct and continue to do so. We are committed to working closely with the incoming independent monitor to improve and further enhance our ethics and compliance program.”