Experts are calling Goldman Sachs $ 5.1bn in settlement over accusations of wrongdoing prior to the financial crisis as just " window - dressing " , since buried in the fine print are provisions that will allow the bank to pay hundreds of millions of dollars less , perhaps as much as $ 1bn , than the headline price , and that is before the tax benefits of the deal are included . For every $1 that the bank spends on affordable housing developments, the bank will get a $3.25 credit toward the $240 million, with the possibility of getting 15 percent more credit if it pays early. Though deals with other banks have contained some of these concessions , Goldman Sachs has negotiated an even better deal on certain issues . " They appear to have grossly inflated the settlement amount for PR purposes to protect the public , while in the fine print , enabling Goldman Sachs to pay 50 % - 75 % less " , according to Better Markets ' Dennis Kelleher .
Experts are calling Goldman Sachs $ 5.1bn in settlement over accusations of wrongdoing prior to the financial crisis as just " window - dressing " , since buried in the fine print are provisions that will allow the bank to pay hundreds of millions of dollars less , perhaps as much as $ 1bn , than the headline price , and that is before the tax benefits of the deal are included . Though deals with other banks have contained some of these concessions , Goldman Sachs has negotiated an even better deal on certain issues . " They appear to have grossly inflated the settlement amount for PR purposes to protect the public , while in the fine print , enabling Goldman Sachs to pay 50 % - 75 % less " , according to Better Markets ' Dennis Kelleher .