The Racket Researcher: Melissa Soper of Speedy Cash

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Melissa Soper is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for Speedy Cash Holdings Corp. Previously, she worked at Dollar Financial Corporation serving as Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Administration from 2011-2015, Senior Vice President of Corporate Administration from 2007-2011, Vice President and General Manager of the We The People Division from 2005 to 2007, and the Vice President for Corporate Human Resources from 1996 to 2005. Prior to joining Dollar Financial Group, Inc., Soper served as a Director of Human Resources for a national hotel chain.

She is one of only three woman serving on the board of the payday lending industry’s special interest trade group, Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA). While at Dollar Financial Group, Soper chaired the CFSA’s “research committee.” At the same time, Dollar Financial Group reportedly funded Hilary Miller’s Consumer Credit Research Foundation (CCRF), which has been exposed for exerting influence over the academic research it finances.

The Details:

As “Research Committee” Chair for Industry Trade Group, Soper’s Dollar Financial Funded Organization That Financed and Exerted Influence Over “Academic Research”

  • Soper’s Dollar Financial Financed Organization Behind Questionable Academic Research While She Chaired Industry Trade Group’s Research Committee. At the same time, Dollar Financial Group reportedly funded Hilary Miller’s Consumer Credit Research Foundation (CCRF), which has been exposed for exerting influence over the academic research it finances. That influence included CCRF’s chairman editing at least one study and directing a professor to remove negative information about payday loans. [CFSA Website; Campaign for Accountability; Huffington Post, 11/2/15]

Soper Has Made Over Half a Million Dollars Selling Payday Lending Stock Alone  

  • 2011-09-07, DLLR, Dollar Financial Corp, Sale, $132,049
  • 2006-11-09, DLLR, Dollar Financial Corp, Sale, $204,375
  • 2006-11-09, DLLR, Dollar Financial Corp, Option Ex, $103,875
  • 2006-09-14, DLLR, Dollar Financial Corp, Sale, $55,916
  • 2006-09-14, DLLR, Dollar Financial Corp, Option Ex, $16,122

[Insider-Monitor.com]

Soper Was Director of the Canadian Payday Loan Association

  • Soper Was A Director Of the Canadian Payday Loan Association.  [Canadian Payday Loan Association, accessed 8/25/14]

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