JPMorgan has the ability to shoulder the $31 billion writedown to WaMu's loan portfolio, Hindman said. They were well aware of the writedown going in to the deal, he said.
The FDIC was seeking a buyer will to bear a large burden of WaMu's losses to lessen the impact on the insurance fund.
The seizure by the government means shareholders' equity in WaMu was wiped out. Therefore, the deal leaves private equity investors including the firm TPG Capital, which gave WaMu a cash infusion totaling $7 billion this spring, on the sidelines empty handed.
"We are dissatisfied with the loss to our partners from our investment in Washington Mutual," said TPG spokesman Owen Blicksilver. "The unprecedented turmoil in global financial markets and resulting macro crisis of confidence has radically changed the dynamics for all financial institutions and led to widespread losses among investors throughout the sector."
Some bondholders will also be wiped out by the deal. JPMorgan Chase is not acquiring any senior unsecured debt, subordinated debt or preferred stock of Washington Mutual's banks, or any assets or liabilities of the holding company, which will be left in the receivership. The government will be left to sell the soured mortgage assets of the holding company.
The senior unsecured debt and subordinated debt has a total value of tens of billions of dollars, according to the FDIC.