E* Trade's Troubles

E*Trade is facing the potential of a good ol' fashioned run on the bank.  Depositor in E*Trade's retail banking business and investors who hold stock through E*Trade brokerage accounts are nervous because E*Trade has substantial exposure to loses in the subprime credit markets.  The depositors and investors do not want to take the time to figure out, based on complex legal analysis of business structure and guarantees, whether their own funds are at risk; they want out now.  E*Trade is livid about the suggestion that investors and depositors are at risk, offering all sorts of assurances.  Folks, they're done.  Yet another bank is finding out that you cannot hold depositors and investors accounts under the same name as the name attached to a risky investment business.