Overview
Big Picture Loans and its predecessor brand, Castle Payday, have been at the center of several class-action lawsuits. Borrowers argued that loans made under tribal law at triple-digit rates violated state usury laws and the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The defendants denied wrongdoing. This page summarizes public information; it is not legal advice.
Williams v. Big Picture Loans
Filed in 2017 in federal court in Virginia, this case alleged that Big Picture Loans, Ascension Technologies and several individuals used the tribe as a shield. In 2019 the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the tribal lending entities were entitled to share the tribe’s sovereign immunity. Claims continued against non-tribal parties. A settlement reported at $8.7 million in 2021 was followed by cancellation of the loans at issue and cash payments to some class members, according to the later Galloway notice.
Galloway v. Martorello
This follow-on case (No. 3:19-cv-314, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia) targeted individuals and companies alleged to have run the lending enterprise. A proposed nationwide settlement of $65 million covered people who took out a Big Picture or Castle Payday loan between June 22, 2013 and May 1, 2024.
The settlement depended on defendants funding it. According to the official settlement website, as of November 13, 2024 the defendants had not funded it, so the settlement was voided. One or more defendants then filed for bankruptcy in the Northern District of Texas. The site directs affected borrowers to class counsel or an attorney for bankruptcy claim information.
Be cautious of settlement scams. No one can charge you to “release” settlement money. Use only the official site, bplsettlement.com, or class counsel.
Illinois class action
A separate class action filed by an Illinois borrower names Big Picture Loans and related parties, alleging loans to Illinois residents broke state law. The defendants dispute the claims. Check federal court records for the latest status.
What this means for borrowers today
- Big Picture Loans continues to lend under tribal law, and its disclosures still note that state protections may not apply.
- Past settlements do not change the terms of a new loan you sign today.
- If you had a loan in the covered period, contact class counsel listed on the settlement site about your options.
Timeline
| 2017 | Williams class action filed in Virginia |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Fourth Circuit rules tribal lending entities share sovereign immunity; Galloway filed |
| 2021 | Settlement reported at $8.7 million |
| 2024 | $65 million Galloway settlement proposed; voided after defendants fail to fund it by November 13 |
| After 2024 | Defendant bankruptcy proceedings in the Northern District of Texas |
Williams v. Big Picture Loans: what the Fourth Circuit decided
Five Virginia residents sued two tribal business entities, Big Picture Loans, LLC and Ascension Technologies, LLC, saying their online loans carried unlawfully high interest. In 2018 the district court found the entities had not proven they were entitled to tribal immunity. On July 3, 2019, the Fourth Circuit reversed. It agreed the entities carried the burden of proof but held they are arms of the Lac Vieux Desert Band, and directed that they be dismissed.
To decide, the court adopted an “arm-of-the-tribe” test that looks at how an entity was created, its purpose, who controls it, the tribe’s intent and the financial relationship between the entity and the tribe, with the purposes of tribal immunity informing the whole analysis.
Claims against non-tribal defendants
Immunity for the tribal entities did not end the litigation. Borrowers continued suing individuals and companies they said were behind the lending operation, including Matt Martorello. In a 2020 filing described by the court, plaintiffs alleged that defendants made material misrepresentations during the immunity phase. The Fourth Circuit heard further appeals in the Martorello litigation in 2023 and 2025; its 2025 opinion described the arrangement at issue as what the court called a “rent-a-tribe” scheme. Defendants have denied wrongdoing.
Other tribal lending cases that shape borrower rights
In CFPB v. Great Plains Lending (Ninth Circuit, 2017), lenders created by three other tribes argued they didn’t have to answer the CFPB’s investigative demands. The court disagreed, finding the Consumer Financial Protection Act is a generally applicable law that Congress did not exclude tribes from. Read more in our tribal loans explainer.
How to check a Big Picture Loans case yourself
- Published opinions: free sites such as CourtListener and Justia post appeals decisions.
- Docket filings: federal court records are available through PACER (fees may apply).
- Settlement status: use only the official site, bplsettlement.com, or class counsel listed there.
If you have a Big Picture Loans loan today
- Your agreement still applies. Court cases about past loans don’t change a loan you sign now.
- Your complaint path is the tribal process. See our complaints walkthrough; you can also contact the CFPB.
- Paying early helps. The lender says there’s no prepayment penalty.
- Keep records. Save your agreement, payment history and any letters in case questions come up later.
Big Picture Loans lawsuit terms, explained
- Sovereign immunity
- A tribe’s legal protection from many lawsuits unless Congress or the tribe waives it.
- Arm of the tribe
- A business closely enough tied to a tribe that it shares the tribe’s immunity. Courts weigh creation, purpose, control, intent and financial ties.
- Class action
- A lawsuit brought by a few people on behalf of a larger group with similar claims.
- RICO
- The federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which borrowers cited in claims over high-rate lending.
- Voided settlement
- A proposed agreement that never took effect, here because the defendants did not fund it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Big Picture Loans settlement I can claim?
The $65 million Galloway settlement was voided in November 2024 because it was not funded. The official settlement site refers borrowers to class counsel regarding bankruptcy claims.
Was Big Picture Loans shut down?
No. The lender continues to operate and publishes current rates on its website.
Did Big Picture Loans win its lawsuit?
On immunity, yes: in 2019 the Fourth Circuit held the tribal lending entities are immune and ordered them dismissed. Claims against non-tribal defendants continued separately.
Still weighing it up? You can check other lenders first and decline anything that doesn’t fit. Check my loan options.
Sources
- Galloway v. Martorello settlement website: https://www.bplsettlement.com/
- Top Class Actions: $8.7M settlement report: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/big-picture-loans-settles-state-law-rico-violation-claims-for-8-7m/
- Claim Depot: Illinois class action summary: https://www.claimdepot.com/cases/big-picture-loans-class-action-predatory-lending
- Big Picture Loans homepage and disclosures: https://www.bigpictureloans.com/
- Williams v. Big Picture Loans (4th Cir. 2019), Justia: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/18-1827/18-1827-2019-07-03.html
- Williams v. Big Picture Loans, CourtListener: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4636640/lula-williams-v-big-picture-loans-llc/
- Pete v. Big Picture Loans (E.D. Va. 2020), Leagle: https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20200716b06
- Williams v. Martorello-related appeal (4th Cir. 2025), FindLaw: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-4th-circuit/117482891.html
- CFPB v. Great Plains Lending (9th Cir. 2017), Justia: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/14-55900/14-55900-2017-01-20.html