Claire Hoffman wants B of A to keep trust unit.

In a letter to state banking regulators, Claire Giannini Hoffman called the pending sale of Bank of America’s personal trust department to Wells Fargo “totally contrary to the credo and principles of (B of A’s) founder, my father, A. P. Giannini.” The 82-year-old Hoffman charged that trust beneficiaries were “being sold like slaves on a block,” and that Wells Fargo has no interest in retaining small accounts. BankAmerica has said that the $100 million sale will raise needed equity capital and that the unit has only been marginally profitable.