What puzzled authorities about Amex's Field Warehousing operation was that De Angelis' soybean oil stock exceeded the stock available in the entire United States, according to the Department of Agriculture. While the warehouse operation was small, Amex was lenient with De Angelis, as he was one of their main customers. With Amex staking its reputation behind all the oil and with De Angelis offering great deals, mainstream companies such as Bunge Limited, Staley, and Procter and Gamble were soon participating. Bank of America joined in to provided collateralized loans.