Exhibit 23.1

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 of FleetBoston Financial Corporation's Annual Report dated
January 16, 2003 relating to the financial statements, which appears in this
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002.


                                       /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
June 19, 2003