Barack Obama has been criticised for reportedly accepting a fee of $US400,000 ($530,000) to address a Wall Street bank in September.
The former US president has previously referred to Wall Street bankers as "fat cats" and in 2009 said the financial crisis was "caused in part by completely irresponsible actions on Wall Street".
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'Always optimistic' Obama returns to the public life
At his first public event since leaving the White House, former US President Barack Obama says his next job will focus on helping the next generation "take up the baton" to become active citizens and leaders.
The reported fee is close to twice the amount Hillary Clinton was paid for three speeches to Goldman Sachs in 2015.
The former presidential nominee was heavily criticised for the speeches and it had an impact on her campaign.
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Less than 100 days after he left the White House, Mr Obama has reportedly agreed the deal with Cantor Fitzgerald LP, the mid-sized New York-based investment bank.
Cantor-Fitzgerald declined to comment on the speaking deal, first reported by Fox Business, but a spokesman did not deny claims Obama had agreed to speak to the firm and the reported fee.
He will apparently make a speech at the firm's health care conference in September.
"Is there an irony here because he spoke incessantly about the income gap and is now earning from those same people he criticised? Yes it is," Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic political consultant, told the New York Post.
"Should we expect it? Yes, we should because all former presidents do this. He went on the attack against Wall Street and now he's being fed by those same people he called 'fat cats.' It's more hypocritical than ironic."
Mr Obama spoke publicly for the first time since leaving office on Monday.
"The single most important thing I can do is to help in any way I can to prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world," he told students at the University of Chicago.
There was no response from representatives for Mr Obama to the reports of the $US400,000 fee.
Should we expect it? Yes, we should because all former presidents do this. He went on the attack against Wall Street and now he's being fed by those same people he called 'fat cats.' It's more hypocritical than ironic.
Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic political consultant
Telegraph, London