LoanSafe – On Monday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered a Connecticut mortgage lender, 1st Alliance Lending, LLC (First Alliance), to pay an $83,000 civil money penalty for violating federal law by illegally splitting real estate settlement fees. First Alliance self-reported these violations to the Bureau, admitted liability, and provided information related to the conduct of other actors that has facilitated other enforcement investigations.“These types of illegal payments can harm consumers by driving up the costs of mortgage settlements,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “The Bureau will use its enforcement authority to ensure that these types of practices are halted. We will, however, also continue to take into account the self-reporting and cooperation of companies in determining how to resolve such matters.”
First Alliance is a mortgage lender in East Hartford, Conn. that focuses primarily on providing loss-mitigation financing to distressed borrowers. First Alliance obtains troubled mortgages from mortgage servicers, and reaches out to consumers to offer them new loans with reduced principal amounts under federally related mortgage programs.
