Citigroup Pays $158M To Settle Mortgage Fraud

Published February 15, 2012 8:45PM (EST)

NEW YORK (AP) — Citigroup has agreed to pay $158.3 million to settle claims that its mortgage unit duped the U.S. government into insuring risky mortgage loans for over six years.

The government said Wednesday that Citi Mortgage certified 30,000 mortgages for insurance provided by the Federal Housing Agency and submitted many certifications that were "knowingly or recklessly false."

More than a third of those mortgage loans went into default, resulting in millions of dollars in losses for the government because of the insurance claims.

As part of the civil fraud settlement, Citi accepted responsibility for failing to comply with government requirements and submitting certifications that were fraudulent.


By Salon Staff

MORE FROM Salon Staff


Related Topics ------------------------------------------