DOJ Announces $24.9 million Settlement with Guild Mortgage Company
San Diego based Guild Mortgage Company, participant in the Federal Housing Administration insurance program, has agreed to pay $24.9 million to resolve allegations that it caused the submission of false claims for recovery of defaulted home loans. Guild was accused of violating the False Claims Act by knowingly approving ineligible home ownership loans then recovering the insurance payments when the loans defaulted. Prior to underwriting a federally insured loan, mortgage companies participating in the FHA mortgage insurance program must review it for compliance with FHA rules and loan quality control.
The suit was brought under the qui tam provision of the False Claims Act. The whistleblower, former head of quality control at Guild, will receive nearly $5 million for his role in the case.
Read more here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/guild-mortgage-company-pay-249-million-resolve-allegations-it-knowingly-caused-false-claims