Freedom Mortgage Corporation
On August 17, 2023, the Bureau issued an order against Freedom Mortgage Corporation (Freedom), a residential mortgage loan originator and servicer headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, for providing things of value—including subscription services, events, and monthly marketing services agreement payments—in exchange for referrals of mortgage loans in violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and its implementing Regulation X. The order requires Freedom to stop its unlawful activities and pay a $1.75 million civil money penalty.
The CFPB separately took action against Realty Connect USA Long Island, Inc., a real estate brokerage firm based in New York, for accepting things of value from Freedom for mortgage referrals. The order against Realty Connect also requires it to stop its unlawful activities and pay a civil money penalty of $200,000.
Related documents
Press release
CFPB Penalizes Freedom Mortgage and Realty Connect for Illegal Kickbacks