Category Archives: Trustees

New York AG Schneiderman Comes out Swinging at BofA, BoNY

This is big.  Though we’ve seen leading indicators over the last few weeks that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman might get involved in the proposed Bank of America settlement over Countrywide bonds, few expected a response that might dynamite … Continue reading

Posted in Attorneys General, bad faith, Bank of New York, banks, BofA, chain of title, conflicts of interest, contract rights, Countrywide, discovery, fiduciary duties, global settlement, improper documentation, investigations, investors, litigation, loan files, LPS, MBS, mortgage fraud, private label MBS, RMBS, robo-signers, servicer defaults, servicers, settlements, standing, successor liability, Trustees, Uncategorized, underwriting practices, Wall St. | 11 Comments

Six Challenges to Countrywide RMBS Settlement Already; Rundown Shows Pact Will Be No Easy Sell for BofA

The BofA settlement blowback has already begun.  If you’ve been following my recent posts (here and here) about the proposed Bank of America (“BofA”) settlement involving the Bank of New York (“BoNY”) and the Kathy Patrick-led investor group (the “Investor … Continue reading

Posted in Attorneys General, Bank of New York, banks, BofA, bondholder actions, conflicts of interest, contract rights, Countrywide, Federal Home Loan Banks, FHFA, global settlement, Grais and Ellsworth, improper documentation, incentives, investigations, investors, lawsuits, lenders, liabilities, litigation, MBS, oversight, pooling agreements, private label MBS, procedural hurdles, putbacks, rep and warranty, repurchase, RMBS, securities fraud, servicers, settlements, standing, statutes of limitations, subpoenas, toxic assets, Trustees | 9 Comments

Creditor Rights: Use Them All!

by Steve Ruterman, guest blogger Much of the focus of mortgage crisis-related litigation and news coverage has been directed at put-back rights as a potential source of loss mitigation for mortgage creditors, including investors and bond insurers.  However, far less … Continue reading

Posted in auditing, banks, bondholder actions, chain of title, contract rights, due diligence firms, Event of Default, firing servicers, freeriders, guest posts, improper documentation, incentives, investors, irresponsible lending, lenders, lending guidelines, loan files, MBIA, MBS, negligence and recklessness, pooling agreements, private label MBS, putbacks, re-underwriting, rep and warranty, RMBS, robo-signers, securitization, servicer defaults, servicers, standing, The Subprime Shakeout, Trustees, underwriting practices | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

$8.5 Billion BofA Settlement of Countrywide Trusts Raises Questions for Investors on Sidelines

As more details emerge about Bank of America’s proposed $8.5 billion settlement with Kathy Patrick’s bondholder group and Bank of New York Mellon (“BoNY”) as Trustee, the deal looks even worse for Countrywide RMBS investors.  Now, it is apparent that … Continue reading

Posted in allocation of loss, Bank of New York, banks, BlackRock, BofA, bondholder actions, chain of title, conflicts of interest, contract rights, Countrywide, damages, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Reserve, fiduciary duties, Freddie Mac, global settlement, Goldman Sachs, improper documentation, incentives, investors, irresponsible lending, Kathy Patrick, lawsuits, lenders, lending guidelines, liabilities, litigation, litigation costs, loss causation, loss estimates, MBS, MetLife, PIMCO, pooling agreements, private label MBS, procedural hurdles, putbacks, re-underwriting, rep and warranty, repurchase, responsibility, RMBS, securities, securitization, sellers and sponsors, settlements, standing, subprime, successor liability, The Subprime Shakeout, TIAA-CREF, Trustees, underwriting practices, valuation, waiver of rights to sue, William Frey | 17 Comments

Commentators Concur: Trustee Involvement Signals Shift in RMBS Litigation

A few weeks ago, I published an article suggesting that the increased cooperation of MBS trustees may signal the turning point in bondholder litigation.  It seems I’m not alone in reaching this conclusion. The following week, on January 27, Adam … Continue reading

Posted in allocation of loss, bondholder actions, chain of title, emc, investors, loan files, servicers, TIAA-CREF, Trustees, Wells Fargo | 3 Comments

Wells Fargo Sues EMC as Trustees Start Playing Ball with RMBS Investors; Servicers Still Holding Out

Will we look back at this point in the mortgage crisis fallout as the turning point for RMBS investors?  With the news that Wells Fargo, as securitization trustee, has sued EMC Mortgage in Delaware Chancery Court over loan files, trustee … Continue reading

Posted in Bear Stearns, Deutsche Bank, emc, FDIC, Investor Syndicate, loan files, private label MBS, procedural hurdles, putbacks, rep and warranty, repurchase, Trustees, WaMu, Wells Fargo | 3 Comments

Massachusetts Supreme Court Hands Down Ruling in Ibanez, Invalidates Postforeclosure Assignments and Assignments in Blank

The Massachusetts Supreme Court has issued its highly-anticipated opinion in the case of US Bank National Association v. Ibanez (and the related case of Wells Fargo Bank v. LaRace), bringing with it more bad news for the lending industry.  The … Continue reading

Posted in allocation of loss, assignment in blank, bondholder actions, chain of title, foreclosure crisis, investors, massachusetts, mortgage market, securitization, standing, Trustees, US Bank, Wells Fargo | 8 Comments

PIMCO, BlackRock, New York Fed To Demand That BofA Repuchase Faulty Non-Agency Mortgages

Private label residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS) investors, including BlackRock, PIMCO, and the New York Fed, are expected to join MetLife, Inc. in its efforts to force BofA to repurchase defective subprime and Alt-A mortgage loans originated by Countrywide and … Continue reading

Posted in Bank of New York, BlackRock, BofA, demand letter, Event of Default, Investor Syndicate, Kathy Patrick, PIMCO, procedural hurdles, rep and warranty, repurchase, RMBS, servicer defaults, Trustees | 7 Comments

Investor Syndicate Fires Warning Shot Across Trustee Bows

As first reported by Reuters on Wednesday, and as further detailed by Bloomberg today, the Investor Syndicate has finally begun to emerge from the shadows and give securitization trustees a hint at what’s coming.  According to Talcott Franklin, the Dallas … Continue reading

Posted in fiduciary duties, firing servicers, Investor Syndicate, irresponsible lending, private label MBS, repurchase, reserve reporting, securitization, servicer defaults, Servicer Safe Harbor, Trustees | 13 Comments

Bondholders Considering Plan to Tell Servicers: “You’re Fired!”

With lawsuits against servicers grinding a slow path through the court system, investors are looking to make an end-run around the intransigent banks who are refusing to service mortgages in accordance with bondholder wishes. Their solution to break through the … Continue reading

Posted in banks, CalPERS, fiduciary duties, Investor Syndicate, investors, loan modifications, pooling agreements, securities, securitization, servicers, short-selling, toxic assets, Treasury, Trustees | 2 Comments