Federal grand jury investigating Countrywide, IndyMac, New Century

[flashl]

Sources say subpoenas have been issued to the lenders, in the clearest sign yet that prosecutors are looking into whether fraud and other crimes contributed to the mortgage debacle.

By Richard B. Schmitt, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 23, 2008

WASHINGTON -- A federal grand jury in Los Angeles has begun probing three of the nation's largest subprime mortgage lenders in the clearest sign yet that prosecutors are investigating whether fraud and other crimes contributed to the mortgage debacle.

Grand jury subpoenas have been issued in recent weeks and months to Countrywide Financial Corp., New Century Financial Corp. and IndyMac Federal Bank seeking a wide range of information, according to sources with direct knowledge of the subpoenas.

People familiar with the situation told The Times that the subpoenas seek e-mails, phone bills and bank records and follow interviews that federal investigators have conducted with employees and others knowledgeable about the lending operations of the three Southern California institutions, which all collapsed under the weight of bad loans.

In the case of Countrywide, the sources said, investigators have also begun looking into news reports that the firm and its former chairman, Angelo Mozilo, gave mortgage breaks to members of Congress and other influential "friends of Angelo," including Richard Aldrich, an associate justice of the California Court of Appeal.

Sorry, if dupe. Just saw it.

[TheDebbieDee]

1. You might want to check out this thread, too..............

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=114&topic_id=41317&mesg_id=41317