On October 27, 2020, the OCC released its final True Lender Rule. As discussed earlier on this blog, the OCC’s rule is designed to clarify the “true lender” doctrine, a legal test utilized by courts and regulators to determine whether a bank or its non-bank partner is the actual lender in a credit transaction.
Facilitating Ransomware Payments Entails Sanctions Risks, OFAC Warns
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an advisory on October 1, 2020, warning companies that engage with the victims of ransomware attacks that they run the risk of violating U.S. sanctions by facilitating ransomware payments. Ransomware attacks have increased in number and sophistication in recent years and have netted larger and
State Attorneys General Challenge FDIC’s Madden Fix
In early August 2020, several state attorneys general filed suit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) challenging the OCC’s proposed “Madden Fix.” Notably, while the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) also issued their own Madden Fix, the agency was not named as a defendant in the initial lawsuit. As such,
Agencies Offer Regulatory Assistance in Disaster Affected Areas
On the first day of National Preparedness Month, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors issued a joint statement recognizing the impact of Hurricane Laura and the California
No Foreclosures or Evictions on Federally Backed Mortgage Loans until 2021
Borrowers with federally backed mortgage loans facing financial difficulty can breathe a little easier today. All of the federal agencies regulating such loans have announced that they will extend the moratoriums on foreclosure and evictions for single-family properties until December 31, 2020. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a press release on August 27, 2020
DOJ Tells Investment Adviser that Payment to Foreign Government-Owned Bank Will Not Prompt FCPA Enforcement Action
On August 14, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its first Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Opinion Procedure Release in six years. In the opinion, DOJ advised that it would not bring an enforcement action against a U.S.-based investment adviser if the firm moved forward with paying an advisory fee to a foreign investment
New FAQ Responses to Small Dollar Rule Address Auto and Mortgage Lending, Payment Transfers and Notices Inclusion
On Tuesday, August 11, 2020, the CFPB issued a second round of answers to frequently asked questions related to the Small Dollar Rule. The FAQ responses range from addressing more nuanced provisions of the payment provision portion of the rule to the overall coverage of the rule.
Covered Loan Coverage
For the most part, auto
CFPB Releases Small Business Lender Compliance Cost Survey to Aid in Dodd-Frank 1071 Rulemaking
Recently, the CFPB released an online survey designed to collect information from “institutions engaged in small business financing” regarding one-time costs of compliance with Dodd-Frank 1071. Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which we have discussed in detail on this blog, creates robust reporting requirements for lenders engaged in lending to women-owned, minority-owned, and
State Attorneys General Challenge OCC Madden Fix
Last Wednesday, the attorneys general of Illinois, California, and New York filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California challenging the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s proposed “Madden Fix.” This proposed rule, which we have discussed in detail, is designed to resolve some of the
Small Dollar Rule Stay Requested to Be Lifted in Recent Joint Status Report
With the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Seila Law and Director Kathleen Kraninger’s ratification of the payment provisions of the Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans Rule (the “Small Dollar Rule”), the CFSA and the CFPB have submitted a joint status report in the stayed case pending in the Western District of Texas.