A California agent has filed a lawsuit against real estate startup Compass, accusing the company of engaging in bait-and-switch tactics to lure high-performing agents away from other companies. The suit filed by former Compass agent J. Gregory Maffei, first reported by Inman, alleges Compass uses “unfair, unlawful and fraudulent business practices.” It seeks $10 million in damages and reimbursement for unpaid commission and expenses, the Real Deal reported. The Real Deal provides some details on the suit: Maffei’s suit claims Compass has leveraged “more than $1 billion in funding from venture capitalists to support its ‘bait-and-switch’ tactics and to account for the losses Compass has incurred by overpaying and poaching its competitors’ real estate agents.” The filing was first reported by Inman.…
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against a Chicago-based mortgage lender for allegedly discouraging Black applicants from applying for loans while engaging in redlining by discouraging borrowers for investing in predominantly African-American neighborhoods. The CFPB alleges Townstone “drew almost no applications for properties in African-American neighborhoods” in the Chicago metropolitan area between 2014 and 2017, while processing few applications from potential Black borrowers in the Chicago area. Specifically, the complaint – filed in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois – alleges: Townstone engaged in acts or practices, including making statements during its weekly radio shows and podcasts through which it marketed its services, that illegally discouraged prospective African-American applicants from applying to Townstone for mortgage loans;Townstone…
Warning: This story and the embedded videos include crude and misogynistic language. The head of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts sent a mortgage company executive expletive-filled video messages falsely alleging the man’s wife performed sexual acts on United Wholesale Mortgage President & CEO Mat Ishbia while in college. “Austin, great to see you’re having a great time. Love to meet your wife. It’s amazing that’s the girl who sucked Ishbia’s d*** in college. Way to marry up,” AIME CEO Anthony Casa said in the video directed at Quicken Loans Executive Vice President Austin Niemiec – and apparently distributed to others. In response, Theresa Niemiec – Austin’s wife – filed a lawsuit against Casa, alleging he “published and distributed derogatory, misogynistic and…
A group of consumer advocates sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Director Kathy Kraninger on Tuesday, alleging they created a task force that does not serve the public interest and has secretly conducted its work in violation of federal law. The plaintiffs – including the National Association of Consumer Advocates, U.S. Public Interest Research Group and consumer law Professor Kathleen Engel – allege the task force is “stacked with industry-aligned members, excludes consumer advocates, does not serve a public interest, and has conducted its work behind closed doors.” The lawsuit seeks to prevent the task force from operating. “A group of hand-picked industry lawyers and consultants that meets behind closed doors — with no consumer advocates or disparate points…
