U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Citigroup announced today that Citigroup will pay $7 billion to settle a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into allegations that it defrauded investors by selling shoddy mortgages ahead of the financial crisis. The civil settlement does not rule out future criminal charges again Citigroup or individual employees. Citigroup stock rose 1.49% Monday in early trading following the announcements.
Citigroup will pay a $4 billion civil penalty to the DOJ, $500 million to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and will set aside $2.5 billion in “consumer relief” to assist struggling mortgage holders. The settlement covers not only residential mortgage-backed securities but also collateral debt obligations (CDOs) issued between 2003 and 2008. The relief to consumers will include Citigroup receiving credit for modifying mortgages for struggling borrowers. The settlement marks a reversal from mid-June when the DOJ had threatened filing suit unless Citigroup significantly raised its offer.…