We take a close look at the role of the new Office of SEFL Policy and Strategy to be created by the plan and how the plan would change the CFPB’s current enforcement decision-making process.  We also look at how the plan aligns with the approach of federal banking regulators, share our reactions to criticism of the plan by Democratic lawmakers and thoughts on the new Office’s expected leadership, and discuss the Presidential election’s potential impact.… Continue Reading

House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters has sent a letter to CFPB Director Kraninger raising questions about the potential appointment of Thomas G. Ward as CFPB’s Assistant Director for Enforcement.  

In her letter, Ms. Waters stated that, according to media reports, Mr. Ward is the leading candidate for the Enforcement Director position and that he currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General overseeing the torts branch in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. … Continue Reading

A new decision and order from Director Kraninger that, with minor changes, strictly enforces another CFPB civil investigative demand is a further indication that the CFPB’s enforcement activities remain robust under her leadership.  The new order and decision follows five decisions and orders issued by Director Kraninger on April 25 in which she also, with minor changes, strictly enforced five CIDs.… Continue Reading

According to American Banker, Kristen Donoghue, who has served as the CFPB’s Assistant Director of Enforcement since November 2017, has resigned.

American Banker also reports that Cara Petersen, the CFPB’s Principal Deputy Enforcement Director, has been named Acting Director of Enforcement, and that Jeffrey Ehrlich, the CFPB’s Deputy Enforcement Director, will become Principal Deputy Enforcement Director. … Continue Reading

The New York Department of Financial Services has announced the creation of a new “powerhouse” Consumer Protection and Financial Enforcement Division. The Division has been created by consolidating the Enforcement and Financial Frauds Division and Consumer Protection Division and will place supervision, enforcement, and consumer education under the same roof.… Continue Reading

Less than a week after warning subpoena and CID recipients to take their obligation to respond “seriously,” the FTC took aim at perceived inadequacies in compliance reports submitted pursuant to FTC consent orders and litigated judgments. In its March 11, 2019 blog post, the FTC’s Bureau of Competition alleges that “some Respondents are not taking seriously their responsibility to provide detailed and timely” compliance reports that demonstrate compliance with the obligations imposed in FTC Orders.… Continue Reading

The CFPB has filed a request in the District Court for the Southern District of New York to enforce a civil investigative demand (“CID”) against the Law Offices of Crystal Moroney, P.C. (“LOCM”), a debt collection law firm located in New City, New York, continuing under Director Kraninger the CFPB’s pursuit of law firms despite the fact that such entities are generally exempt from the CFPB’s enforcement authority under section 1027(e) of Dodd-Frank.… Continue Reading

We have been following very closely the lawsuit filed by the CFPB and the New York Attorney General against RD Legal Funding.  We earlier reported that on June 21 Judge Preska dismissed the CFPB’s claims based on the unconstitutionality of the CFPA. We subsequently reported that on September 12 Judge Preska dismissed the claims brought by the New York Attorney General under Section 1042 of Dodd -Frank (i.… Continue Reading

On June 21, 2018, Judge Preska of the Southern District of New York (“SDNY”) issued a decision finding that the CFPB’s single-director-removable-only-for-cause structure is unconstitutional.  In doing so, the SDNY held that Title X of Dodd-Frank—the title that created the CFPB and established its regulatory, supervisory, and enforcement authority—should be stricken in its entirety.… Continue Reading

The federal banking agencies (the Federal Reserve Board, OCC, and FDIC (FBAs)), recently issued a “Policy Statement on Interagency Notification of Formal Enforcement Actions” that is intended “to promote notification of, and coordination on, formal enforcement actions among the FBAs at the earliest practicable date.”  The issuance of the policy statement follows the DOJ’s announcement last month of a new policy to encourage coordination among the DOJ and other enforcement agencies when imposing multiple penalties for the same conduct to discourage “piling on.”… Continue Reading