The series continues with the Nine of Hearts: Angelo Mozilo.
Angelo R. Mozilo was chairman of the board and C.E.O of CountryWide Finance until July 2008. Countrywide was not so interested in sub-prime loans in the beginning when the sub-prime loan industry took off. Mozilo described the people involved with those loans at the time as “crooks”. But facing significant loss of business, Country Wide moved quickly into the sub prime business.
Mozilo used his fiscal power to give favorable mortgage financing to key political figures and power brokers. This included loans to Senate Banking Chairman Christopher Dodd, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad and former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson. Other people received favorable mortgages to buy political favors. This included Nancy Pelosi’s son, Paul, Barbara Boxer, Richard Holbrooke, Donna Shalala and others wielding influence and power.
Mozilo sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of mortgages over the years personally. The SEC charged him in 2009 with insider trading and securities fraud. He reached a settlement with SEC in 2010. He paid $67.5 million of a fortune estimated as over $600 million.
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