A confidante of Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), has reportedly misused confidential mortgage pricing data from Fannie Mae (OTC:FNMA) to benefit a competitor.
Ethics Furor Over Shared Pricing Data
Lauren Smith, the head of marketing at Fannie Mae, allegedly provided sensitive mortgage pricing data to a key competitor, as per The Associated Press.
The action—undertaken on Pulte's behalf—has prompted concern among Fannie Mae's top leaders, who called it "very problematic" and fear it may expose the firm to allegations of working with a competitor to sway mortgage rates.
Malloy Evans asked Fannie Mae's top lawyer to advise on any legal steps the company should take to protect itself.
Despite these concerns, Smith has kept her position. In contrast, several senior Fannie Mae executives who challenged her actions were removed late last month, according to AP, along with internal ethics investigators examining Pulte and his associates.
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Scandal Clouds Fannie-Freddie Plans
The alleged misuse of confidential data comes at a crucial time for the mortgage industry, with the Trump administration considering taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (OTC:FMCC) public. Pulte has been a key figure in these discussions, advocating for the potential public offering of the government-sponsored enterprises.
In October, Pulte suggested that Trump was considering an offering for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which he believed could be worth a significant amount due to their combined $7 trillion in assets. However, this latest scandal could potentially disrupt these plans, as it raises questions about the integrity of Fannie Mae’s internal operations.
Meanwhile, Pulte has been at the center of other controversial proposals, including a 50-year mortgage plan that could significantly increase borrower costs. This has drawn criticism from industry analysts, further adding to the challenges facing the Trump administration’s housing reform efforts.
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