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WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 29, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) has introduced twelve bills aimed at continuing certain tax deductions and credits for one year. These provisions, which save Americans money and boost the economy, have already expired or will expire this year.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - January 27, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that more than 1,700 Floridians will receive checks totaling more than $2.5 million next week. Under the National Mortgage Settlement, which Attorney General Bondi took a leading role in obtaining, eligible claimants will each receive a check in the amount of $1,480. The checks are being sent to claimants who lost their homes to foreclosure and who filed a claim under the National Mortgage Settlement. The $2.5 million total value of the distribution is second only to California's and is the latest distribution by the settling banks to eligible foreclosed homeowners. The total distribution to date to foreclosed homeowners in Florida under the settlement is approximately $109.5 million to 74,000 Floridians.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - December 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Ocwen Financial Corporation of Atlanta, Georgia, and its subsidiary, Ocwen Loan Servicing, have agreed to a $2.1 billion joint state-federal settlement with Attorney General Bondi, 48 additional states, the District of Columbia, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The settlement resolves allegations of mortgage servicing misconduct by Ocwen and two companies later acquired by Ocwen, Homeward Residential Inc. and Litton Home Servicing LP. Ocwen specializes in servicing high-risk mortgage loans.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - December 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the National Mortgage Settlement Monitor’s Second Compliance Report concerning the Monitor’s review of the five banks’ compliance with the settlement’s servicing standards

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - October 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- As part of his ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with the National Mortgage Settlement, National Monitor Joseph A. Smith, Jr. today reported a total of $15.35 billion in consumer relief credits nationally as of Dec. 31, 2012.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - October 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi, along with her colleagues on the National Mortgage Settlement Monitoring Committee, today announced that Bank of America and Wells Fargo have agreed to implement new procedures designed to address possible violations of the national mortgage servicing settlement. White Aluminum

TALLAHASSEE, FL - August 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi's office has obtained a temporary injunction and asset freeze against two companies that allegedly preyed on Florida homeowners, defrauding them out of thousands of dollars in a mortgage relief scam. According to the complaint, The Cambridge Land Trust Company, LLC, The Hartford Land Trust Company, LLC, Robert J. Vitale, and other participants charged homeowners up-front fees and, in return, falsely guaranteed that the defendants would restore homeowners’ equity in their homes

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Lester Fernandez of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG) made the announcement after sentencing by Senior Judge Richard W. Goldberg, sitting by designation in the Southern District of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FL - August 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi's office has sued a company that allegedly preyed on distressed homeowners by defrauding them out of thousands of dollars in a mortgage relief scam. According to the complaint, Whitestone Capital Trust, LLC, Become the Bank, LLC, and Nicholas Torgerson violated Florida’s consumer protection laws by charging homeowners up-front fees and falsely misrepresenting that the defendants would cancel or void the homeowners’ mortgage

TALLAHASSEE, FL - June 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the National Mortgage Settlement Monitor’s Report concerning the Monitor’s review of the banks’ compliance with the settlement’s servicing standards.

Washington, DC - June 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Cong. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is pleased that the House has passed the Reverse Mortgage Stabilization Act (H.R. 2167) which provides more protections for seniors using the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) Reverse Mortgage loan protection program.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - June 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi today joined Governor Rick Scott for the signing of Senate Bill 1852, which appropriates the remaining $200 million of Florida’s portion of the national mortgage settlement for housing-related purposes. The $200 million is part of the total estimated $8.4 billion in relief that Attorney General Bondi obtained for Floridians. The funds will be used in accordance with the settlement agreement, which includes: legal assistance, housing-related counseling, housing rehabilitation, housing assistance for the homeless, and housing assistance provided to the elderly and people with disabilities

TALLAHASSEE, FL - June 4, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi will join Governor Rick Scott for the signing of Senate Bill 1852, which appropriates the remaining $200 million of Florida’s portion of the national mortgage settlement for housing-related purposes.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - May 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Floridians have received nearly $9 billion in relief under the national mortgage settlement, as reported by the five largest mortgage servicing banks that are parties to the settlement. According to the latest Settlement Monitor’s report released today, more than 111,000 Floridians have received more than $8.6 billion in relief, with an additional $315 million in principal reduction, in the form of loan modifications, underway.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - May 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement regarding the National Mortgage Settlement Servicing Standards

TALLAHASSEE, FL - May 1, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the passage of Senate Bill 1852 regarding funding from the national mortgage settlement.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15) received the Chamber of Commerce’s “Spirit of Enterprise” award for his support of pro-business issues during the second session of the 112th Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 12, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The federal government today disclosed it was launching an investigation of Florida’s $1 billion Hardest Hit mortgage assistance program, a probe requested by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson

TALLAHASSEE, FL - March 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development’s draft legislation regarding more than $200 million in National Mortgage Settlement funds.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - March 21, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the passage of legislation relating to the remaining $200 million of the National Mortgage Settlement in the House Appropriations Committee