Consent Order  Radius Financial Group, Inc.

Date:	11/20/2012
Organization:	Division of Banks
Docket Number:	2012-025
Location:	Norwell, MA

Radius Financial Group, Inc., Norwell, MA - Consent Order

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Suffolk, SS.

COMMISSIONER OF BANKS
MORTGAGE LENDER
LICENSING
Docket No. 2012-025

CONSENT ORDER

In the Matter of
RADIUS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

Norwell, Massachusetts

Mortgage Lender License No(s). ML1846 et al.

WHEREAS, RADIUS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., Norwell, Massachusetts ("Radius Financial" or the "Corporation"), a licensed mortgage lender under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 255E, section 2, has entered into a STIPULATION AND CONSENT TO THE ISSUANCE OF A CONSENT ORDER ("Consent Agreement") with representatives of the Division of Banks ("Division") dated November 20, 2012, whereby, solely for the purpose of settling this matter, and without admitting any allegations or implications of fact or the existence of any violation of state or federal laws and regulations governing the conduct and operation of a mortgage lender, Radius Financial agrees to the issuance of this CONSENT ORDER ("Consent Order") by the Commissioner of Banks ("Commissioner");

WHEREAS, an examination/inspection of Radius Financial was conducted pursuant to General Laws chapter 255E, section 8, as of February 13, 2012 to assess the Corporation’s level of compliance with applicable state and federal statutes and regulations governing the conduct of those engaged in the business of a mortgage lender in the Commonwealth;

WHEREAS, the Report of Examination/Inspection (the "Report") issued pursuant to the Division’s examination/inspection of Radius Financial alleged substantial non-compliance with applicable state and federal statutes, rules, and regulations governing the conduct of those engaged in the business of a mortgage lender in Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, the parties now seek to resolve by mutual agreement, the matters identified in the Report.

ORDER

NOW COME the parties in the above-captioned matter, the Division and Radius Financial, and stipulate and agree as follows:

1. Radius Financial shall establish, implement and maintain procedures to ensure that all mortgage loan originators with whom the Corporation conducts business are duly licensed as mortgage loan originators under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 255F, and properly sponsored through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) by Radius Financial.
   1. Radius Financial agrees to submit a payment in the amount of twenty-nine thousand, five hundred dollars ($29,500.00) in satisfaction of an administrative penalty collected in consideration of the Corporation’s conducting business with mortgage loan originators who did not hold an active mortgage loan originator license or who were not properly sponsored by the Corporation. Radius Financial shall remit payment in full of the amount indicated above, payable to the "Commonwealth of Massachusetts," with the executed copy of the Consent Agreement, to the Division of Banks, Attn: Mortgage Lender Examination Unit, 1000 Washington Street, 10^th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02118.
2. Radius Financial shall establish, implement, and maintain procedures to ensure that all loan fees, points, or similar fees collected by the Corporation in a mortgage transaction involving residential property located in the Commonwealth are not charged to consumers except to the extent that such loan fees or points have been properly disclosed to the consumers by the Corporation, in writing, prior to the closing of the mortgage loan in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws chapter 183, section 63.
   1. The Corporation shall reimburse the consumers identified in the Report for the amounts collected as origination fees at settlement that had not been disclosed to the consumers, in writing, prior to loan closing. The amount of such reimbursements must equal the difference between the actual charge assessed to the consumers and the amount disclosed in writing for such fee prior to loan closing; and
   2. With the executed copy of the Consent Agreement, the Corporation shall submit evidence of the reimbursements issued pursuant to this Section of the Consent Order. Evidence of the reimbursements must include the consumers’ names, the dates the loans closed, the check numbers, the amounts of the reimbursements, and certified mail receipt to illustrate the consumers’ receipt of the reimbursements.
3. Radius Financial shall establish, implement and maintain procedures to ensure that the Corporation does not identify itself as the mortgage broker in Massachusetts residential mortgages presented for record.
4. Radius Financial shall establish, implement and maintain procedures to ensure that the Corporation maintains and uses all loan documents in the Corporation’s books and records in a manner sufficient to evidence compliance with applicable state and federal statutes and regulations, in accordance with the record keeping requirements specified by the Division’s regulations 209 CMR 42.09 and 209 CMR 48.03. Such procedures shall necessarily require that the Corporation properly documents the initial date of application and ensures that all disclosures are properly dated and maintained in a manner that will allow the Commissioner to determine whether time-sensitive documents are being provided to consumers within the mandated timing requirements.
5. Radius Financial shall establish, implement and maintain procedures to ensure that, in instances where the Corporation provides the Good Faith Estimate, the Corporation does so not later than 3 business days after receipt of an application or information sufficient to complete an application.
6. Radius Financial shall establish, implement, and maintain procedures to ensure compliance with the loan reporting requirements set forth in the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act ("HMDA"), 12 U.S.C. section 2801 et seq., as administered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 12 C.F.R. Part 1003 ("Regulation C"). Such procedures shall necessarily require that the Corporation implement internal controls to ensure that, for all HMDA reportable loan applications, Radius Financial accurately compiles and records all required data in the Corporation’s HMDA Loan Application Register ("LAR").
   1. Radius Financial shall establish, implement, maintain, and periodically update internal controls operating policies and training procedures to ensure that all applicable personnel possess a comprehensive understanding of the HMDA reporting requirements under Regulation C. Such training shall necessarily ensure the proper implementation and execution of the revised practices and procedures adopted by Radius Financial pursuant to this Section of the Consent Order.
7. Radius Financial shall comply with all laws and regulations applicable to its conducting the business of a mortgage lender, including, but not limited to, Massachusetts General Laws chapters 255E and 255F, and the Division’s regulations 209 CMR 41.00 et seq. and 209 CMR 42.00 et seq. Such obligations shall necessarily include the duty to address and correct, within 20 days of receipt of the Report, all violations and areas of concern addressed in the Report.
   1. Within 20 days of Radius Financial’s receipt of the Report, the Corporation shall submit to the Commissioner a written response that addresses each of the violations and areas of concern specified in the Report. The written response shall describe the revised policies and procedures adopted by Radius Financial to implement all corrective actions set forth in: (i) the "Examiner’s Comments and Conclusions" section of the Report and (ii) the provisions of this Consent Order.
   2. Within thirty days of the effective date of this Consent Order, Radius Financial shall establish, implement, and maintain quality control standards which provide for a loan review process to assess the Corporation’s compliance with: (i) the statutes, rules, regulations, regulatory bulletins, and other relevant provisions of law applicable to those engaged in the business of a mortgage lender in Massachusetts, and (ii) the provisions of this Consent Order; and
   3. Radius Financial shall establish, implement, and maintain procedures and policies to ensure that all applicable staff persons receive adequate instruction and ongoing, periodic training to ensure proper implementation and execution of the revised practices and procedures implemented pursuant to this Consent Order.
8. On the thirtieth day after the end of each calendar quarter following the date of this Consent Order, Radius Financial shall furnish written progress reports to the Division, which shall address and include the following:
   1. A description of the form, content, and manner of any actions taken to address each Section of this Consent Order and the results thereof; and
   2. Written findings prepared by Radius Financial detailing a review of management’s and staff persons’ adherence to the policies, programs, and procedures adopted pursuant to this Consent Order and to applicable statutes, regulations, and rules, as well as a description of any operational changes implemented during such quarter which are intended to improve Radius Financial’s compliance condition in Massachusetts, and the results thereof.
9. The reporting requirement to the Division referenced in Section 8 of this Consent Order shall remain in effect and shall not be amended or rescinded without the prior written modification, termination, or suspension of the applicable provision of this Consent Order from the Commissioner.
10. Nothing in this Consent Order shall be construed as permitting Radius Financial to violate any law, rule, regulation, or regulatory bulletin to which Radius Financial is subject.
11. In consideration of the foregoing Consent Order, the Division agrees not to pursue formal measures, relative to this matter, to suspend or revoke Radius Financial’s mortgage lender license(s) under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 255E, section 6, while this Consent Order is in effect.
12. Failure to comply with the terms of this Consent Order shall constitute grounds for license suspension and/or revocation, or other formal regulatory actions pursuant to applicable provisions of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
13. This Consent Order shall become effective immediately upon the date of its issuance.
14. Radius Financial agrees that, in the event that the Corporation fails to submit the payments set forth in this Consent Order in the amounts specified herein and in accordance with the applicable deadlines, the Division shall be authorized to submit a claim for such amounts against the mortgage lender Massachusetts surety bond maintained by Radius Financial pursuant to the Division’s regulation 209 CMR 42.03(2)(a).
15. The provisions of this Consent Order shall remain effective and enforceable except to the extent that, and until such time as, any provisions of this Consent Order shall have been modified, terminated, suspended, or set aside by the Commissioner or upon an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
16. This Consent Order and the Consent Agreement are the complete documents representing the resolution of this matter. There are no other agreements between the Division and Radius Financial.

BY ORDER AND DIRECTION OF THE COMMISSIONER OF BANKS:

Dated at Boston, Massachusetts, this 20th day of November, 2012

By:
David J. Cotney
Commissioner of Banks
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

THIS CONSENT ORDER WAS TERMINATED ON MARCH 23, 2015.