New York: 2 banks are violating foreclosure settlement

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said two of five banks in a $25 billion settlement of foreclosure abuses repeatedly violated the agreement. The settlement, which included cash for some and mandated mortgage relief for others, also included new standards for mortgage servicing and customer service. The Los Angeles Times reported Monday Schneiderman said in a statement his office had 339 documented cases of violations by Bank of America and Wells Fargo. "Wells Fargo and Bank of America have flagrantly violated those obligations, putting hundreds of homeowners across New York at greater risk of foreclosure," Schneiderman said. The settlement also involved Ally Financial/GMAC, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. The foreclosure abuses that lead to the settlement included a series of practices meant to speed up the foreclosure process, which had become costly and time-consuming in the wake of the economic downturn. Banks hired "foreclosure mills" that sped up the process to the point that they were accused of cheating homeowners of due process.