The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), assisted the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington in the civil investigation of Universal American Mortgage Company, LLC. Our investigation was ongoing when a qui tam action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Universal American has its principal place of business in Miami, FL.
On October 16, 2018, Universal American entered into a settlement agreement with the Federal Government. It agreed to pay $13.2 million to avoid the delay, uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense of lengthy litigation. The Federal Government alleged that Universal American violated HUD requirements in its origination, underwriting, and quality control of certain mortgages between January 2006 and December 2011. The settlement was neither an admission of liability or wrongdoing by Universal American nor a concession by the United States that its claims were not well founded.
Of the $13.2 million settlement, HUD FHA received $6.07 million. The remaining portion was paid to the relator and other Federal entities.
Recommendations
General Counsel
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Status2019-CF-1801-001-AOpenClosed$6,076,741.00Questioned Costs
Recommendations with questioned costs identify costs: (A) resulting from an alleged violation of a law, regulation, contract, grant, or other document or agreement governing the use of Federal funds; (B) that are not supported by adequate documentation (also known as an unsupported cost); or (C) that appear unnecessary or unreasonable.
Closed on December 21, 2018Acknowledge that $6,076,741 of the $13,200,000 in the attached settlement agreement represents an amount due HUD, less DOJ’s civil debt collection fees.