News By Edition

A title agency in California is paying a penalty of $150,000 to settle allegations of illegal inducements by The California Department of Insurance. Two employees were investigated for unlawfully inducing realtors to refer consumers to the title agency.

During the Property Records Industry Association’s 2025 Winter Symposium, expert panelists delivered an update on the ongoing threat of deed fraud and shared thoughts on how local recorders can be part of the solution.

An Oakland-based realty company charged with engaging in a predatory real estate scheme impacting more than 500 California homeowners has reached a settlement with California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and Department of Financial Services have traded memos in a dispute over a proposed separation of the two regulatory bodies.

The Office of the Comptroller of Currency notified Congress that several of its administrative email accounts were compromised by unauthorized activity in February, putting sensitive information at risk.

The North Carolina legislature is considering an act to allow registers of deeds to refuse certain suspicious instruments, require ID from non-trusted submitters, and expedite quiet title actions after fraud attempts.

The U.S. District Attorney’s office has announced a guilty plea from a St. Louis man charged with fraudulently obtaining home mortgages worth more than $1.2 million. The suspect is facing up to 30 years in prison or up to $1 million in fines.

While Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte works to advance his agency’s Title Acceptance Pilot, two members of Congress asked him to reconsider the title waiver program, citing concerns over unnecessary risks to the housing market.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Trump administration officials, ruling that recent staff cuts and other actions were part of an unlawful attempt to eliminate the CFPB, as argued by the union representing agency employees.

After making it through the Virginia state legislature, a bill requiring companies that use artificial intelligence to influence impactful decisions in lending, housing and insurance to build safeguards around those systems was vetoed by the governor.

A state senate bill to modernize North Dakota’s insurance oversight laws has been enacted, requiring insurance producers in the state to maintain email accounts specifically for regulatory purposes, among other provisions.

A house bill signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee amends the state code to allow licensed attorneys, licensed title agents and others to submit electronic records for deed registration.

David Izsak, a former real estate professional from the Chicago area, received five years in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud more than $3 million from multiple financial institutions.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has reached a settlement with MV Realty, which he sued in September 2024 over misleading agreements that deceived homeowners. The settlement bans MV from doing business in Minnesota, among other penalties.

The U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has clarified the goals, scope and compliance guidance for its recent geographic targeting order, which was intended to combat money laundering along the Southwestern border.

Following a shake-up to Freddie Mac’s board of directors, the government-sponsored entity’s CEO and human resources director have both been reportedly fired by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte.

A house bill approved by the Missouri House of Representatives modifies the definition of “certified funds” to include real-time payment systems.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has announced its plans to strengthen  the national system of state-based insurance regulation in 2025.

Following an earlier announcement on beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements for U.S. companies and individuals, the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has officially ended the enforcement of BOI reporting requirements for domestic entities.

An amendment to a New York state law has updated reporting requirements for which types of entities must report data breaches to the New York Department of Financial Services.

Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer personally made her case for a state bill that would grant her office the authority to order restitution from insurance providers who harm policyholders.

The Georgia Consumer Privacy Protection Act, which is being considered by the Georgia state senate, would outline and ratify specific protections for consumers and responsibilities for entities that process personal data.

The Texas Department of Insurance has made a mandatory call for all title agents operating in the state to make their annual business data submissions by April 8.

Charges have been brought against four individuals and three companies in connection to a grand larceny case, in which three homes were allegedly stolen from their owners in New York.