United States v. Sage Bank (D. Mass.)

On November 30, 2015, the United States filed a complaint and consent order in United States v. Sage Bank (D. Mass.).  The complaint alleged that Sage Bank engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of race and national origin in the pricing of its residential mortgage loans in violation of Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The consent order require Sage Bank to amend its pricing and compensation policies, establish a monitoring program, and have employees undergo fair housing/lending training, among other injunctive relief, as well as establish a settlement fund of $1,175,000 to compensate for direct and indirect damages that aggrieved borrowers and applicants may have suffered.  This case is based on a referral from the FDIC. The court entered the consent order on December 1, 2015.