On January 13, 2017, Moody's Corporation agreed to pay $864 million in a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and 21 states in connection with the ratings agency's credit rating work on residential mortgage‑backed securities and other products during the years leading up to the financial crisis. The settlement is comprised of a $437.5 million payment to the Department of Justice and $426.3 million to 21 states. The Statement of Facts accompanying the Settlement Agreement states that from 2004‑2010, Moody's issued credit ratings of RMBS and CDOs, but that there were potential conflicts of interest in Moody's "issuer‑fee‑based" business model, in which issuers paid Moody's for their credit opinions. The settlement agreement does not constitute sanctions "for any act or practice of Moody's." In accordance with the settlement agreement, Moody's agrees to maintain and adopt certain compliance measures that "promote the integrity and independence of Moody's credit ratings" for a period of five years. Settlement Agreement. Statement of Facts. Moody's Compliance Commitments.
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