Number: RS21567
Title: Accounting and Management Problems at Freddie Mac
Authors: Mark Jickling, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: For most of 2003, Freddie Mac, one of the two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that dominate the secondary market for home mortgages, was embroiled in a controversy over improper accounting methods. The company announced in January of that year that a major revision of past financial statements was underway. The restatement was issued on November 21, 2003. Net income for 2002 and earlier years was revised upward by $5.0 billion. Freddie Mac has admitted that some of its accounting policies were selected in order to produce a steady stream of earnings, and that numerous transactions were undertaken for the sole purpose of "smoothing out" reported earnings. These accounting problems led to the replacement of Freddie's top executives, payment of $125 million in fines, and $410 million to settle an investor lawsuit. On November 6, 2007, former CEO Leland Brendsel settled charges by paying a $2.5 million fine and returning $10.5 million in salary and bonuses to Freddie Mac. In March 2007, the company resumed timely annual reporting by filing its 2006 annual report. It expects to resume timely quarterly filings by the end of 2007 and, after that, to register its stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Pages: 6
Date: November 7, 2007