Countrywide (NYSE: CFC) CEO Angelo Mozilo, perhaps the most reviled executive in corporate America, will get $10 million as part of a Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) takeover of the mortgage broker. Investors and members of Congress are incensed. The "bonus" is described in SEC filing as "performance based." Countrywide shares are down from $42.24 to $5.63 over the past year.
One powerful senator may go after the payment. "It's perverse for Bank of America to reward the principal architects of the bad business practices that caused this housing crisis,'' said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said in a statement, according to the AP. Perhaps shareholders will get lucky and Schumer will fight the pay-out of the money.
It is a shame that Bank of America would hurt its own reputation by doing this. Countrywide was available for sale because it was in such deep trouble. BAC did not need to "pay off" Mozilo to get a deal done.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-30-2008 @ 7:22PM
Michael Reilly Sr said...
All CEO's who see this are going to think they are even more entitled to rip off the public since the incompetents are getting away with it................hey it's open season on peoples money. 'if you don't fight it , you condone it"
3-30-2008 @ 7:25PM
Michael Reilly Sr said...
It is obvious that in Corporate America.............it is officially a feeding frency and we (the stockholders ) are the bait
3-30-2008 @ 11:00PM
THE BEACON OF TRUTH said...
SUN TANNED ANGELO IS PART OF THE SUB PRIME MORGTAGE PROBLEM THAT PROMISED LARRY THE CABLE GUY THE AMERICAN DREAM OF OWNING A 200K HOUSE ON A 50K INCOME THAT LARRY COULD NEVER PAY BACK..........IM SURPRISED ANGELO IS NOT YET CHARGED WITH FRAUD........ANGELO YOU ARE REALLY ONE PIECE OF WORK!...........THANKS FOR BEING PART OF THE PROBLEM! BEST OF LUCK TO ANGELO AND HIS FUTURE! DONT LET THE DOOR HIT YOU TOO HARD ON THE WAY WITH 10 MIL .........I SEE YOU FINALLY GOT CAUGHT AT RUNNING THE GAME! BEST REGARDS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!!IM SURE THEY ARE ALL PROUND OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
3-31-2008 @ 3:13AM
Rob said...
You mean 10 YEARS ..... NOT $10Million
3-31-2008 @ 7:40AM
Gil said...
I hope Angelo can make it financially. The increasing price of fuel may cause him some concern when filling his megayacht. Interesting how these guys can fill their pockets on the way out. There isn't enough money to feed their egos. I don't have a problem with them making the big money when they take care of shareholders, but why should them receive so much when the company has tanked? Oh yeah, I forgot, $10,000,000 isn't really much money.
3-31-2008 @ 7:48AM
John said...
Mozilo also "cashed out" of his stock and options from mid 06 through mid 07. He pulled in some 410 million on that round. His explanation was it was part of his planning for college expenses for his nine grandchildren. He sat on CNBC news and said everything was fine with the company.
3-31-2008 @ 9:19AM
Ralph Harrington said...
Look out public, the sharks are going to eat us for lunch!
3-31-2008 @ 6:04PM
HAJO said...
An egomaniac if I have ever seen one....Angelo
Mozillo loved himself more than he did his own
children! He believed that he was the "God"
of the mortgage industry and presented himself
as such! One guy for one's self that made
hundreds of millions of dollars.....admittedly some
of it deserved during CCW glory years when they
served the public very well....but his entry to the
subprime market brought disaster to that industry
as a result of his philosophy that he was "God"
and could do no wrong....so sad that so many
on Wall Street, the Government, and now BAC
did and are conjoling this egomaniac......
4-01-2008 @ 11:24AM
Bob Baker said...
That's the problem with Amewrica these days.
The guy rips off thousands with corporate greed, and he gets $10 Million instead of ten years.
Bush invades Iraq killing 400,000 innocent Iraqi human beings for Exxon and Haliburton profits. Instead of impeachment he gets the Nobel Peace Prize.