AIME founder apologizes for comments about Quicken Loans exec's wife

Anthony Casa, founder of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts, apologized Sunday in an online video for making "inappropriate" remarks about a Quicken Loans executive's spouse.

Casa said the executive had sent him a video message by text indicating that the couple was celebrating record mortgage production levels at the company. The AIME founder alleged that the two also were "making some comments that were trying to egg me on."

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"Unfortunately I let the emotions of the situation get the better of me, and I responded with a video message, and I said some really inappropriate, lewd comments about that person's wife, things that I should never have said, things that I don't believe," he said in a video posted on LinkedIn.

"I'm going to make this right with everybody involved. I'm going to do better moving forward. I'm going to communicate with integrity in every communication private or public," Casa said.

Casa said a civil complaint has been filed regarding the incident, but NMN could not independently confirm the legal action. Quicken declined to comment.

Casa, who has been critical of lenders that create competition for mortgage brokers by offering multiple loan channels, has a longtime professional rivalry with Quicken that he acknowledged has been "combative" on his part. The CEO of one of Quicken's rivals, United Wholesale Mortgage, has advocated on AIME's behalf in the past.

Mortgage brokers' share of the market has been relatively small since the Great Recession, but it has increased in the last few years. It was roughly 7% in 2011, but by 2019 it had risen to 16%, according to CoreLogic.

Competition between Quicken and United Wholesale heated up recently due to Quicken's plan to launch an initial public offering and there has been speculation by analysts that United Wholesale may launch an IPO as well.

"UWM is aware of and has reviewed the disturbing comments made by Mr. Casa and does not condone this type of behavior," the company said in a statement.

Casa did not respond to a request for additional comment.

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