On February 18, Massachusetts AG Maura Healey announced that a New York-based mortgage lender and servicer agreed to pay a total of $4 million “to resolve allegations that it received commissions and other kickbacks relating to force-placed insurance policies that it procured for struggling Massachusetts homeowners.” According to AG Healey, until June 1, 2012, the mortgage servicer received payments that were linked to force-placed insurance premiums charged to borrowers, which “created an improper conflict of interest and violated state consumer protection laws.” Under the assurance of discontinuance, which was filed in Suffolk Superior Court, the mortgage servicer will pay affected Massachusetts homeowners $2.675 million in restitution, as well as $1.4 million to the Commonwealth.