Segment Reporting (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified							3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2013 Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2012 Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Dec. 31, 2012 Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2013 Special Situations Platform	Dec. 31, 2012 Special Situations Platform	Mar. 31, 2013 Domestic Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2012 Domestic Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Dec. 31, 2012 Domestic Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2013 Latin America Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2012 Latin America Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Dec. 31, 2012 Latin America Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2013 Europe Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Mar. 31, 2012 Europe Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution	Dec. 31, 2012 Europe Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution
Segment reporting
Revenues, equity income (loss) of unconsolidated subsidiaries							$ 6,647	$ 20,606				$ 4,444	$ 15,815		$ 1,820	$ 2,085		$ 383	$ 2,706
Total assets for each segment and a reconciliation to total assets
Cash and cash equivalents	33,076		39,347		40,751	34,326
Assets held for sale							24,086		20,552
Other non-earning assets, net	13,024		15,101
Total Assets	$ 223,157	[1]	$ 244,637	[1]						$ 32,717	$ 45,158	$ 107,825		$ 111,936	$ 7,023		$ 6,495	$ 5,406		$ 6,049

[1] Our consolidated assets at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include the following assets of certain variable interest entities ("VIEs") that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs: Cash and cash equivalents, $15.7 million and $22.3 million; Portfolio Assets, $39.4 million and $42.1 million; Loans receivable, $10.2 million and $12.7 million; Equity investments, $11.7 million and $21.6 million; Assets held for sale, $27.4 million and $24.1 million; various other assets, $28.5 million and $31.1 million; and Total assets, $132.9 million and $153.8 million, respectively.