XML 112 R29.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.3.0.15
CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
CONTINGENCIES 
CONTINGENCIES

23.    CONTINGENCIES

        The following information supplements and amends, as applicable, the disclosures in Note 29 to the Consolidated Financial Statements of Citigroup's 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Note 23 to the Consolidated Financial Statements of Citigroup's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011. For purposes of this Note, Citigroup and its affiliates and subsidiaries, as well as their current and former officers, directors and employees, are sometimes collectively referred to as Citigroup and Related Parties.

        In accordance with ASC 450 (formerly SFAS 5), Citigroup establishes accruals for litigation and regulatory matters when Citigroup believes it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Once established, accruals are adjusted from time to time, as appropriate, in light of additional information. The amount of loss ultimately incurred in relation to matters for which an accrual has been established may be substantially higher or lower than the amounts accrued for those matters.

        If Citigroup has not accrued for a matter because the matter does not meet the criteria for accrual (as set forth above), or Citigroup believes an exposure to loss exists in excess of the amount accrued for a particular matter, in each case assuming a material loss is reasonably possible, Citigroup discloses the matter. In addition, for such matters, Citigroup discloses an estimate of the aggregate reasonably possible loss or range of loss in excess of the amounts accrued for those matters as to which an estimate can be made. At September 30, 2011, Citigroup's estimate was materially unchanged from its estimate of approximately $4 billion at December 31, 2010, as more fully described in Note 29 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

        As available information changes, the matters for which Citigroup is able to estimate, and the estimates themselves, will change. In addition, while many estimates presented in financial statements and other financial disclosure involve significant judgment and may be subject to significant uncertainty, estimates of the range of reasonably possible loss arising from litigation and regulatory proceedings are subject to particular uncertainties. For example, at the time of making an estimate, Citigroup may have only preliminary, incomplete or inaccurate information about the facts underlying the claim; its assumptions about the future rulings of the court or other tribunal on significant issues, or the behavior and incentives of adverse parties or regulators, may prove to be wrong; and the outcomes it is attempting to predict are often not amenable to the use of statistical or other quantitative analytical tools. In addition, from time to time an outcome may occur that Citigroup had not accounted for in its estimates because it had deemed such an outcome to be remote. For all these reasons, the amount of loss in excess of accruals ultimately incurred for the matters as to which an estimate has been made could be substantially higher or lower than the range of loss included in the estimate.

        Subject to the foregoing, it is the opinion of Citigroup's management, based on current knowledge and after taking into account its current legal accruals, that the eventual outcome of all matters described in this Note would not be likely to have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial condition of Citigroup. Nonetheless, given the substantial or indeterminate amounts sought in certain of these matters, and the inherent unpredictability of such matters, an adverse outcome in certain of these matters could, from time to time, have a material adverse effect on Citigroup's consolidated results of operations or cash flows in particular quarterly or annual periods.

        For further information on ASC 450 and Citigroup's accounting and disclosure framework for litigation and regulatory matters, see Note 29 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Credit Crisis-Related Litigation and Other Matters

Subprime Mortgage—Related Litigation and Other Matters

        Regulatory Actions:    On October 19, 2011, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Citigroup announced a settlement, subject to judicial approval, in connection with the SEC's investigation into the structuring and sale of CDOs. Pursuant to the proposed settlement, Citigroup's U.S. broker-dealer Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (CGMI) agreed to pay $160 million in disgorgement, $30 million in prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty of $95 million relating to CGMI's role in the structuring and sale of the Class V Funding III CDO transaction. Additional information relating to this matter is publicly available in court filings under the docket number 11 Civ. 7387 (S.D.N.Y.) (Rakoff, J.).

        Securities Actions:    On October 11, 2011, additional individual investors who purchased debt securities issued by Citigroup filed an action on their own behalf in the Southern District of New York, asserting claims similar to those asserted in the IN RE CITIGROUP INC. BOND LITIGATION. Additional information relating to this action is publicly available in court filings under the docket number 11 Civ. 7138 (S.D.N.Y.) (Stein, J.).

        ERISA Actions:    On October 19, 2011, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of plaintiffs' complaint in GRAY v. CITIGROUP INC. Additional information relating to this action is publicly available in court filings under the consolidated lead docket number 07 Civ. 9790 (S.D.N.Y.) (Stein, J.) and 09-3804 (2d Cir.).

        Underwriting Matters:    On September 28, 2011, the district court approved the settlement between plaintiffs and defendants, including Citigroup, in IN RE AMBAC FINANCIAL GROUP INC. SECURITIES LITIGATION. Additional information relating to this action is publicly available in court filings under docket number 08 Civ 0411 (S.D.N.Y.) (Buchwald, J.).

        Subprime Counterparty and Investor Actions:    Citigroup and Related Parties have been named as defendants in actions brought by counterparties and investors that have suffered losses as a result of the credit crisis. Those actions include claims asserted by investors in CDO-related transactions, including Moneygram Payment Systems, Inc., which filed a lawsuit in Minnesota state court on October 26, 2011, alleging misstatements in connection with the sale of CDO securities. Additional information relating to this action is publicly available in court filings under docket number 102611H-10 (Minn. 4th Judicial District, Hennepin Cnty.). Additional actions asserting claims related to investments or participation in CDO-related transactions may be filed in the future.

        On October 14, 2011, an arbitration panel issued a final award and statement of reasons finding in favor of Citigroup on all claims asserted by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) in connection with its $7.5 billion investment in Citigroup.

        Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Investor Actions and Repurchase Claims:    During the period 2005 through 2008, Citigroup affiliates (including both S&B and Consumer mortgage entities) sponsored approximately $91 billion in private-label mortgage-backed securitization transactions, of which approximately $35 billion remained outstanding at September 30, 2011. Losses to date on these issuances are estimated to be approximately $9.3 billion. From time to time, investors or other parties to such securitizations have contended, or may in the future contend, that Citigroup affiliates involved in the securitizations are responsible for such losses because of misstatements or omissions in connection with the issuance and underwriting of the securities, breaches of representations and warranties with respect to the underlying mortgage loans, or for other reasons.

        On September 2, 2011, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) filed four lawsuits against Citigroup and certain Related Parties alleging actionable misstatements or omissions in connection with the issuance and/or underwriting of residential mortgage-backed securities. The FHFA has asserted similar claims against numerous other financial institutions. The FHFA seeks rescission of investments made by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and/or other damages. Additional information relating to these actions is publicly available in court filings under docket numbers 11 Civ. 6196 (S.D.N.Y.) (Crotty, J.), 11 Civ. 7010 (S.D.N.Y.) (Holwell, J.), 11 Civ. 6188 (S.D.N.Y.) (Cote, J.), and 11 Civ. 6916 (S.D.N.Y.) (Rakoff, J.).

        On September 9, 2011, the Western & Southern Life Insurance Company and other entities filed an amended complaint against CGMI, as well as other financial institutions, alleging actionable misstatements or omissions in connection with the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities. Additional information relating to this action is publicly available in court filings under docket number A 1105042 (Ohio Ct. Common Pleas, Hamilton Cnty.).

        In addition, other purchasers of residential mortgage-backed securities sold or underwritten by Citigroup affiliates have threatened to file lawsuits asserting similar claims, some of which Citigroup has agreed to toll pending further discussions with those investors.

        Separately, with respect to assertions that certain Citigroup affiliates in its Consumer mortgage and S&B business breached representations and warranties made in connection with mortgage loans placed into securitization trusts, Citigroup has experienced, and may continue to experience in the future, an increase in the level of inquiries relating to these securitizations, particularly requests for loan files, among other matters, from trustees of securitization trusts and others. These inquiries may or may not lead to actual demands for repurchase of the affected mortgage loans; however, given the continued increased focus on mortgage-related matters, as well as the increasing level of litigation and regulatory activity relating to mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities, not just for Citigroup but for the industry as a whole, these inquiries and/or repurchase demands may result in litigation.

Interbank Offered Rates-Related Litigation and Other Matters

        A number of additional class and individual actions against banks that served on the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) panel and their affiliates, including certain Citigroup subsidiaries, have been filed in various courts. On August 12, 2011, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation issued an order consolidating and transferring all of the LIBOR-related actions pending before it at the time to Judge Buchwald in the Southern District of New York. Motions for appointment of interim lead counsel are pending before Judge Buchwald. Additional information relating to these actions is publicly available in court filings under docket numbers 1:11-md-2262-NRB (S.D.N.Y.) and 1:11-cv-6120-GBD (S.D.N.Y.).

KIKOs

        As of September 30, 2011, there were 83 civil lawsuits filed by small and medium-sized enterprises in Korea against a Citigroup subsidiary (CKI) relating to foreign exchange derivative products with "knock-in, knock-out" features (KIKOs). To date, 78 decisions have been rendered at the district court level, and CKI has prevailed in 62 of these decisions. In the other 16 decisions, plaintiffs were awarded only a portion of the damages sought. The damage awards total approximately $19.5 million. CKI is appealing these 16 adverse decisions. A significant number of plaintiffs that had decisions rendered against them are also filing appeals, including plaintiffs that were awarded less than all of the damages they sought.

Parmalat Litigation and Other Matters

        On April 18, 2011, the Milan criminal court acquitted the sole Citigroup defendant of market-rigging charges. Milan prosecutors have appealed part of that judgment and seek administrative remedies against Citigroup, which might include disgorgement of alleged profit and/or a fine.

Research Analyst Litigation

        On October 13, 2011, the court entered an order dismissing with prejudice all class action claims asserted in DISHER v. CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC., holding that the claims were precluded under the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998. The court granted leave for lead plaintiff to file an amended complaint asserting only his individual state-law claims within 21 days. Additional information relating to this action is publicly available under docket number 04-L-265 (Ill.Cir.) (Hylla, J.).

Settlement Payments

        Payments required in settlement agreements described above have been made or are covered by existing litigation accruals.

*    *    *

        Additional matters asserting claims similar to those described above may be filed in the future.