Exhibit 23.1

               Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants


                           We have issued our report dated January 30, 2001
(except for the second paragraph of Note 17, as to which the date is February
26, 2001) on the consolidated balance sheets of MFN Financial Corporation and
subsidiaries (Reorganized Company) as of December 31, 2000 and 1999 and the
related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity and
cash flows of MFN Financial Corporation for the twelve-month period ended
December 31, 2000 and the nine-month period from April 1, 1999 through December
31, 1999 and of Mercury Finance Company (Predecessor Company) for the
three-month period ended March 31, 1999, included in its Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference of our
report in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) of MFN Financial Corporation,
pertaining to the MFN Financial Corporation Amended and Restated 1989 Stock
Option and Incentive Compensation Plan.



                                                 /S/ GRANT THORNTON LLP

Chicago, Illinois
April 25,  2001