Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac to shell out $210 mn as bonuses

NEW YORK: At a time when executive compensation has come under the lens, beleaguered American mortgage majors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are planning to shell out $210 million as bonuses to over 7,600 employees.

Out of the total amount, the two entities, bailed out by the Federal government, have already paid $50.8 million in 2008.

The details were revealed in a letter by James B Lockhart III, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), to Senator Charles E Grassley.

FHFA is in charge of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Together, both companies would be paying a bonus of $210.2 million.

The letter said that bonuses would be paid to 3,545 employees at Fannie Mae and 4,057 people at Freddie Mac.

A total of $112.6 million would be given to Fannie Mae employees and $97.6 million to those at Freddie Mac.

The publicly-owned Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were rescued by the US Federal government in 2008 in the wake of the ravaging financial meltdown. Nearly $200 billion was pumped in to shore up the fortunes of the two entities.