Lender under probe sought CFPB gig

The ex-head of a South Carolina payday lender came up with a novel way of applying to become the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — she emailed the interim boss, Mick Mulvaney, and tried to sweet talk her way into the job.

In her pitch, Janet Matricciani, the former chief executive at World Acceptance Corp., touted her experience at Countrywide Financial, the subprime mortgage factory run by the disgraced Angelo Mozilo, as a reason why she should get the job, according to a number of her e-mails to the CFPB that were released on Tuesday.

The unusual job application didn’t work, according to the CFPB, which said the former executive was not under consideration for the position.

One of Matricciani’s e-mails was sent on Jan. 24, just five days after the CFPB dropped an investigation into WAC and two days after she stepped down as CEO.

“Now that I am available, I would love to apply for the position of director of the CFPB,” Matricciani wrote in one e-mail, obtained through a Freedom of Informa- tion Act request by the left-leaning Allied Progress.

The e-mails’ release comes as scrutiny has mounted on Mulvaney, who had accepted campaign donations from payday lenders when he ran for Congress.

Mulvaney claims payday lenders have no influence over him.

Matricciani also tried to appeal to her three-year professional relationship with Mulvaney.

WAC had “no knowledge” of Matricciani reaching out to Mulvaney, it said. Matricciani didn’t return a voicemail seeking comment.