D.C. sues aggressive tax lien buyer over 'excessive' fees

A prolific purchaser of D.C. property tax liens is the subject of a District government lawsuit filed on behalf of delinquent taxpayers who are threatened with having to pay high legal fees in order to reclaim their properties.

D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles last week filed a consumer protection lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court against Chicago-based Aeon Financial LLC, which describes itself as “one of the nation’s leading purchasers and servicers of delinquent municipal property tax liens.” The firm bought 445 D.C. liens in 2008 alone — 35 percent of all sold — during the annual tax auction.