One case produced real relief for Golden Valley Lending borrowers. Relief in this industry is almost always limited to loans taken inside a specific window, and the settlement sites that would let you check are usually gone. The dates below are the part that decides whether it reaches you.
The cases
Hengle v. Asner (Upper Lake brands)
settlement$450M+ cancelled + $39M fund
The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake’s earlier brands — Golden Valley Lending, Silver Cloud Financial, Mountain Summit Financial and Majestic Lake Financial — settled for more than $450 million in cancelled debt plus a $39 million fund paid by the non-tribal financiers rather than the tribe, covering roughly 555,000 borrowers charged up to ~919% APR. Relief was automatic, with no claim form, and negative credit tradelines were to be permanently removed.
One exception matters: Mountain Summit’s cancellation only covers loans taken before February 1, 2021 — later ones were not cancelled. Note also that the CFPB’s own case against these brands was dismissed in 2018 and never refiled; this relief came from private class litigation, not the regulator. The tribe’s successor brand is Uprova.
✓ Produced relief for borrowers
What happened to Golden Valley Lending balances
What to do if you are still being collected from
- Check your loan date first. Relief in this industry is bounded by a window, and the boundary is where people lose. A Mountain Summit loan from February 2021 was not cancelled while its sister brands' were; a Lac du Flambeau loan after 1 October 2023 falls outside the $1.4 billion Fitzgerald cancellation.
- Check your state before you negotiate. In nine states, loans above the rate cap are void — nothing is owed regardless of the contract or any settlement. See where tribal loans are void.
- Do not pay to make it stop. A payment can restart the statute of limitations on a debt that may already be unenforceable. It is the most expensive reflex in debt collection.
- Demand written validation within 30 days of first contact: the original agreement, the full payment history, and proof the collector owns the debt. Chains of sale on tribal loans are frequently incomplete.
- Revoke ACH authorisation in writing — to the lender and, separately, to your bank. Telling only one of the two is the common mistake.
Our full walkthrough is in how to get out of a tribal loan, and can tribal lenders sue you covers what they can and cannot actually do.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a lawsuit against Golden Valley Lending?
Yes — Hengle v. Asner (Upper Lake brands) (E.D. Va. / 4th Cir.). Outcome: $450M+ cancelled + $39M fund. It did produce relief for borrowers.
Do I still owe my Golden Valley Lending loan?
Yes — over $450M cancelled for ~555,000 borrowers under the Hengle v. Asner settlement (final approval 25 Oct 2022), automatically and with no claim form. Negative credit tradelines were to be permanently removed. If your loan falls outside that, or a collector contacts you anyway, demand written validation and proof of ownership before paying anything.
Can I claim money from a Golden Valley Lending settlement?
$39M, paid by the non-tribal financiers rather than the tribe. Distribution is complete.