The apparent suicide of David Kellermann, Freddie Mac’s acting chief financial officer, is the latest in a series of upheavals for the troubled US mortgage ­financier.

Mr Kellermann, who was named acting CFO six months ago when Freddie Mac and rival Fannie Mae were taken over by their regulator, was the company’s fourth chief financial officer in less than six years. His death comes at a time when Freddie is without a permanent chief executive, its board members have had only six months on the job and the prospects of breaking free of government control look increasingly slim.