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Mortgage Fraud Blog is the premier website for news and information on mortgage fraud and real estate fraud throughout the United States.
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 Rachel Dollar, the editor of Mortgage Fraud Blog, is an attorney and Certified Mortgage Banker who handles litigation for lending institutions and secondary market investors. She is an author and a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of mortgage fraud. Ms. Dollar is a shareholder with the law firm of Smith Dollar, PC, is licensed to practice law in California and maintains offices in Santa Rosa, California. Email Ms. Dollar
Mortgage Fraud Blog is co-sponsored by Interthinx the leading provider of fraud services and solutions for the mortgage industry.
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Categories
Monthly Archives
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Tuesday, December 09, 2008
US v. Miller, et al
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 Continuing Testimony: Steve Brown, Court Ordered Business Monitor The Government introduced the transaction of 415 Regency Cove (an $800,000 home in Four Seasons, MO). Although under the monitoring agreement ordered by the Court, Miller mentioned this transaction after it was under contract to purchase and flip and three...
US v. Miller, et al
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 New Witness: Steve Brown, Court Ordered Business Monitor Stephen Brown, Principal of Meara, Welch & Brown was called by the Government as this mornings first witness. He and his company were selected to monitor the business dealings of Miller’s companies as a condition pending his trial. They entered into this ‘Forensic...
US v. Miller, et al.
Monday, December 8th - Afternoon Session New witness: Abby Powers (former assistant to F. Jeffrey Miller) Ms. Powers met Miller after her parents purchased a Miller built home. Through her step-father, Powers found a job with Miller in his office. Powers testified that her predecessor, Angela Parenza had left Miller’s employment and she was...
US v. Miller, et al.
Monday, December 8th New witness: Steve Middleton (Steven Craig Middleton): Middleton testified that he met Miller late in high school and owned a home construction business called Center Point Construction. That company declared bankruptcy. Middleton operated Somerset Homes from Miller’s office at 10777 Barklay, Overland Park, KS, but his...
Monday, December 08, 2008
US v. Miller, et al.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008 - Morning Session Franky Rowden was called by the Government. Rowden purchased a Miller home in Carl Junction, MO. He spoke with Steve Vanatta and they agreed on a purchase price of $150,000 for the home. Rowden moved into the house early and then had difficulty securing financing. Vanatta met Rowden one day and...
Thursday, December 04, 2008
US v. F. Jeffrey Miller
December 2, 2008 - Morning Session Re-Cross Examination of US witness, Ed Hyne, MetLife Custodian of Records (formerly First Horizon Mortgage) US Prosecuting Attorney Kenny introduced First Horizon’s corporate appraisal review of the Jordan home purchase of 211 E. Whispering Oaks, Lone Jack, MO. Over objection by Attorney Bradshaw (Miller),...
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Cross Examination of Witness Kerrie Jordan Attorney Vanessa Reible (Miller) detailed the second mortgage held by F. Jeffrey Miller in the Jordan purchase. Terms: Amount: $36,000 @ 8% with a clause discounting the amount by 50% if refinanced and paid early. After Jordan agreed to withdraw the Attorney General complaint, Miller and Vanetta offered...
Monday, December 01, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Kerrie Jordan direct examination (Hathaway) Kerrie Jordan continued her direct testimony. Shortly after closing on their Lone Jack home, Jordan filed a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s office about the shoddy construction of her home. On August 6th, 2006, Ms. Jordan received an email from Sandra Jo Harris, asking if Jordan would...
Wednesday, November 26, Morning Session
Kerrie Jordan is the next witness to be called by the government. She and her husband were the purchasers of 211 E. Whispering Hills Blvd, in Lone Jack, MO from Jeff Miller and Star Land Development. Ms. Jordan testified that in April, 2006, her husband saw an online ad for homebuyers with poor credit. They had had a bankruptcy and struggled...
Tuesday, November 25, Afternoon Session
Lisa Hartsfeld, owner of Lisa’s Tax & Bookkeeping Service is next to testify. Ms. Hartsfeld was first contacted by Vanatta and later met with both Vanatta and Irvin. The Vanattas wanted Hartsfeld to prepare a financial statement for them. There was an urgency, she testified, that made Ms. Hartsfeld uncomfortable. Vanatta and Irvin left the...
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Goverment called witness, Janet Carder-Missouri Real Estate Comission (MREC) Executive Director. Ms. Carder gave testimony about the Real Estate Salesperson Application of Steve Vanatta. The application was received by the MREC on November 29, 2005. The application was returned to applicant for lack of fees. The application and proper fees...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November, 25, 2008
The cross examination of former mortgage broker James Sparks resumed Monday.
Attorney Rork (Vanatta) introduces an exhibit; an invoice from Vanatta to Sparks for ‘Construction Management Fees’. The invoice covered painting, marketing, trim and punch list work. The invoice total, Sparks testified, would equal the ‘yield spread’ of the loan...
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 21st
James Sparks resumed his position on the stand this morning. He was questioned about the payment arrangement for mortgages that were referred to him by Vanatta and Miller.
Mr. Sparks testified that at first, he paid 50% to Vanatta, but later negotiated it at 40%. However, because of Vanatta’s prior offenses involving checks, he paid monies to...
Thursday, November 20th - 9:00 a.m.
The Government calls their first witness, James Sparks. Mr. Sparks has previously plead guilty to conspiracy and money laundering in this matter. Sparks is now a car salesperson in Kansas City. He had worked as a mortgage broker for two companies from 2002 through 2006. In 2004, he became aquainted with Steven Vanatta after Vanatta contacted him...
Tuesday, November 18th - 1:00 p.m.
Opening arguments began after the lunch recess.
Ms. Kenney on behalf of the Government began. The ‘mug shot’ photos were shown on the 6 lcd screens in the courtroom. Among the charges that would be proven, Ms. Kenney said, were false production of W-2’s, altered bank statements, false rent history and paycheck stubs. Also that Mr. Vanatta passed...
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Some Sources require Registration.
Marco Island Man Arrested in Ohio on Grand Theft Charge
Naples News
A man who claimed he was a broker is accused of bilking a long-time family friend out of more than $130,000.
Failed Mortgage Firm Trustee Allowed $50,000 in Fees
Union Leader
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge J. Michael Deasy will approve $50,000 in legal fees for the trustee of failed mortgage brokerage businesses Financial Resources Mortgage Inc. and CL&M Inc.
Bend Oregon Event to Help Homeowners Prevent Foreclosures
Oregon.Gov
As part of an ongoing effort to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, state agencies are organizing a foreclosure-prevention event in Bend on Saturday, March 27, 2010.
Shelbyville Man Gets 2-Year Sentence For Loan Fraud
Chattanoogan.Com
Prosecutor Gary Humble said the lost was approximately $2.3 million in the mortgage fraud involving hundreds of homes in the Shelbyville area.
Lend America, VP Ashley Banned from FHA
Housing Wire
Michael Ashley, the embattled former vice president of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed mortgage originator Lend America, and the company he worked for, were permanently banned from doing business in the industry last week.
Countrywide Tries to Pin Blame on Insurer
Court House News
Countrywide Home Loans demands $111 million from Triad Guaranty Insurance, claiming Triad is trying to blame mortgage lenders for the insurer's role in the housing bubble and collapse.
Investors Say They Were Swindled in Property Scheme
Fox 13 Now
Utah Division of Consumer Protection is joining forces with a few investors who claim they have been cheated by an agency called "Utah Mini Ranches.
Greenfield Man Accused of Housing Scam
The Republic
A former real estate agent conned at least eight people by renting them properties actually owned by a federal agency and then running off with their deposits, prosecutors said.
Appraisal Institute Opposes Obama Administration's Plan for Homeowner 'Short Sales'
PR News Wire
Citing concerns about increased mortgage fraud, four organizations representing more than 35,000 real estate appraisers today voiced their opposition to changes to an Obama administration program that will encourage "short sales" of homes.
Ownership Rights to Get Another Look
TBO.Com
State lawmakers may beef up protections of property owners' rights by rewriting a law this spring that is at the center of a case of alleged fraud in Pasco County.
Previous Articles
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Trial coverage provided by Anne Mitchell, Crazy Fish Realty.
Follow Anne on Twitter.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
F. Jeffrey Miller Trial - 1 Convicted, 3 Acquitted
The jury deliberated for approximately 3 days after receiving their jury instructions. They asked one question:
Does ‘common sense' allow us to deduce what the banks may or may not been influenced by in order to make a loan?
Judge Julie Robinson responded by admonishing the jurors to read all of the instructions.
The jury presented its' verdict... Read More...
Thursday, February 18, 2010
F. Jeffrey Miller Trial Continued Testimony
As reported by Anne Mitchell, who viewed the trial:
Angela Parenza worked for Jeff Miller as the office manager for 7 or 8 years beginning in 1998. Parenza was indicted along with Miller and pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering. Parenza testified that Miller or his contractors allegedly preferred to build all the... Read More...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
F. Jeffrey Miller Trial Coverage Continued - Witness Testimony
Steve Middleton Testimony - Coverage Provided by Anne Mitchell
The Government continued in its cross examination of Steve Middleton. He was shown several HUD-1 statements involving sales of homes located in Overland Park, KS, and Olathe, KS. The HUD statements each allegedly showed line items of payments to (James) Moser & Associates, LLC's... Read More...
Monday, February 01, 2010
F. Jeffrey Miller Trial Coverage - Continued Witness Examination
According to Anne Mitchell, who is present in court for the trial:
Next Witness: Kelly Sanford
Kelly Sanford of the Federal Reserve was a short witness for the Government. Sanford manages electronic payments between banks and member financial institutions. He was shown copies of wire transfers and asked whether they coincided with the counts in... Read More...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
F. Jeffrey Miller Trial - Prosecution Witnesses Continued
According to Anne Mitchell, who is viewing the trial:
January 13, 2010
Witness: Rick Hayes
Rick Hayes testified that on the day that he closed on his Miller Enterprise home, he received a phone call from the Kansas Banking Commission informing him that his loan was fraudulent. After the Hayes responded to a classified ad, they met with John...
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