Mortgage Fraud Blog is the premier website for news and information on mortgage fraud and real estate fraud throughout the United States.
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
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The following defendants were charged in a federal indictment for their roles in a mortgage fraud scheme:
Bradley Grant Kitchen, 39, Provo;
David R. Bolick, 50, Sandy;
Steve Wells Cloward, 38, Orem;
Ron K. Clarke, 38, Provo;
Jeffery David Garrett, 42, Provo; and
Rebecca Ann Hadlock, 30, Saratoga Springs, all of Utah.
A federal grand jury returned a 15-count indictment charging above-referenced defendants with wire and mail fraud in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme involving the purchase and resale of upscale residential properties, including five in the Utah Provo River Bottoms area. The case is the first federal indictment sought by members of the Utah Mortgage Fraud Task Force, announced earlier this fall. The Utah Mortgage Fraud Task Force includes local, state, and federal law enforcement officers, state and federal prosecutors, and representatives of regulatory agencies. (A copy of the press release announcing the task force issued earlier this year is attached for background information.)
The indictment alleges the defendants, functioning in various roles (mortgage brokers, investors, real estate agent, appraiser, straw buyers, and escrow agents), formed a network to engage in transactions to obtain a series of loans secured by real estate worth less than the loans through fraudulent pretenses and representations.
The indictment charges that Kitchen reached an agreement with Bolick to conduct real property purchases through Bolick‘s company, Home Owners Group (H.O.G.), backed up by another Bolick entity known as Paragon Investment Group (P.I.G.). Shortly thereafter, Kitchen and others began to purchase residential properties and, through false statements on loan applications and false appraisals, to falsely and deceptively inflate the apparent value of these properties to induce lenders to grant loans for amounts in excess of their fair market value, according to the indictment.
According to the indictment, the plan worked in several phases:
First, Kitchen and others caused H.O.G. to execute paperwork to purchase homes in the Provo River Bottoms area.
Second, the indictment alleges Kitchen and Bolick recruited straw buyers to make false and deceptive statements to lenders while acting as borrowers on resales of the residential properties on which H.O.G. had contracts of purchase. The indictment alleges these false statements included significant overstatements of income, claims of non-existent assets of between several hundred thousand and several million dollars, false principal occupancy declarations, non-disclosure of the payment of fees to the straw buyers for signing papers, the falsification of down payments when in fact there were no down payments being made to obtain the loans, the over-valuation of River Bottoms properties, and non-disclosure that the straw buyers had been assured that they need not make loan payments—that they would be handled by Kitchen through H.O.G. or P.I.G. These false statements were included in loan applications and loan packages to divisions of Countrywide Home Mortgage and American Broker’s Conduit in California and New York, respectively.
Third, Kitchen, Clark or others caused properties to be entered into the Multiple Listing Service reflecting a sale on River Bottoms properties which had either not occurred or sales that had occurred at deceptively inflated prices. These exaggerated MLS listings were then used as fodder to support overstated appraisals. These inflated appraisals also gave Countrywide Home Mortgage and American Broker’s Conduit false assurance that the value of the River Bottoms properties was sufficient to protect their loan investments in the properties in the event the loans went into default, according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges that Kitchen and Cloward caused the River Bottoms properties to be reappraised at a value more than twice the original sales contract price to H.O.G. Kitchen and Bolick, according to the indictment, recruited straw buyers with good credit ratings to contract to purchase the River Bottom properties from H.O.G. at a price well in excess of the H.O.G. contract price. The indictment alleges Kitchen told or caused the straw buyers to be told one or more of the following: that they would not have to invest any money of their own to buy the home; they would be paid a substantial fee for signing the loan papers; they should claim in loan documentation that their income and assets vastly exceeded what the straw buyers then made or owned; they should claim an intent to occupy the home and to make a down payment even though they did not intend to do so; that they would have no risk, including no obligation to make loan payments on the home; that they need not move into the home purchased; H.O.G. or another entity would make the home loan payments; and the home would be resold in short order, thus relieving them of any worries about liability for the loan.
Fourth, the indictment alleges that on several occasions, Kitchen, with the cooperation of title insurance and escrow agents, Garrett and Hadlock, manipulated the closing documentation to reflect non-existent down payments of several hundred thousand dollars. On several occasions these same closing agents also manipulated the closings to conceal the true substance of the closings: that the original H.O.G. purchase of the property was not yet completed, that the flip purchases by the straw buyers were being closed first and that the loan proceeds of the second transaction were being used to close both transactions. The lender and straw buyers were never aware that they had participated in the purchase of a property from H.O.G. that H.O.G. did not yet own.
The indictment charges that these flip transactions yielded several millions of dollars in inflated loan proceeds, which were diverted to the benefit of the participants in the scheme, and used for, among other things, to make loan payments on the River Bottoms homes to create the appearance that the loans were performing.
The indictment also includes a notice of intent to seek millions of dollars in criminal forfeiture from the defendants involved in the alleged offenses.
The 6 Indicted In Utah Straw Buyer Scheme. they More Real Estate Fraud Stats from the FBI.Earlier today, the FBI released another new report detailing fraud in financial markets, including those related to real estate.Although there are many mortgage fraud schemes, the FBI says it is focusing the majority of its efforts on those perpetrated by real estate industry insiders.
mack
Posted by on 07/24 at 03:41 AM
As a result of the mortgage fraud scheme, which artificially inflated home values in the area, 460 homes have had their property valuations adjusted, according to the Utah County Assessor’s Office.
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williamgeorge
Posted by on 08/21 at 12:11 AM
I REALLY HOPE THAT ALL WHO WERE VICTIMIZED BY THE RIVERBOTTOMS MORTGAGE SCAM SHOW UP IN COURT THE DAY DAVE BOLICK , DAVE CLARKE , BRADLEY KITCHEN AND THE REST OF THE MORTGAGE SCAM GANG GO FOR SENTENCING !!! THAT WOULD BE ALL OF UTAH BECAUSE IT AFFECTS EVERONE AT SOME LEVEL COME ON ALL OF THESE MEN HAD MONEY FOR GODS SAKE ONE WAS EVEN A DOCTOR GLAD HES NOT MINE GREED CAN SURE TAKE HOLD OF YOU , ONE WAS A NEWS REPORTER GLAD I DON’T WATCH THAT CHANNEL THEY ALSO BROUGHT HUGE SHAME ON ALL THERE FAMILY MEMBERS I REALLY HOPE THAT THEY ALL GO TO THE GRAY BAR MOTEL FOR A WHILE !!! GO YOUR HONORABLE JUDGE TED STEWART
Posted by on 09/11 at 12:46 PM
My husband and I received a construction loan through Paragon Mortgage of Tampa Fl,
The owner was the guarantor. He collected enormous fees, includeing a $30,000 advance for the year 2007, in 2006, in order to use the funds for construction of 16 ths in Fl hernando County. He had a line of credit with Fifth Third Bank, and we paid over $400,000 for use of his line of credit up to the l,550,000 we borrowed.
We were never even able to get our permit money to obtain permit from county when it was available (twice).
As a result, we lost all my inheirtance,
retirement, and our business.
The owner of Paragon had an inside man in Fifth Third that helped him defraud me of money that the Bank said he was not entitiled too. We also had a contract for the use of the money, and it was broken when we asked for the permit money in 2007.
This has caused us tremendous financial ruin as well as emotional and mental damages.
I am looking for an attorney to represent me to sue Paragon Mortgage in
Tampa and Fifth Third Bank (we can prove they tried to cover it up).
We have all document including the ones sent to us by the bank where they tried to hide the fact that almost $0,000 was taken out of my construction funds with out the knowledge of my company or company executives.
As a result, we were never able to start building and lost everything.
The bank tried to cover it up by sending me a statement (at my insistence) of my account. It was in July 2008 I discovered the crime, and found that the Bank tried to cover it up by blacking out the column headings, and never replied when I asked for a correct statement with dates.
I am 58 and have a chronic illness. My husband is almost 64. We put everything into this project for our retirement and now have nothing but owe money we never got to use.
We only used approx 200,000 of the money and yet we have been charged interest on the entire 1,550,000 and never got to use the loan.
Please help me find an attorney who will work on a percentage basis. I have all documents, and everybody I show, tells me I have a great case and will win. the only problem is I have no upfront money except for a minimum amount.
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.
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...
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...
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...
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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The information and notices contained on Mortgage Fraud Blog are intended to summarize recent developments in mortgage fraud cases and mortgage banking matters nationwide. The posts on this site are presented as general research and information and are expressly not intended, and should not be regarded, as legal advice. Much of the information on this site concerns allegations made in civil lawsuits and in criminal indictments. All persons are presumed innocent until convicted of a crime. Readers who have particular questions about mortgage banking, mortgage fraud matters or who believe they require legal counsel should seek the advice of an attorney. The creators, editors and sponsors of Mortgage Fraud Blog do not intend to create a confidential relationship or an attorney-client relationship by communication via or arising from this site.
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 
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