Friday, June 13, 2008
8 Indicted In Major Mortgage Fraud Scheme
Joy Jackson, 40; her husband, Kurt Fordam, 38, Ft. Washington, MD; Jennifer McCall, 46; her husband, Clifford McCall, 47; McCall‘s daughter, Chandra Jones, 30; Wilbur Ballesteros, 32, all of Lanham, Maryland; Kurt Fordham‘s sister Katisha Fordham, 35, Washington, DC; Ronald Chapman, 33, Washington, DC, are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and 15 counts of mail fraud to obtain money and property from homeowners and lenders through their “foreclosure reversal” scheme. Jackson and Kurt Fordham are also charged with six counts of money laundering and Jennifer McCall, Clifford McCall and Chandra Jones are each charged with one count of money laundering.
According to the indictment from September 2004 through June, 2007, the defendants, operating through several companies, including the Metropolitan Money Store, controlled by Joy Jackson and Jennifer McCall, fraudulently promised to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, keep their homes and repair their damaged credit, by directing the homeowners to allow title to their homes to be put in the names of third party purchasers (the straw buyers) for a one year period, during which time the defendants would help the homeowners obtain more favorable mortgages, improve their credit rating and eventually return title to their homes to them. The defendants told the homeowners that the equity withdrawn from the properties would be used to pay the mortgage and expenses on their homes and to repair their credit.
In fact, the indictment alleges that the defendants: paid approximately $10,000 to each of the straw buyers to participate in the scheme; fraudulently bolstered the credit of the straw buyers so they could qualify for more favorable mortgages; obtained fraudulently inflated loans on the properties in the straw buyers names; stripped away the bulk of the homeowners equity proceeds and converted that money to their own personal use; and stopped making the mortgage payments on the homes, resulting in the homes being foreclosed upon. According to the indictment, the defendants used the proceeds of the scheme to pay their personal expenses including art, cars, fur coats, international trips, gambling expenses, jewelry, limousine services, student tuition and a luxury wedding for Jackson and Kurt Fordham.
As a result of the scheme, the indictment alleges that the defendants obtained over $35 million in fraudulent loans on over 100 homes and the homeowners suffered losses of over $10 million in stripped equity. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of $35,873,150 obtained as a result of the scheme, including 11 properties owned by the defendants.
The defendants all face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the conspiracy and each of the 15 mail fraud counts. Jackson, Kurt Fordham, Jennifer McCall, Clifford McCall and Chandra Jones also face 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count of money laundering. Joy Jackson and Kurt Fordham were arrested in Raleigh, North Carolina and had their initial appearances there. The remaining defendants are scheduled for initial appearances this afternoon in federal district court in Greenbelt, beginning at 2:15 p.m. Ronald Chapman has not been arrested and is still being sought.
“Homeowners who fall behind on their mortgage payments should be wary of con artists who claim that there is an easy way to avoid foreclosure,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Just as get-rich-quick schemes are usually fraudulent, get-out-of-debt-quick schemes are usually phony, too. The indictment alleges that the defendants used a ‘foreclosure-prevention’ scheme to cheat homeowners out of the remaining equity in their houses by transferring their homes to straw buyers. The defendants then defrauded lenders by inducing them to make new loans based on inflated appraisals and fraudulent credit applications.”
“These types of crimes create a significant loss of tax revenue, drive buyers into foreclosure, leave lenders burdened with bad loans and neighborhoods with abandoned and deteriorating properties. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to pursuing individuals who commit these types of crimes,” said C. André Martin, Special Agent In Charge of the Washington Field Office.
“We are using every available tool in our regulatory arsenal to protect Maryland homeowners from fraud and other unscrupulous practices,” Secretary Perez said. “We appreciate the leadership of the U.S. Attorney in this case, and we look forward to a continued partnership with the federal government to ensure individuals who prey on distressed homeowners are brought to justice.”
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney James A. Crowell IV, who is prosecuting the case.
mortgage fraud
It is a great day for justice now that these two fugitives and their accomplices have been caught and indicted. After serving their sentences they should be made to repay every cent they stole from the people who were caught in their web of deceit and greed.
Posted by on 06/17 at 12:50 PM
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Mortgage Fraud Risk Index Jumps 11 Percent, According to Verisk Analytics Subsidiary Interthinx
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The report...indicates that the overall Interthinx Mortgage Fraud Risk Index surged more than 11 percent from the previous quarter...
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The prosecution and defense rested Thursday in the mortgage fraud cases against Teresa Marie WIlson and Angelo Surveo Williams.
Wyoming Woman Charged with Mortgage Fraud After Allegedly Stealing Sister's Identity
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A Wyoming woman is facing felony charges accusing her of stealing her sister's identity to obtain a mortgage...then defaulting on that mortgage, leaving taxpayers on the hook.
U.S. Attorney Targets White-Collar Crime
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In San Francisco, Mr. Russoniello said he is trying to crack down on cases like mortgage fraud, though he doesn't have the budget to hire additional white-collar prosecutors.
Arrests Made in Orlando Mortgage Fraud Roundup
MyFoxOrlando.com
During the real estate boom two years ago, some units were going for a half million dollars. Now some are short selling for just 50 grand.
10 Accused of Mortgage Fraud at PR Coastal Resort
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A developer and nine other people, including a former salsa singer, have been charged in an alleged $14 million mortgage fraud in Puerto Rico...
Strodtman Jury Selected in Mortgage Fraud Trial
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Attorneys will deliver opening statements this morning in the trial of Mark Strodtman, who is accused of bilking homeowners in a mortgage scheme years ago.
FHA Digging Out After Loans Sour
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Most banks rejected Ms. DeForte because her debt level was too high and her credit score too low. But Lend America put Ms. DeForte into a $402,000 loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration...
Mortgage Fraud Probe Nets 105 Across State
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At least one local man is among 105 people arrested across the state following a nine-month investigation into organized mortgage fraud.
Mortgage Fraud Increases
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The number of frauds involving professional advisors, such as accountants and lawyers, has increased from two to four since March 2008.
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Trial coverage provided by Anne Mitchell, Crazy Fish Realty.
F. Jeffrey Miller Update - October 20, 2009
A hearing was held in Topeka, Kansas in front of Judge Julie Robinson. Miller is currently being held pending his sentencing which is set for December 22nd, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.. Steve Vanatta and Hallie Irvin, Miller's codefendants, will be sentenced at that time also.
Several motions were heard this week. One was a motion for Miller to be released pending his sentencing. Miller's attorney, Jeff Morris, argued that the court had dismmissed with predjudice the matter involving Miller's purchase of a commercial lawnmower, violating the court ordered monitoring agreement. He also argued that Miller was not a flight risk and should be released. This motion was denied.
Another motion heard by Judge Robinson was that of an escrow account containing proceeds from the sale of Miller's forfeited assets. This account has a balance of $143,000. Attorney Morris argued that his firm was due $100,000 for work done in the Miller matter, to date. The government argued that his 'un-itemized fees' were 'exhorbitant'. The balance of the funds, Morris argued, should be released to the Miller family to help pay for mounting household expenses.
The government argued that the 'Asset Forfeiture Provision' applies down to 'the last penny' and that 'the rights of the victims to made whole are of paramount immportance' and that no routine household expenses like Visa bills, are allowed.
Attorney Morris argues that there is more than enough assets to satisfy the jury's judgement of $2.65 million dollars. The government argues that the estimated value of his assets are only $1.4 million.
The government also stated that Miller has been paid dividends from a company Miller has an ownership interest in; Boreflex. From July, 2008 to present, Miller has been paid $330,509.30 from Boreflex, unbeknownst to the court appointed monitor.
Present in the courtroom was Todd Earnshaw. Earnshaw was indicted along with Miller and others in what is commonly referred to as 'Miller I'. That trial is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2010 in Topeka, Kansas.
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