Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Chicago Loan Broker Pleads Guilty
James Rucker, mortgage broker, Chicago, Illinois admitted to his role in a scheme to defraud lenders of over $900,000 through more than a dozen mortgage transactions in Illinois between 1998 and 2002. The plea agreement indicates that Rucker and his co-conspirators used shell companies, false income, misrepresented asset documentation and fake down payment information in order to originate loans on these properties. In some cases they also obtained fees payable to themselves, aliases or shell companies in order to extract additional equity from the transactions. According to the indictment, the defendants worked for Ravenswood Mortgage, Design Mortgage Corporation and/or Comprehensive Mortgage Corporation.
It appears through court records that Rucker is the last of the eight individuals indicted on January 22, 2004 to have pled guilty in this scheme. Three have been sentenced to jail time and one to probation while over $740,000 in total restitution is required.
Rucker’s alleged co-conspirators are:
Virgil Griffin – Pled guilty, sentenced to 8 months jail time, 2 years supervised release and over $200,000 restitution
Tina Hoard – to be sentenced on June 23, 2006
Gregory Jacobs – to be sentenced on June 23, 2006
Stephen Lawhorn – Pled guilty, sentenced to 30 days jail time, 3 years supervised release and over $80,000 restitution
Patricia Mays – Pled Guilty February 23, 2006
Carmen Perry – Sentenced to 24 months jail time, 3 years supervised release and over $280,000 restitution
William Scott – Pled Guilty, sentenced to 3 year probation and over $180,000 in restitution
Involved properties:
2909 Walnut, Chicago, IL
422 Leamington, Chicago, IL
6712 S Aberdeen, Chicago, IL
436 Leamington, Chicago, IL
422 Central Avenue, Matteson, IL
675 Primrose, Matteson, IL
16041 Red Cloud Dr, Lockport, IL
4732 S St Lawrence, Chicago, IL
15305 S Afton, Markham, IL
9929 S Lowe, Chicago, IL
1459 Hawk Dr, Bolingbrook, IL
648 Larkspur Ln, Matteson, IL
6138 S May, Chicago, IL
mortgage fraud
Great news bit. In the end you reap what you sow! I wonder what the total sentence of Rucker is going to be for this kind of fraud…
Posted by on 06/14 at 03:46 PM
I thought you would be intrested in reading this infomation on Mortgage Blog about Stephen Lawhorn the Thomas’s mortgage broker.
Hope you will have a great weekend.
Paula Yarbrough
Posted by
Stephen Lawhorn on 11/09 at 07:02 AM
My Wife and I purchased this property on March 31, 2004 as a foreclosure. I have lived in this property for over 4 years and for the last 2 years I have been having trouble with perspective buyers telling me that I am involved with mortgage fraud! I am going to list it again. I would appreciate it if you would remove our home from this mortgage fraud list because it has caused difficulties with the sale! The property is now worth over $425,000.00 and people are calling us crooks because of web sites like yours. This is defamation of character based on an address owned by someone else prior to us. This is a terrible thing and I have contacted our attorney about this matter!
Posted by
Zack Beasley on 09/01 at 06:51 AM
648 Larkspur Lane in Matteson is a beatifully updated home since its’ purchase in 2004! It has hardwood floors on the main level with an added bedroom. There was no bedroom on the firts floor prior to 2004. The lot has been fully improved with lanscaping, a new driveway with a new 2 car detatched garage in the rear! A new white vinyl fence surrounding the entire property. The cabinets & tops in the kitchen have been changed to Indian Slate with a back splash and accent slate wall! The master bedroom has an adjacent room which could be a TV, Office or Baby room. It could very well be a 5 bedroom home. You could have a total of 8 vehicles on this property!The front yard has great curb appeal with an arbor ajoining the fence in the front yard! A great home!
Posted by on 09/08 at 06:37 AM
Attorney in Chicago involved in representing victims of mortgage fraud.
I am new to this blog, so would appreciate being directed to any other commentary on mortgage fraud and equity stripping in Chicago
Posted by
Paul Bernstein on 03/21 at 10:19 AM
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Some Sources require Registration.
Mortgage Scam Ends with Prison
The Morning Call
A judge didn't hold back when Shirley Matthews appeared before him Tuesday to be sentenced for stealing from a Monroe County man instead of helping him save his home from foreclosure, as she was hired to do.
Woman Gets Prison Time After Mortgage Scam Conviction
Pocono Record
A New Jersey woman will be spending two to five years in state prison after she was sentenced on Tuesday for promising to help homeowners avoid foreclosure and then keeping the money she was given for their mortgages.
2 Indicted in Mortgage Scam Face New Charges
Newsday.Com
Prosecutors add extra charges to two who are charged in LI mortgage fraud with county legislator, dominatrix and her husband
Untangling Mortgage Fraud in Chicago Condo Buildings
Chicago Public Radio
Why did so many units go into foreclosure all at once? In some cases, the reason can be traced to mortgage fraud.
No Contest Plea Entered in Real Estate Fraud Case
Northbay Business Journal
Juan Carlos Alcala of Windsor pleaded no contest to nineteen felony counts and admitted three special allegations for defrauding real estate investors, money laundering and elder fraud.
Bedford Woman Sentenced to a Year in Prison for Mortgage Fraud
Plain Dealer
Sharon Cox, 49, of Bedford, was sentenced today to a year in prison for mortgage fraud involving money laundering, theft and receiving stolen property from August 2008 through March.
CITIZEN JOURNALISM: Mortgage Fraud High in Area
Washington Times
According to the FBI, Virginia, Maryland and the District are among the top 10 jurisdictions experiencing mortgage fraud.
Former Vegas Resident Charged with Mortgage Fraud in Nevada
National Mortgage Professional Magazine
A former Las Vegas resident has been charged with federal conspiracy and fraud charges for his involvement in a Nevada mortgage fraud scheme involving straw buyers and falsified mortgage loan documents...
Missouri Man Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud
Belleville News Democrat
A suburban St. Louis mortgage company operator has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for a mortgage fraud scheme.
12-Year Prison Term in Mortgage Swindle
Washington Post
A Maryland woman who stole millions from Washington area homeowners trying to avoid foreclosure is a "vulture" whose case should serve as a warning to other con artists...
Previous Articles
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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.
More Trial Coverage
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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 
