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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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
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!
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
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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