Mortgage Fraud Blog is the premier website for news and information on mortgage fraud and real estate fraud throughout the United States.
imageRachel 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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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force Investigation Leads To Indictments In Ohio

Tekora Madden, 30, Seven Hills, Ohio, is charged with fraudulently purchasing eight houses between August 2004 and January 2005; four in Cleveland, Ohio, one house in Seven Hills, Ohio, and 3 houses in Akron, Ohio.

The properties are:

2368 E. 59th St., Cleveland, Ohio;

9421 Pratt Ave., Cleveland, Ohio;

1119 E. 72nd St., Cleveland, Ohio;

3751 E. 96th St., Cleveland, Ohio;

2350 Wynde Tree Ln., Seven Hills, Ohio;

1274 Moore Rd., Akron, Ohio;

206 Marcy Rd., Akron, Ohio; and

178 Lake St., Akron, Ohio.

Allegedly, Madden also fraudulently refinanced the Seven Hills house in 2006. She supplied false income documents from several bank accounts and false real estate asset values. Her scam, totaling $733,000 in fraudulent loans, entailed using loan monies and sale proceeds from one house to purchase another. All but the Seven Hills house fell into mortgage foreclosure. Two of the three houses in Akron have since been demolished. Madden was indicted on twenty-six (26) counts of theft-related offenses.

Leevern Coleman, 38, University Heights, Ohio, was indicted on nine (9) counts of Money Laundering and Receiving Stolen Property for accepting stolen funds from the E. 96th St. purchase and laundering it through his bank account.

Jonas Allen, 38, Twinsburg, Ohio, and his sister Sonya Allen, 39, Cleveland, Ohio, fraudulently purchased a house located at 7206 Winchester, Solon, Ohio, in February 2005 for $298,881.69. They supplied false income documents, including false down payment information, to qualify for a $232,000 loan. The house fell into mortgage foreclosure in 2005. Jonas then leased the house with an option to buy to a couple in March 2006. He kept the payments, totaling $16,000, instead of paying the mortgage. A month later, Jonas sold the house to a second victim. By obtaining power of attorney over the victim’s assets and to purchase the house, he falsified victim’s income and occupancy affidavit to qualify for a $313,000 loan. The house fell into foreclosure again in 2006 and was sold at a Sherriff’s sale in 2007. Jonas and Sonya Allen were indicted on nine (9) counts of theft-related offenses. Jonas was indicted on a tenth count of theft.

Kenneth Miller, 38, Twinsburg, Ohio, convinced a victim to buy a house at 2257 North Taylor, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, for $140,000 in August 2006. Prior to the sale of the house, Ronald Hodges, 37, Cleveland, Ohio, placed a $19,000 fake mechanics lien against the home, and then returned $7,800 to the victim after the sale was completed. Hodges fraudulently obtained a drivers license using another person’s name to open up a bank account for his fake company, which he used to transfer and steal $11,200 from the victim. Hodges was indicted on ten (10) counts of theft-related offenses. Miller was indicted on one (1) count of Acting as Loan Officer without License.

Brian Mathoslah, 46, Strongsville, Ohio, is a mortgage loan officer who owns Future Home Builders and Cornerstone Title. He purchased the lot at 14590 Pebblestone, Strongsville, Ohio. He built a house and fraudulently sold it to Audrey Leonard, 43, Georgia, and Carlton Hill, 45, Strongsville, Ohio, for $488,000. Hill did not qualify for the loan due to bad credit, so his sister, Audrey Leonard, submitted a fraudulent loan application for $456,000, which indicated a $32,000 down payment, with the assistance of Mathoslah, who was the loan officer in the deal. Mathoslah deceived the lender by making it appear that Leonard made the down payment on the house. Debora Lind, 44, Lorain, Ohio, falsified the appraisal by increasing the size of the house. Leonard falsified the owner occupancy affidavit but moved to Georgia. A deed later transferred ownership of the house to Hill. He moved in the house in August 2006, but did not register his occupancy with the Cleveland Water Department, thereby stealing approximately $2000 worth of water from the City over the last 23 months. The house fell into foreclosure and was sold in 2007. Mathoslah was indicted on eleven (11) counts of theft-related offenses. Leonard was indicted on seven (7) counts of theft-related offenses. Hill was indicted on one (1) count of Theft.  Lind was indicted on two (2) counts of theft-related offenses.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason and the Ohio Attorney General Nancy H. Rodgers announced the indictments. The investigations found more than $1.7 million in fraudulent loans involved.

Prosecutor Bill Mason said, “These thieves are ripping apart our community. This is the first of many indictments being initiated by the Task Force.”

The investigation was conducted by the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, which is comprised of 15 federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.

A collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies was responsible for forming the task force that is combating the rampant mortgage fraud happening in Cuyahoga County.  Currently, the task force is investigating more than 1,000 mortgage fraud deals in Cuyahoga County.

Task force members are: Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Heights Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland Police Dept, Pepper Pike Police Department, HUD, Cuyahoga County Auditor, Cuyahoga County Treasurer, Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Financial Invest, F.B.I., U.S. Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Postal Inspector. Strongsville and Seven Hills Police Departments also worked on these investigations.

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Posted by Staff Reporter on 07/15/08 at 06:01 AM
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Today's News

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

TRIAL COVERAGE

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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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.

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