Rachel Dollar is an attorney and Certified Mortgage Banker who handles fraud recovery litigation for lenders and secondary market investors nationwide. She is a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of mortgage fraud. Ms. Dollar is licensed to practice law in California and maintains offices in Santa Rosa, California. Email Ms. Dollar

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Recent Posts

- Ohio Mortgage Fraudster Sentenced To 20 Months
- Missouri Man Pleads Guilty To Loan And Appraisal Misreps
- Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Stealing $4M From Real Estate Closings
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- Arizona Man Indicted for Mortgage Loan Assistance Scam
- Leader Of $10M Mortgage Fraud Scheme Gets 8 Years

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Kentucky Man Sentenced For Identity Theft

Willie Collins, 76, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 2 years and 1 day imprisonment in United States District Court, Louisville, Kentucky, for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; all in connection with the fraudulent obtaining of mortgage loans on two Kentucky residences, one in Indian Hills and the other in Cherokee Triangle. Thomas B. Russell, Judge, United States District Court, also sentenced Collins to 3 years supervised release following incarceration.  There is no parole in the federal judicial system.

As previously reported by Mortgage Fraud Blog, Collins pled guilty on May 15, 2007, to charges related to his involvement in the stealing of the identity of the owners of homes in Indian Hills and the Cherokee Triangle to facilitate three fraudulent loan closings on the properties.  He, along with James C. Hardison, Freddie Johnson, and Marilyn Rainey, were able to effectuate their scheme by also stealing the identity of a Southern Indiana man so that Hardison could pose as a buyer at the closing, while Rainey posed as the actual owner of the property.  Using these stolen identities, Hardison, Rainey, and Collins participated in multiple closings on these properties.  At the closing on the Indian Hills home, they attempted to obtain a loan in the amount of approximately $403,000.  At the first closing on a home in the Cherokee Triangle, they were able to obtain approximately $290,000 in loan proceeds.  They obtained a second loan from a different lender on the same Highlands home, but were arrested by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) before they could withdraw these funds.  Hardison’s role in the scheme was to arrange the loans and pose as the buyer of the property.  Johnson‘s role in the scheme was to recruit Rainey to pose as the buyer of the property and to recruit Collins to open a bank account in Louisville so that they could cash the check that they obtained from the closing.

The defendants were able to obtain $303,704.57 from the first closing for the Indian Hills property on November 21, 2006, and $294,567.22 from the second closing on the Cherokee Triangle property on November 27, 2006.  The $303,704.57 was wired to a LaSalle Bank account in Chicago that was opened under a fake name.  The monies have not been recovered.  The bank, however, put a hold on the check from the second closing.  When the defendants attempted to withdraw the proceeds from this second check, the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department was able to arrest Johnson and Collins.  Shortly after their arrest, the LMPD and the United States Secret Service were able to identify and then arrest Johnson and Hardison.

Hardison, Louisville, Kentucky, was found guilty on October 12, 2007, by a jury in U.S. District Court of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, and was sentenced to 6 years and 9 months imprisonment, plus 5 years supervised release following incarceration.  He was also ordered to pay $202,704.57 in restitution to Homecoming Financial.

Johnson, who pled guilty on May 15, 2007, and Rainey, who pled guilty on July 12, 2007, both also from Chicago, Illinois, were sentenced on November 2, 2007.  Johnson was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment, plus 5 years supervised release; and Rainey was sentenced to 2 years and 1 day imprisonment, plus 5 years supervised release following incarceration.  Johnson was also ordered to pay restitution to Homecoming Financial in the amount of $303,704.57.

   

Posted by Staff Reporter on 03/19/08 at 04:03 AM
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Previous Articles

TRIAL COVERAGE

Trial coverage provided by Anne Mitchell, Crazy Fish Realty.

U.S. v. Miller, et al.

Thursday, December, 18, 2008

Verdict:

F. Jeffrey Miller Guilty of Conspiracy and Money Laundering

Steven Vanatta Guilty of Conspiracy , Money Laundering and Bank Fraud

Hallie Irvin Guilty of Conspiracy , Money Laundering and Bank Fraud

Sandra Jo Harris Not guilty- all counts



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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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