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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A nine-month-long Mortgage Fraud Surge investigation in Florida has resulted in charges against more than 100 defendants and involves allegations concerning more than $400 million in loans procured by fraud and more than 700 properties. United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton is holding events throughout the middle district of Florida to highlight the announcement.
There are currently mortgage fraud-related charges pending against approximately 500 defendants in federal mortgage fraud cases around the nation. The cases concern both mortgage schemes designed to defraud mortgage lenders and "foreclosure rescue schemes" which prey on distressed homeowners.
"This initiative sends a clear message that mortgage fraud will not be tolerated. We must protect the integrity of the real estate market in our communities, which is a major contributor to the health of our economy, here and throughout the country," said U.S. Attorney Albritton.
Florida's Mortgage Fraud Surge was launched in late January 2009 in response to the epidemic of mortgage fraud throughout the state, which began during Florida's real estate boom earlier this decade. To address this wide scale problem, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in both its Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions, began a nine-month intensive effort to identify, investigate, and prosecute mortgage fraud in all of its forms.
To accomplish the Surge, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida devoted significant additional personnel and resources to investigating and prosecuting mortgage fraud cases. All of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Ft. Myers, Orlando, and Jacksonville offices responsible for criminal matters handled mortgage fraud investigations, and in the District's largest office, Tampa, over half of the Criminal Division Assistant U.S. Attorneys were assigned mortgage fraud matters. In addition, FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven E. Ibison of the Tampa Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Casey of the Jacksonville Division established mortgage fraud task forces in their respective jurisdictions. A number of state and federal law enforcement agencies joined these mortgage fraud task forces, and the agents, investigators, and other law enforcement personnel from these participating agencies conducted an intensive and wide-ranging investigation into hundreds of mortgage fraud leads during this Surge phase. Along with the FBI, the agencies that joined in the Surge and who participated in the mortgage fraud task forces are: the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Financial Services/Division of Insurance Fraud, Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Lee County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only), Collier County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only) and Brevard County Sheriff's Office (Orlando Division only).
The U.S. Attorney's Office charged mortgage fraud defendants throughout the Middle District of Florida. The number of defendants charged by office breaks down as follows:
Ft. Meyers (32)
Oscar Antelo
Roy Bonilla
Bruno Braga
Roger Campagnolo III
Douglas Lee Carter
Alfredo Cassis
Said Cassis
Shanawar Chughtai
Maria Contreras
Gabriel Eguez
Scott Fawcett
Maria Elena Giraldo
Juan R. Gonzalez
Patricia Gray
Mauricio Higa
Juan Pablo Hurtado
Michael Katz
Debra Landberg
Damarys Llorca
Jason McClendon
Teresa L. Meulenberg
Fabricio Monteiro
Tiago De Oliveira
Washington Augusto Oliveria
Roger Alfredo Aguilera Paz
Carlos Perez
Alfredia Machell Proctor
Wayne F. Rice
Anna A. Roque aka Anna A. Pagani
Lynn Torres
Mark Willberg
Sealed
Tampa (30)
Peter Anthony Bakowski
Robert W. Bentley
Corey Brower
Sandi Brower
Steven David Cole
Anibal Cortes
Jorge L. Cortes
Michelle Fabry
Jose Frederick Farinha
Lakeisha Gates
Randolph Allen Griffin
Klara Horvath
Richard Likane
Gilberto Jesus Lima
Jason Anthony Martinez
Jessica Murillo
Peter James Porcelli II aka Peter James
Beatriz Sanchez
Eric J. Scott
Gretchen R. Scott
Strahil Shefkenov
Jorge Socorro
Christopher Alan Stapleton
William Craigo Straub Jr.
Thomas E. Stringer
Nestor Bryan Rivera Valentin
Roy Watson
Charles T. Wilson
Lynda Wilson
Sealed (2)
Orlando (19)
Paul Bastien
Leslie Pagan Burke
Victor Cedeno
Ramon Cendana aka Ray Cendana
Daniel Duffy
Caroline D. Griffin
Edwin M. Lugo-Abreu
Steven Manley
Garry S. Martin
Raymond Griffin McNulty
Ana Menjivar
Mark J. Moncher
Richard Nanan
Alfio Paulo Puglisi
Emily Sulbaran
Nicole Torres
Anthony Tucci
Genesis Valdez
Sealed (3)
Jacksonville (24)
Jordan S. Alvarez
Sharon Keller Baker
Delvin R. Campbell
Joseph Cirlot
Cassie R. Clarkson
Lashonda Dudley-Williams
Jennifer Rosemarie Genus
Juan Carlos Gonzalez
Donna Nelson Gurlides
Jean Tan Jones
Donald W. Linville
Timothy Lee Miller
Christopher Reid
Jeffrey Rubin
Mildred Ann Russell
Marshall Craig Scott aka Craig Scott
Cynthia Darlene Strickland
Fe V. Tan
Barry C. Westergom
Winslow Ballenger Wheeler
Sealed (4)
Sealed (5)
Sealed (6)
Sealed (7)
Of these defendants, 7 are related to cases under seal and not in the public record at this juncture.
An indictment or complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The surge investigation completed on October 31, 2009, and announced today is the first phase of a continuing effort to investigate and prosecute not only mortgage fraud professionals and other individuals who have engaged in multiple fraudulent mortgage transactions, but also larger organizations and even financial institutions.
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...
Legal Disclaimer.
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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