Monday, September 10, 2007
Texas Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty To Fraud Charges
John Turner, Jr., a licensed real estate agent, entered pleas of guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property. According to the plea agreement and statements by the prosecutor in court, Turner arranged for a straw borrower to purchase a residence located at 1603 Cherry Ridge Drive, Houston, Texas, and amended the purchase contract to instruct the title company to disburse $62,000 of the loan proceeds to a remodeling company of the buyer’s choice, ostensibly for repairs and upgrades to be made at the residence.
First National Bank of Arizona funded the $213,377 mortgage loan on November 17, 2006. At closing, Turner submitted a $62,000 false invoice in the name of First Class Construction Inc. for repairs and remodeling. The title company and First National Bank of Arizona were unaware Turner owned First Class Construction Inc. nor that the repairs and remodeling had not been done and would never be done.
Turner took the check to the Money Stop, a check cashing business located in Houston, Texas, where he cashed the check - receiving fifty-one $1,000 money orders, a $365 money order and $9,992 in cash.
According to the charging document, a criminal information filed August 28, 2007, Turner is alleged to have engaged in approximately 44 residential property transactions and fraudulently caused approximately $2,000,000 in excess funds to be paid by mortgage lenders.
Turner faces a maximum sentence of up to thirty years imprisonment, a fine of $1 million and a five year term of supervised release for the bank fraud conviction. He faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and a three year term of supervised release for engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property. Sentencing is scheduled for November 29, 2007.
mortgage fraud
Good. I’ve been a victim myself.
Posted by on 09/19 at 09:09 AM
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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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